ATLANTA - Winter is coming, and so are the rodents. Orkin released its Top 50 Rattiest Cities list, and for the fifth consecutive time, Chicago takes the top spot. New to the Top 10 cities this year are Minneapolis and Atlanta, holding the eighth and tenth spots, respectively.
Orkin ranked metro regions by the number of new rodent treatments performed from September 15, 2018 – September 15, 2019. This ranking includes both residential and commercial treatments.
| 1. Chicago | 26. Norfolk, VA (+4) |
| 2. Los Angeles | 27. New Orleans (+2) |
| 3. New York | 28. Richmond, VA (+3) |
| 4. Washington, DC | 29. Charlotte, NC (-7) |
| 5. San Francisco | 30. Grand Rapids, MI (+9) |
| 6. Detroit | 31. St. Louis (+5) |
| 7. Cleveland, OH (+1) | 32. Buffalo, NY (-4) |
| 8. Minneapolis-St. Paul (+3) | 33. Greenville, SC (+5) |
| 9. Philadelphia (-2) | 34. Nashville (+1) |
| 10. Atlanta (+5) | 35. San Diego (-9) |
| 11. Denver (-1) | 36. Champaign, IL (+8) |
| 12. Baltimore (-3) | 37. Kansas City, MO (-4) |
| 13. Seattle (+1) | 38. Phoenix (+2) |
| 14. Boston (-1) | 39. Orlando (+2) |
| 15. Dallas-Ft. Worth (-3) | 40. Tampa (+2) |
| 16. Indianapolis | 41. Syracuse (+5) |
| 17. Houston (+6) | 42. Sacramento (-5) |
| 18. Milwaukee (+3) | 43. Charleston-Huntington, WV (+4) |
| 19. Pittsburgh | 44. Ft. Wayne, IN (new to list) |
| 20. Miami (-3) | 45. Portland, ME (-11) |
| 21. Columbus, OH (+4) | 46. Flint, MI (+4) |
| 22. Portland, OR (+2) | 47. Albany, NY (-15) |
| 23. Cincinnati (-3) | 48. Dayton, OH |
| 24. Raleigh-Durham (+3) | 49. Burlington, VT (-6) |
| 25. Hartford, CT (-7) | 50. Madison, WI (new to list) |
During the colder months, rodent activity increases as these pests seek shelter in warm areas with readily-available food and water. In fact, the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) states that 24 percent of homeowners report mice infestations specifically in the winter.
"Unfortunately, residential properties offer the ideal habitat for rodents because of access to food and water sources, potential entry points and hiding places," said Chelle Hartzer, an Orkin entomologist. "A rat can squeeze through an opening as small as a quarter, while a mouse can wedge its way into a hole smaller than a dime."
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