Let me start of by saying that no where in Florida is nearly as bad as Chicago. That city is on top of Orkinโs Top 50 Rat Infested Cities List for the ninth year in a row. I witnessed this first hand while staying at a hotel in downtown Chicago. We were several floors up and our view overlooked an alley. We noticed a dog poking around the dumpsters. A dog with a very long tail. Once it got closer to the light we realized it was the biggest rat you could image. Florida can’t begin to come close to the rats they have in Chicago.
Orkin ranked metro regions by the number of newย rodent treatments performed from Sept.1, 2022, to Aug. 31, 2023. This ranking includes both residential and commercial pest control treatments. Pretty efficient way of measuring the problems.
After Chicago comes another rat haven that I’m familiar with. Los Angeles. In the latest rankings, Los Angles has now overtaken New York for the second spot. Congratulations?
After New York at 3, comes Washington DC at 4, and San Francisco at 5.
There are rats in Florida, however the 3 Florida cities that made the list are much further down. Our rat problems aren’t nearly as bad as the cities on top the list. Additionally, one thing to note, of the 3 Florida cities that made the list, all moved up in the rankings over the previous year. So our rat problem seems to be growing.
If you don’t believe there’s rats in Southwest Florida, plant a mango tree in your yard. They’ll find you.
Here’s the most rat infested cities in Florida, and their national rankings.
TAMPA-ST. PETE
Tampa jumped 5 spots in this year’s rankings, coming in at number 36 nationally. Unlike Miami, I have personally witnessed rats around dumpsters at an apartment complex in Tampa. That’s why you don’t take your trash out at night. Also, what’s the meaning behind throwing rats on the hockey rink?
Nikita Kucherov #86 of the Tampa Bay Lightning skates back to the bench amongst plastic rats littering the ice following a third period goal by Owen Tippett #74 of the Florida Panthers in Game One of the First Round of the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the BB&T Center on May 16, 2021 in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
