Finding 1
Chicago recorded 4.3 times as many municipal rodent reports per 10,000 residents as New York City in 2025: 157.7 compared with 36.5.
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Last updated · Latest complete year 2025 · 3 participating cities.
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Key findings
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Finding 2
Chicago had the highest rate among participating cities in 2025: 157.7 reports per 10,000 residents. City reporting definitions differ.
Finding 3
Boston recorded the largest increase among comparable participating cities: 4.2% from 2024 to 2025.
Finding 4
New York City recorded the largest decrease among comparable participating cities: 21.2% from 2024 to 2025. Fewer reports do not establish fewer rodents.
Finding 5
Chicago's highest monthly total in 2025 was 5,828 reports in July. Reporting season is not necessarily rodent breeding season.
Finding 6
The 3 participating cities recorded 79,620 rodent-related municipal reports in 2025. This is a participating-city total, not a nationwide estimate.
How to cite this research
RodentExterminator.com, US Rodent Infestation Index. Analysis of municipal rodent reports in participating cities, 2025. Retrieved 2026-09-29. https://rodentexterminator.com/research/us-rodent-index. Reports are not measured rodent populations.
Suggested wording: “According to an analysis of municipal rodent reports by RodentExterminator.com…” Link to the relevant city report or national table and include the reporting year. Do not describe report totals as a rodent census, individual rats, confirmed infestations or a ranking of all US cities.
Our original charts may be reproduced with attribution. Each chart carries its timeframe, source attribution, population source, snapshot date, methodology path and original research link. Embeds require no followed link, tracking pixel or third-party script. Download a dated PNG when a story needs a fixed image. Municipal datasets retain their own terms.
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2025 participating-city leaderboard
Municipal rodent reports per 10,000 residents
Chicago · 157.7
1. Chicago: 157.7 reports per 10,000. 2. Boston: 77.6 reports per 10,000. 3. New York City: 36.5 reports per 10,000
Rankings reflect reported municipal rodent activity, not an estimated rat population.
Source: Municipal 311: Chicago, Boston, New York City; U.S. Census Bureau population estimates. · Updated 2026-09-29
Top finding · 2025
Chicago had the highest participating-city report rate
157.7 per 10,000
43,083 reports and 2,731,585 residents in the complete 2025 comparison.
City definitions and reporting behavior differ; reports are not measured rodent populations.
Source: Municipal 311: Chicago; U.S. Census Bureau population estimates. · Updated 2026-09-29
2024–2025 year over year
New York City recorded the largest decrease
-21.2%
New York City: -21.2%. Chicago: -3.3%. Boston: +4.2% Reports, 2024 to 2025.
A change in reports does not prove a change in rodent prevalence or explain causation.
Source: Municipal 311: New York City, Chicago, Boston. · Updated 2026-09-29
Methodology in brief
We count exact configured categories from municipal 311 records, deduplicate request IDs and use request creation dates. Chicago's city-flagged duplicate requests are excluded. Rates divide city totals by same-year Census city populations and multiply by 10,000. Rankings exclude partial years and the national charts use a fixed cohort.
City reporting systems differ, and Boston is transitioning systems. Report volume reflects reporting behavior as well as reported activity. Full methodology, source definitions, exclusions and provenance.
Questions and corrections
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Methodology & provenanceNew York City
Combined CSV redistribution is held until every included source’s reuse terms are verified. Source links and permitted city downloads remain available.
Methodology & provenanceChicago
Boston
Chart, PNG and embed downloads
Each chart offers an attributed PNG, approved CSV scope and lightweight iframe code. City-specific charts remain on their linked city reports.
Reports per resident, 2025
Ranked by reported activity per resident across 3 participating cities, not by rodent population. City reporting categories differ.
Timeframe: 2025. Last updated 2026-09-29. Axes: Participating city; Reports per 10,000 residents. Underlying sources: New York City 311 Service Requests · Chicago 311 Service Requests · Boston 311 Service Requests - 2026 · Boston 311 Service Requests - 2025 · Boston 311 Service Requests - 2024 · Boston 311 Service Requests - 2023 · U.S. Census Bureau population estimates · U.S. Census Bureau population estimates · U.S. Census Bureau population estimates. Methodology. Data: RodentExterminator.com US Rodent Index.
View accessible data table: Reports per resident, 2025
| City / year | Reports per 10,000 residents |
|---|---|
| Chicago | 157.7 |
| Boston | 77.6 |
| New York City | 36.5 |
CSV held pending source reuse verification
Year-over-year report changes, 2025
Changes in each city’s own report total from the previous full year. A change in reporting is not proof of a change in rodent prevalence.
Timeframe: 2025. Last updated 2026-09-29. Axes: Participating city; Year-over-year change (%). Underlying sources: New York City 311 Service Requests · Chicago 311 Service Requests · Boston 311 Service Requests - 2026 · Boston 311 Service Requests - 2025 · Boston 311 Service Requests - 2024 · Boston 311 Service Requests - 2023 · U.S. Census Bureau population estimates · U.S. Census Bureau population estimates · U.S. Census Bureau population estimates. Methodology. Data: RodentExterminator.com US Rodent Index.
View accessible data table: Year-over-year report changes, 2025
| City / year | Change (%) |
|---|---|
| New York City | -21.2 |
| Chicago | -3.3 |
| Boston | 4.2 |
CSV held pending source reuse verification
When reports were filed, 2025
Monthly report totals for the same participating cities. Larger cities contribute more to this sum.
Timeframe: 2025. Last updated 2026-09-29. Axes: Month; Municipal reports. Underlying sources: New York City 311 Service Requests · Chicago 311 Service Requests · Boston 311 Service Requests - 2026 · Boston 311 Service Requests - 2025 · Boston 311 Service Requests - 2024 · Boston 311 Service Requests - 2023 · U.S. Census Bureau population estimates · U.S. Census Bureau population estimates · U.S. Census Bureau population estimates. Methodology. Data: RodentExterminator.com US Rodent Index.
View accessible data table: When reports were filed, 2025
| Month | Reports |
|---|---|
| Jan | 4,437 |
| Feb | 4,253 |
| Mar | 5,922 |
| Apr | 6,521 |
| May | 7,677 |
| Jun | 8,926 |
| Jul | 10,155 |
| Aug | 9,327 |
| Sep | 8,379 |
| Oct | 6,606 |
| Nov | 4,454 |
| Dec | 2,963 |
CSV held pending source reuse verification
Reported activity over time
Total reports from a fixed cohort of participating cities with common full-year coverage. Not an estimate for the United States.
Timeframe: 2023–2025. Last updated 2026-09-29. Axes: Complete calendar year; Municipal reports. Underlying sources: New York City 311 Service Requests · Chicago 311 Service Requests · Boston 311 Service Requests - 2026 · Boston 311 Service Requests - 2025 · Boston 311 Service Requests - 2024 · Boston 311 Service Requests - 2023 · U.S. Census Bureau population estimates · U.S. Census Bureau population estimates · U.S. Census Bureau population estimates. Methodology. Data: RodentExterminator.com US Rodent Index.
View accessible data table: Reported activity over time
| City / year | Reports |
|---|---|
| 2023 | 92,801 |
| 2024 | 89,299 |
| 2025 | 79,620 |
CSV held pending source reuse verification