Overview
- Chicago falls to No. 2 after a decade at the top, with New York at No. 3, San Francisco No. 4 and Hartford jumping to No. 5.
- The rankings track new rodent-service calls to owner-occupied homes from August 20, 2024, through August 21, 2025, rather than direct counts of rodent populations.
- California leads the list with four cities: Los Angeles (1), San Francisco (4), Sacramento (19) and San Diego (24), while Michigan appears three times with Detroit (7), Grand Rapids (25) and Flint (41).
- Chicago officials point to prevention efforts, including piloted rat fertility-control pellets in select neighborhoods, and a city spokesperson criticized the list as a marketing metric by a private company.
- Reporting highlights public-health risks such as leptospirosis and salmonellosis and reiterates guidance to seal entry points, secure trash and report sightings as cooler weather drives rodents indoors.