The rat problem in NYC is severe, with an estimated 3 million rats—roughly one for every three humans—populating the city. Sightings have increased in recent years due to construction, climate change, and waste management issues. While considered a mascot by some, they are a major public health concern.
LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A new report from business review company Yelp gives Los Angeles the top spot for being the most rat-infested city in the United States. "Los Angeles earned the unenviable title of America's #1 rodent hotspot, with more Yelp searches for rodent services than any other city.
Now local officials are taking up the battle against the city's furry rodents. In 2023, New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced the city's first Rat Czar, drawing national attention.
The NYC Health Department, Department of Parks and Recreation, Department of Sanitation, Department of Education, and Housing Authority work together to improve neighborhood sanitation by eliminating the food, water and habitat that rats need to survive.
Rats hate strong, pungent smells that disrupt their sensitive noses, with popular deterrents including peppermint oil, eucalyptus oil, ammonia, cayenne pepper, clove oil, citronella, and garlic, often applied with cotton balls or sprays to entry points to discourage nesting and foraging. These potent odors interfere with their navigation and sense of safety, making an area less appealing.
They are fed well and have ample places to stay, this makes it so that they are healthier and in better physical condition than ever before. That condition offers them the opportunity to grow bigger as they eat better and live longer.
Garbage left on the curb for too long attracts rats. Follow your building's policy for garbage disposal and recycling. If your building has a garbage chute, bag and tie your garbage before putting it down the chute.
During the winter, rats will seek out warmer shelters, such as inside homes, buildings, or other structures, to escape the cold. Rats may become more active at night and spend more time foraging for food, as their food sources may be scarce during the winter months.
What is the largest rat ever recorded in New York City?
In researching this (also known as googling it), I discovered that the largest rat officially recorded was captured in NYC, and it was 11.5lbs (5.2kg). A few years ago, there was a photo going around of a man holding what he claimed to be a 40lb rat, again, in a NYC apartment.
The truth is: rats are skilled climbers, and yes, they can scale walls with surprising ease. At Talent Termite, we've seen rats reach attics, upper-story balconies, and even crawlspaces sealed off with the best intentions.
For the first time in over a decade, Los Angeles takes the top spot, followed by Chicago and New York. ATLANTA (Oct. 28, 2025) – As Orkin's annual Top 50 Rattiest Cities List enters its second decade, a new city is claiming the top spot for the first time in the list's history.
Yes, rats can go near and even climb on sleeping humans, especially if they are desperate for food, attracted by food residue (like on a baby's face), or if the infestation is severe; while bites are rare and usually defensive, they can happen on exposed skin like fingers or toes, but it's more common for rats to just scurry around you at night. Being nocturnal, rats explore homes at night for food, water, and shelter, and while they generally avoid humans, a sleeping person offers less threat than a waking one, leading them to approach, particularly if food is present.
While some people believe the strong scent may deter mice, dryer sheets are not considered a reliable or long-term solution. Other proven methods like sealing entry points and professional rodent control services are recommended for better results.
(You can put some glass in a tough paper bag and smash it with a hammer. Shake out the broken glass pieces into the mortar as you are mixingi t.) The glass or the filings deters rats from digging the filled holes out again before the mortar hardens."
Rats can have up to five litters per year, and they have relatively short gestation periods, only taking around 21 days for most species. On average, a rat in the wild will live for around one to two years.
The biggest rats ever found are giant species from Papua New Guinea, like the Giant Woolly Rat (up to 3 ft/1m long) and Rattus novaeguinae, weighing several pounds, though recent finds in the UK of sewer rats around 22 inches (56 cm) have also made headlines, with experts linking them to urban development and food waste.
Rats can thrive on just an ounce of food and water daily, so when they enter a neighborhood and gain access to meat, fish, vegetables and grains, they will stay. Rats prefer to feed in and around homes, restaurants and businesses.
“Strong smells like peppermint and ammonia, clean and clutter-free spaces, and homes they can't easily enter. Their sensitive noses, sharp instincts, and need for food and shelter make these conditions unbearable. If your home doesn't offer comfort, safety, or a reliable food source, rats will turn the other way.”
