The City With the Most Rats Is...

Orkin just released its annual list of "rattiest cities," and there's no change at the top as Chicago takes home the prize for the third consecutive ranking.

Upton Sinclair is rolling in his grave, because Chicago can't seem to make any improvements on their vermin problem. A post on the Orkin website announcing this year's ranking explains the public health risks that rodents bring:

Rodents chew on many materials, including wood and the insulation around wires. It’s estimated approximately 25 percent of unexplained wildfires start from rodent chewing. If rodent issues go unrecognized or ignored, their chewing can damage wires in the attic, basement or even in vehicles. Rodent burrowing can also cause cracks in a home’s foundation. “Beyond property damage, there are other important reasons to prevent, notice and eliminate rodent infestations. They can contaminate food and transmit pathogens through urine, feces and bites that affect health.”

New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco-Oakland, and Washington, D.C. round out the top five, in that order. Washington, D.C.'s placement on the list inspired coverage by Dana Hedgpeth of the Washington Post.

Orkin counts the number of rodent treatments it performed in each market between September 2016 and September 2017 to generate the list. Planetizen last picked up news of the "rattiest cities" list in 2014, when Chicago still topped the list and New York placed a surprisingly respectable fourth.