Seattle-Tacoma Metro Lands On Orkin's Most Rat-Infested List

The Seattle-Tacoma metro area ranks among America’s “Rattiest Cities,” according to a new report from pest control company Orkin.

Our region came in at No. 13 on the company’s recently released rankings for 2019.

This is the fifth year that the Atlanta-based pest control company has compiled the rankings, which are based on the number of rodent treatments the company performed from Sept. 15, 2018 to Sept. 15, 2019. It includes both residential and commercial treatments.

Seattle-Tacoma moved up one slot from last year, when it was ranked 14.

For a fifth ratty year in a row, Chicago was ranked No. 1 on the list.

Here are the 10 “Rattiest Cities” in the United States for 2019, according to Orkin:

1. Chicago
2. Los Angeles
3. New York
4. Washington D.C.
5. San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose
6. Detroit
7. Cleveland-Akron
8. Minneapolis-St. Paul
9. Philadelphia
10. Atlanta

As the weather turns colder, rodents seek shelter in warm areas with readily-available food and water. The National Pest Management Association estimates that 24 percent of homeowners report mice infestations.

“Unfortunately, residential properties offer the ideal habitat for rodents because of access to food and water sources, potential entry points and hiding places,” said Chelle Hartzer, an Orkin entomologist. “A rat can squeeze through an opening as small as a quarter, while a mouse can wedge its way into a hole smaller than a dime.”

The Environmental Protection Agency recommends the following tips to help prevent rats and mice from getting into the home:

• Seal holes inside and outside the house to keep rodents from finding a way in.
• Remove potential rodent nesting sites from your property, such as leaf piles and deep mulch.
• Clean up food and water sources in and near your house.

• Keep kitchen garbage in containers with tight-fitting lids.
• Turn compost piles to cover newly added food scraps.
• Stop feeding outdoor birds while you are controlling an infestation.

Patch reporter Gus Saltonstall contributed to this report.