Cities that have the most rats in the US

Content updated: September 16, 2026

Key takeaways

• New York City, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia rank as the city with the most rats and mice due to abundant food waste, shelter, and dense populations.
• Spotting small droppings, chewed wires, or nesting materials around your home is often the first sign of an active mouse or rat infestation.
• Proper waste management, securely storing food, and sealing structural entry points can help prevent mice and rats from accessing your living spaces.
• Professional rodent control services can help address active infestations and help protect your property from returning pests.

Jump to section:

What cities have the most rats and mice?

Why do these cities have the most rodents?

What are the signs of a rodent infestation?

Preventing rodents in your home

When to contact a rodent control professional

Rats and mice are a common problem in U.S. cities, where food waste, sanitation practices, and abundant shelter can create ideal conditions for rodents to thrive. These pests can damage property and pose public health concerns, making effective rodent control important for homeowners and businesses.

So, what city has the most rats and mice? We ranked the 50 cities with the most rats and mice in the U.S., based on where homeowners needed rodent services most often, according to our Rentokil-owned Terminix branch data from 2025. New York continues to lead the list as the top city for rodent activity, followed by Los Angeles, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Houston. Keep reading to see if your city made the list!

What cities have the most rats and mice?

Terminix shares the 50 cities with the most rats and mice across the United States. Using data from over 300 Rentokil-owned Terminix branches nationwide, we compiled a list of cities where residents most frequently used rodent control services in 2025 within our designated service areas.¹

Looking at the data, the top of the list remains largely unchanged from previous years. New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and San Francisco have all held onto their spots as the top four most mice and rat-infested cities. However, Houston is a new addition to the top five this year.

1. New York, NY
2. Los Angeles, CA
3. San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, CA
4. Philadelphia, PA
5. Chicago, IL
6. Washington, DC (Hagerstown), DC
7. Houston, TX
8. Dallas-Ft. Worth, TX
9. Boston (Manchester), MA
10. Atlanta, GA
11. Detroit, MI
12. Baltimore, MD
13. Sacramento-Stockton-Modesto, CA
14. Hartford & New Haven, CT
15. Tampa-St. Pete (Sarasota), FL
16. Cleveland-Akron (Canton), OH
17. Denver, CO
18. Orlando-Daytona Beach-Melbourne, FL
19. Indianapolis, IN
20. Memphis, TN
21. Palm Springs, CA
22. Cincinnati, OH
23. Nashville, TN
24. Pittsburgh, PA
25. Seattle-Tacoma, WA
26. Little Rock-Pine Bluff, AR
27. Miami-Ft. Lauderdale, FL
28. Columbus, OH
29. San Antonio, TX
30. San Diego, CA
31. Austin, TX
32. Providence-New Bedford, RI
33. Oklahoma City, OK
34. Louisville, KY
35. Kansas City, MO
36. Mobile-Pensacola (Ft. Walton), AL
37. Wilkes Barre-Scranton, PA
38. Birmingham (Ann & Tusc), AL
39. Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY
40. Portland, OR
41. Harrisburg-Lancaster-Lebanon-York, PA
42. Jacksonville, FL
43. Portland-Auburn, ME
44. Fresno-Visalia, CA
45. West Palm Beach-Ft. Pierce, FL
46. Jackson, MS
47. Shreveport, LA
48. Monterey-Salinas, CA
49. Honolulu, HI
50. Ft Myers-Naples, FL

Why do these cities have the most rodents?

The cities with the most rats and mice often have three things in common: lots of people, plenty of food, and plenty of places for rodents to hide. Together, these conditions give rats and mice the resources they need to survive and reproduce.

Large populations generate significant amounts of food waste, while dumpsters, alleys, parks, and other urban spaces can give rodents easy access to food. Older buildings, subway systems, and sewer networks provide additional places to travel, hide, and nest. Extreme temperatures can also push rodents indoors in search of shelter, increasing the likelihood of rodent activity around homes and businesses.

What are the signs of a rodent infestation?

Although rodents can sometimes live in the home undetected, there are some tell-tale signs of rats and mice that homeowners can look out for. One of the most common signs is spotting droppings.

"Droppings are quite often the very first sign that something isn't quite right and that there might be an unwanted rodent visitor. They leave droppings behind quite a lot, so it becomes a fairly quick signal that action needs to be taken," says Chad Gore, Entomologist and Terminix Market Technical Director.

Other common signs of a mouse or rat infestation that homeowners should look out for include:

• Small droppings in the home, including the back of drawers and cabinets, and on the floor along the walls
• Holes or gnaw marks in food packaging
• Chewed wires or floor molding
• Urine stains in the corner of shelves, the back of drawers, or cabinets
• Footprints and tail-drags in dust
• Nesting debris found(chewed paper, cardboard, insulation, other fibrous materials)
• Scratching or thumping in the walls

Preventing rodents in your home

Cities with the most rats and mice can also face greater risks from rodent activity. Rats and mice can chew through electrical wires, contaminate food and surfaces, and transmit diseases. Their droppings can also contain harmful bacteria and parasites, making rodent infestations more than just a nuisance for homes and businesses.

Some simple steps to help prevent mice and rats from entering your home include:

• Use durable materials to seal possible entry points, such as cracks and openings around doors, windows, and foundations
• Store food in airtight containers to reduce attraction
• Keep your living spaces clean, promptly removing crumbs and food residues
• Regularly dispose of garbage in tightly sealed bins to minimize food sources
• Organize cluttered storage areas to limit potential nesting sites for mice

If you live in one of the most rat-infested cities, these steps can significantly help lower the risk of a rodent infestation. Gore shared, "One major US city (NYC) with a Norway rat problem now requires trash [to be] placed in secure bins outside. Not surprisingly, [our technicians have reported] reduced sightings and cleaner streets by our residential customers! It's a clear example that proper waste management is essential to rat management."

When to contact a rodent control professional

Knowing when to hand the problem over to a professional is vital if you live in one of the cities with the most rats or mice. Once you spot obvious signs like droppings, chewed wires, or hear scratching in your walls, you should contact an expert immediately.

At Terminix, our rodent control services are designed to eliminate current infestations while utilizing advanced exclusion techniques to keep them from coming back. Our experienced technicians will evaluate your home, build a customized treatment plan, and help ensure your property remains protected. Schedule an inspection to get started!