California is Well Represented on List of US Cities With the Most Rats

Nobody wants to live around rats, yet the top 50 rodent-infested U.S. cities are unsurprisingly mostly Democrat-run cities. So the rats aren’t just dirty little furry creatures with long tails – the rats infest Mayoral chambers across the U.S. as well.

Terminix just released its Top 50 Rodent-Infested U.S. Cities list with no surprises – and they are talking about rats and mice – I interjected the politicians-rat angle. (If only Terminix could rid California of the worst political rats…)

“The cities with the most rats and mice are usually determined by factors such as sanitation practices, food waste access, and suitable habitats,” Terminix says. “These rodents can cause significant property damage and can be a serious public health concern in many urban areas.”

No Californian will be surprised that California has 7 cities in this lofty list of Rattus norvegicus: San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Sacramento, Palm Springs, San Diego, Fresno, and Monterey.

“Terminix shares the 50 cities with the most rats and mice across the United States in 2023. Utilizing data from over 300 Terminix branches nationwide, we compiled a list of cities where residents utilized rodent control services most frequently in 2023 within our designated service areas.”

1. New York City, NY

2. San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, CA

3. Los Angeles, CA

4. Philadelphia, PA

5. Washington DC

6. Chicago, IL

7. Houston, TX

8. Boston, MA

9. Dallas-Fort Worth, TX

10. Atlanta, GA

11. Baltimore, MD

12. Sacramento-Stockton-Modesto, CA

13. Denver, CO

14. Hartford-New Haven, CT

15. Cleveland-Akron, OH

16. Detroit, MI

17. Tampa-St. Pete, FL

18. Orlando-Daytona Beach-Melbourne, FL

19. Indianapolis, IN

20. Pittsburgh, PA

21. Cincinnati, OH

22. Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL

23. Memphis, TN

24. Columbus, OH

25. Palm Springs, CA

26. Seattle-Tacoma, WA

27. Nashville, TN

28. Little Rock-Pine Bluff, AR

29. San Diego, CA

30. Kansas City, MO

31. Providence-New Bedford, MA

32. Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN

33. Oklahoma City, OK

34. San Antonio, TX

35. Austin, TX

36. Harrisburg-Lancaster-Lebanon-York, PA

37. St. Louis, MO

38. Louisville, KY

39. Wilkes-Barre-Scranton, PA

40. Honolulu, HI

41. Richmond-Petersburg, VA

42. West Palm Beach-Fort Pierce, FL

43. Fresno-Visalia, CA

44. Mobile, AL-Pensacola, FL

45. Monterey-Salinas, CA

46. Portland, OR

47. Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY

48. Ft. Myers-Naples, FL

49. Bermingham, AL

50. Jacksonville, FL

Remember, last September 2023, the Globe reported on the dirtiest cities in America, and Sacramento came in a filthy 2nd place, behind Baltimore:

In second place is the Capitol city of California, Sacramento, with 39,186 complaints per 100k population; the Sacramento zip code of 95818 had 48,864 complaints per 100k population (my zip code).

Even Los Angeles, in 4th place, didn’t fare as poorly as Sacramento, with 21,616 complaints per 100k population for filth.

Oakland came in 15th place, with 6,139 complaints per 100k population.

San Francisco came in 19th place with 2,411 complaints per 100k population.

Terminix offers tips for preventing rat infestation such as sealing up entry points, regularly disposing garbage and keeping living spaces clean from food and crumbs. But if all else fails, their “experienced technicians can assess your situation, develop a tailored treatment plan, and ensure your home is protected…”

Terminix does not offer any helpful tips for eradicating unwanted rat-like politicians, corrupt mayors, slimy city council members, venal legislators, nefarious governors or knavish members of Congress.

I guess we are on our own for abating that type of rat.