KENNEWICK — As temperatures drop for winter, it’s estimated that 21 million rodents will find a home to occupy through the coldest months. Among the most common infestations are rats and mice. These pests are all over the country, likely infesting homes or businesses in your own town.
National pest control company Orkin releases a report of the “rattiest” cities in the country each year. While Chicago has dominated the list for the last nine years, Washington was mentioned in the top 20.
The rankings are based on Orkin’s analysis of new rodent treatments performed in each region between September 2022 and August 2023.
Based on the Orkin analysis, the top 10 rattiest cities are:
- 1. Chicago
- 2. Los Angeles
- 3. New York
- 4. Washington, D.C.
- 5. San Francisco
- 6. Philadelphia
- 7. Baltimore
- 8. Denver
- 9. Detroit
- 10. Cleveland-Akron
As it turns out, the part of Washington with the most people also houses the most rats. The Evergreen State’s rattiest city is Seattle, ranking at No. 12. Just before Seattle is the Minneapolis-St. Paul area. Portland made the top 30, coming in at No. 26
