FL Towns Among 'Rattiest Cities' In U.S.: New Survey

TAMPA, FL — Researchers recently announced that Tampa is the "rattiest" town in Florida.

Overall, pest control company Orkin on Tuesday said Tampa is 22nd on the top 50 rattiest cities list, Los Angeles was first. Tampa soared 13 spots on the ranking, a troubling sign for the city.

Orkin determined this year's list by tracking new rodent services in owner-occupied residences from Aug. 20, 2024, to Aug. 21, 2025.

Other Florida cities that made the list were Miami (26th, two slots higher than a year ago) and Orlando (33rd, six spots higher than last year).

Los Angeles slipped into the top spot after a decade-long reign from Chicago.

"The shake-up in rankings signals a shift in rodent activity, likely influenced by weather patterns, urban infrastructure and human behavior," Orkin said in its report. "While Chicago has held the top spot since the list's inception, this year's data shows other major cities are seeing increased pressure, particularly as more moderate climates improve rodent survival rates and urban sprawl opens new pathways for infestations."

According to Orkin, the top 10 rattiest cities for 2025 are:

1. Los Angeles, California
2. Chicago, Illinois
3. New York, New York
4. San Francisco, California
5. Hartford, Connecticut
6. Washington, D.C.
7. Detroit, Michigan
8. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
9. Minneapolis, Minnesota
10. Denver, Colorado

Orkin said rodents are highly adaptive, drawn to the same needs as humans, including shelter, food and water. The Atlanta-based company added that as the weather cools, rodents seek warm shelter and food sources, causing serious concern for millions of homeowners who deal with infestations each fall.

“Rats and mice are more than a nuisance — they’re opportunists,” said Ian Williams, Orkin entomologist. “If there’s food, warmth and a way in, they’ll find it. And once inside, their constant chewing and rapid reproduction can quickly turn a small issue into a large, expensive one.”

Left unchecked, rats and other rodents can cause structural damage to homes. They enter around piping and even chew through walls, posing a fire risk because they tend to chew through electrical wiring as well, Orkin said in a news release.

Rodents eat the equivalent of a slice of bread every day, and even when they’re not eating, they are constantly chewing. A rat’s teeth have a rating of 5.5 on the Mohs hardness scale, which means they are powerful enough to chew through steel garbage cans, according to Orkin.

Rodents also reproduce quickly and infestations can become a problem. Look for droppings, gnaw marks and evidence of burrowing around the foundation. Rodents often can be heard before they’re seen, so listen for scratching or scurrying sounds, especially at night.

To prevent them, seal entry points (rats only need an opening the size of a quarter to get in and mice need even less) around windows, doors and pipes.

Eliminate food sources, including by storing food in sealed containers, cleaning up food messes immediately, and making sure the garbage and pet food aren’t accessible. Also, make sure debris outside can’t be used as nesting areas, set traps and, if rodents still get in, call an exterminator, Orkin said.