Rat-Infested NYC Somehow Isn’t ‘Rattiest City’ (Again), Ranking Finds

NEW YORK CITY — Pizza Rat obviously loves a classic New York City slice, but it appears his rodent cousins prefer deep dish.

Chicago yet again scurried to the top spot on Orkin’s “Top 50 Rattiest Cities List,” according to the pest control company’s 2022 ranking released last week.

The Windy City breezed past New York City, which ironically can be called the “Second City” when it comes to rats.

“New York beat out Los Angeles for the #2 ranking …,” the ranking states.

New Yorkers likely will be surprised by the Orkin ranking, given that rat sightings spiked up to 7,400 in the first three months this year.

The city’s long-standing rat problem is so big that it prompted Mayor Eric Adams to recently announce the city’s trash set-out time soon will move back to 8 p.m. in hopes it will starve rodents.

Adams’ trash proposal is his second big bite at controlling rodents in the Big Apple. His first — boozy rat traps — didn’t exactly take off.

Orkin’s list is based off rodent treatments the company performed from Sept. 1, 2021, to Aug. 31 — and Chicago has seen the most eight years running, according to the ranking.

New York City was third in the list last year.

Rodents could just be such a common sight in the city that New Yorkers have decided to surrender their rat battle.

Read the full list here, in all its ratty glory.