Orkin, an Atlanta-based pest control company and the citizens of Atlanta have found countless rats around Atlanta. From Sept. 1, 2021, to Aug. 31, 2022, Orkin ranked Atlanta 14th on their annual “rattiest cities” list. The influx of rats is due to the recent winters, more trash, and items that attract rodents. As a result, Atlanta’s rat population has increased

in the last few years.

The main types of rats living in Atlanta are Norway and Roof rats. The Norway rats are the larger of the two, growing up to 12 inches long from the tip of their heads to the end of their tails. Suspicious scurrying in the walls indicates that rats have infiltrated your home. The smell of ammonia keeps rats away, but the smell of food and garbage attracts them.

Robert Johnson says, “I was an adjunct professor at Georgia State, and I saw a rat jump in the trash can once.” Malcolm Johnson stated, “I see a lot of rats downtown. I see them near the Marta Station.” In 2020-2021, Atlanta ranked 15th on the list of “Rattiest Cities.”

When asked what rank he thought Atlanta had on the list of the 50 most rat-infested cities in the US, Malcolm Johnson said, “I think it’s fifth.” While we may see rats in the subways or scurrying about the streets downtown, consider that Atlanta is not in the top 5 cities. New York City is number two on the list of cities with the most rats. To remedy their problem, CNN states that NY currently has a job posting for a “Director of Rodent Mitigation.” That’s a fancy term for rodent exterminator, or, as the New Yorkers call it, “Rat Czar.”

Chicago is rated number one for rat infestation. Still, the world atlas rates it as the tenth most visited city in the US. A rat infestation has no effect on the appeal to visitors.