Los Angeles dethrones Chicago as rattiest city in U.S.

Forty-one-and-a-half years after the U.S. Census Bureau found that Los Angeles had displaced Chicago as the nation’s second largest city, Los Angeles has displaced Chicago in another distinction — though it may be one that Chicagoans would be more than happy not to have.

For 10 years, going back to the inception of the rankings, the pest control company Orkin rated Chicago the rattiest city in America. Orkin cited the city’s abundance of alleys that provide rats with “hidden havens,” and opportunities for rats to burrow under subway tracks and around underground pipes.

But Los Angeles has now dethroned Chicago in the rodent battle.

“With year-round warm weather, a booming culinary scene and dense neighborhoods that offer ample access to food and shelter, the City of Angels checks every box for rodent survival,” Orkin said in a news release. “From bustling commercial corridors to hidden alleyways, Los Angeles’ signature blend of glam and grit creates a perfect storm for rodent activity.”

Chicago still ranks second in the rat race. New York City comes in third, and San Francisco fourth.

Orkin’s top 50 rattiest cities for 2025 are as follows: