Popular Ohio Cities Rank Among America's 'Rattiest' Cities In 2023

A couple popular cities in Ohio were once again named among the "rattiest" cities in the entire country.

Orkin released its annual list of the 50 most rat-infested cities around the U.S. Chicago remained undefeated in the No. 1 spot for the ninth year in a row, followed by other major cities like Los Angeles, New York City and Washington, D.C. While it may make sense that cities filled with millions of residents, and even more tourists, have reported a rise in rodent activity, other cities in the list may come as a surprise, including three in Ohio:

• No. 10: Cleveland-Akron
• No. 18: Columbus
• No. 31: Cincinnati

Coming in at No. 10 overall, the Cleveland-Akron area of Ohio is the "rattiest" in the state and among the most rat-infested cities in America. However, the list did offer some promising news, with both Cleveland and Cincinnati falling several spots on the list compared to last year. Columbus, however, did jump a few spots compared to 2022's ranking of No. 25.

These are the Top 10 rattiest cities in the country for 2023:

1. Chicago
2. Los Angeles
3. New York
4. Washington, D.C.
5. San Francisco
6. Philadelphia
7. Baltimore
8. Denver
9. Detroit
10. Cleveland-Akron

"Rodents multiply swiftly and when an infestation is left unattended, they can cause extensive damage to homes and yards," said Okrin entomologist Ben Hottel. "Rats are capable of squeezing into spaces through holes as small as a quarter, which makes it especially important to seal cracks from the outside."

To help prevent rats inside a residence, Orkin advises to keep food stored away, clean up clutter around the house, and keep an eye out for signs of an infestation, such as rat droppings, strange noises, and nests in dark, secluded areas.

Here's how the site determined its rankings:

"Cities on the Rattiest Cities List are based on the number of new rodent services showcasing the demand and also indicates the efforts that residents and businesses of the top cities have taken to treat rodent issues. Orkin ranked metro regions by the number of new rodent treatments performed from Sept. 1, 2022, to Aug. 31, 2023. This ranking includes both residential and commercial pest control treatments."

Check out Orkin's full report to see a list of the rattiest cities in the country.