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Three of the "rattiest" cities in the entire country are located right here in North Carolina.
Orkin recently released its annual list of the 50 "most rat-infested cities in America" for 2024, determining its rankings by tracking data for new residential rodent treatments from September 1, 2023, to August 31, 2024. For the 10th year in a row, Chicago has topped the list as the "rattiest" city in the U.S., with other major cities like Los Angeles and New York following close behind. Among the list are three cities in North Carolina: Charlotte, Raleigh and Greensboro, which ranked Nos. 26, 28 and 50, respectively.
"Rodents can cause a lot of structural problems for property owners," said John Kane, Orkin National Accounts Entomologist & Quality Manager. "They can get in around piping and even chew through walls. These tiny culprits tend to chew through wiring, which poses an increased risk of fires."
To help prevent rats inside a residence, Orkin advises to keep food stored away, clean up clutter around the house, and keep an eye out for signs of an infestation, such as rat droppings, strange scratching and scurrying noises and gnaw marks on walls or food packaging.
These are the Top 10 rattiest cities in the country:
- Chicago, Illinois
- Los Angeles, California
- New York, New York
- San Francisco, California
- Washington, D.C.
- Denver, Colorado
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Detroit, Michigan
- Baltimore, Maryland
- Cleveland, Ohio
Check out the full list at Orkin to see more of the most rat-infested cities around the U.S.