Congrats! These Washington & Oregon Cities Made the Rattiest Cities in U.S. List

I suppose it’s not surprising to see Seattle on Orkin’s annual “Top 50 Rattiest Cities List.” After all, Seattle is a major metropolitan area. The good news for Seattleites is that their rank on the rat list remained steady at #12. Portland, Oregon had better news as it was less ratty this time around -  improving by 4 spots moving from #22 to #26. So, you're probably wondering how Orkin compiled this distinguished list.

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How does Orkin collect the data for their rattiest cities list?

Each year Orkin Pest Control puts out the list which is compiled by the number of new rodent treatments (residential and commercial) the company performs over a year between September and August.

According to Orkin’s website, “Each fall, mice and other rodents invade an estimated 21 million homes in the U.S. They typically enter homes between October and February looking for food, water, and shelter from cold.”

Why is it important to have your home inspected for rodents?

The number one reason for having your home inspected and treated (if needed) is for health reasons as the little buggers can carry many diseases which can make you ill. In addition to health issues, rodents like to gnaw on wires, water pipes, insulation, and drywall. And, depending on how many rodents you have crawling inside your walls, they could cause a substantial amount of structural damage.

There are many rodent control products and traps available at most home improvement stores – from old-fashioned mouse traps to poison. If you think you have a bigger rodent problem that can be controlled by these products, it’s time to call a professional. By the way, the rattiest city in the United States is Chicago. See all 50 cities here.