Chicago - not NYC - is the most rat-infested city in the U.S. In fact, New York is number 3

Wednesday, October 23, 2024
NEW YORK (WABC) -- One title the Big Apple is happy to cede, New York City is not the most rat-infested city in the country, according to the pest control company Orkin's annual ranking.

The top three remained the same for the seventh year in a row with Chicago claiming the Rat King crown followed by Los Angeles and then New York.

San Francisco, California, and Washington, D.C. rounded out the top five.

New York is the most represented state on the list of 50 cities Albany, Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse also making the list.

Orkin determines its list by looking at the number of new rodent treatments it performs in the city in a given year.



Rats have been a focus of New York City Mayor Eric Adams' administration.

Earlier this year businesses switched to covered containers for trash instead of plastic bags.

A similar rule is set to go into effect for residential building next month.

As of Nov. 12, city officials will have containerized 70% of New York City's 14 billion annual pounds of trash in two years.

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