If you’ve ever dealt with a mouse or rat infestation, you may have wondered–is your problem the worst? Chances are, no. If you’re proactive and get help from a professional quickly, chances are your issue was just an inconvenience–not a disaster. If you really start studying rodents and household pests, you’ll quickly realize that some places are simply more prone to infestation than others. We’ve put together a list of five cities with the worst vermin issues (ranked by REALTOR.com) so you can better understand what leads to infestations.
- Houston, Texas – Houston, Texas takes the top prize in this contest that no city wanted to win. Why? The city is warm, humid and has a high population density. Over 8% of households report a problem with rats and nearly 1/3 with roaches. So, if you’re traveling to Houston, you may want to make sure you don’t bring any hitchhikers back with you.
- New York, New York – This is one city that no one is surprised makes the list. There are a number of things that NYC is known for–unfortunately, mice and cockroaches are two of them. The city is very densely packed and much of the infrastructure is older, so it makes sense that you’ll see many pests in the Big Apple. In fact, it isn’t unusual to see rats or mice even in highly trafficked areas like subway stations.
- Washington DC – Another densely packed city makes the list. You’ll find a number of vermin pose problems here, but none may be more significant to a visitor than bed bugs. Washington DC reports that 2nd worst bed bug problem of any city in the United States. In addition, you’ll find the usual assortment of mice, rats, roaches and other pests that have found their way into the residential areas of the city.
- Atlanta, Georgia – Though the population may be a bit more spread out in Atlanta than the other locations on this list, the city does have a climate that makes it especially appealing to insects. Because the climate is warm and damp–plus there are many nearby lakes and green spaces, insects like mosquitoes and ticks are more prevalent here than in other large cities. In addition, the city rarely experiences a hard freeze, so vermin aren’t naturally controlled during winter months like they are in the northern cities.
- Philadelphia, PA – Ever wonder where the worst rat problem in the US is? Wonder no more. Philadelphia is the “rattiest” city there is. Keeping these vermin from homes and businesses is a full-time job for some locations around the town. The old row houses that make up the downtown residential area is a prime location for rats, mice, and other vermin to live and breed. When the city experiences a warmer-than-usual winter, the rat problem can grow even worst, too.
While California is not on this list of top 5 vermin-infested cities above, cities like Los Angeles also deal with household critters on a large-scale. According to the American Housing Survey, more than 15% of Los Angeles households reported roaches in 2015. Make sure you stay on top any pest problems and invest in good year-round pest control. If you’d like to talk to an expert about any pest questions or concerns you may have, don’t hesitate to contact us at American Rat Control today. We are proud to help keep Los Angeles and other surrounding California towns off this list of pest-filled cities!
