Chicago falls to No. 6 in Terminix list of Most Rodent-Infested Cities

Chicago is making improvements on the list of America's rattiest cities.

Every year, multiple pest control companies release lists of America's rattiest or most rodent-infested cities. Pest control company Terminix announced its rankings on Monday, and placed Chicago at No. 6.

New York City came first in the Terminix "Worst Cities for Rodents" list, followed by Los Angeles, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Houston. Chicago fell one ranking point on the Terminix list compared with 2025, as this year, Houston knocked the Windy City out of the top five.

Rounding out the top 10 are Washington, D.C., at No. 7, Boston at No. 8, Dallas-Fort Worth at No. 9, and Detroit at No. 10.

The Terminix rankings came out as temperatures are dropping in the fall, and rodents are coming inside in search of food, water and shelter.

"Several factors can influence where rodent pressure shows up from year to year," Emory Matts, a board-certified entomologist and technical service manager at Terminix, said in a news release. "Weather, drought, development, population shifts, and the availability of food and shelter can all play a role. Dry conditions can push rodents indoors in search of food and water, while milder falls and winters can extend breeding windows and allow populations to grow before colder weather arrives."

Another pest control company, Orkin, publishes rankings for what they term the Rattiest City in America. For 10 years, going back to the inception of the rankings, Orkin ranked Chicago at the top of the rattiest cities list.

Orkin cited the city's abundance of alleys that provide rats with "hidden havens," and opportunities for rats to burrow under subway tracks and around underground pipes.

But in 2025, Los Angeles dethroned Chicago in the rodent battle. Chicago fell to second, still ahead of New York City at third.

The 2026 Orkin Rattiest Cities list has yet to be released.