There are a lot of ratty cities in the South, Orkin says. Here are the ‘rattiest’

Tanasia Kenney
·2 min read

More than a dozen southern cities rank among the 50 most rat-infested cities in America, Orkin said this week.

With the colder months ahead, pest experts say rodent activity is bound to increase as rats, mice and other vermin seek food and shelter — possibly in your home.

“Rodents are experts at sniffing out food and shelter, and they’re resilient in their ways to obtain both,” Orkin entomologist Ben Hottel said in a statement released by the pest-control company. “Residential properties offer the ideal habitat for rodents, and once they’ve settled in, they’re capable of reproducing rapidly and in large quantities.”

The coronavirus pandemic has made rodents more visible, as restaurants closed for lockdowns, according to Orkin.

“Without food waste to consume, these pests were seen scavenging new areas and exhibiting unusual or aggressive behavior, the company said.

Among cities in the South, Atlanta ranked the highest at No. 14. Dallas-Fort Worth was No. 16. Raleigh was No. 26, and Charlotte was No. 31.

For the sixth year in a row, Chicago took the top spot on the company’s 2020 ranking. Los Angeles, New York, Washington, D.C., and San Francisco rounded out the top five cites with the most rats.

To come up with its ”Top 50 Rattiest Cities List,” Orkin said it ranked metro regions based on the number of new rodent treatments performed by the company between Sept 1, 2019, and Aug. 31, 2020. Residential and commercial were included in the figures.

Orkin offered tips on preventing pests, including cleaning up crumbs and garbage, avoiding clutter and sealing cracks and holes around home entryways.

“Unfortunately, rodents can cause great damage in and around homes,” Hottel said.

Besides being, well, pests, rats can carry diseases, including the plague.

These are some of the “rattiest” cities in the South, according to Orkin’s 2020 rankings:

  • No. 14 — Atlanta

  • No. 20 — Miami

  • No. 21 — New Orleans

  • No. 25 — Norfolk, Va.

  • No. 26 — Raleigh, N.C.

  • No. 31 — Charlotte, N.C.

  • No. 33 — Richmond, Va.

  • No. 34 — Nashville

  • No. 35 — Greenville, S.C.

  • No. 41 — Tampa

  • No. 45 — Knoxville

  • No. 46 — Orlando

  • No. 50 — West Palm Beach