Houston among most pest-infested U.S. cities, study finds

HOUSTON - Houston is among the most pest-infested cities in the U.S., according to a new study.

New York-based pest inspectors Doctor Sniffs used 2021 U.S. Census data to find the metropolitan areas with the most rat and cockroach sightings.

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Houston ranked sixth on the list. According to the study, the area had a combined rat and cockroach sighting rate of 50.4 per 100,000 residents in 2021.

Atlanta topped the list with a combined pest sighting rate of 165.9 per 100,000 residents.

The rest of the Top 10 metropolitan areas from the study include:

2. Miami with 141 pest sightings per 100,000 residents

3. Washington, D.C. with 83.7 pest sightings per 100,000 residents

4. Boston with 72.8 pest sightings per 100,000 residents

5. Riverside, California with 71.1 pest sightings per 100,000 residents

6. Houston with 50.4 pest sightings per 100,000 residents

7. Dallas with 45.6 pest sightings per 100,000 residents

8. Philadelphia with 43.6 pest sightings per 100,000 residents

9 San Francisco with 27.7 pest sightings per 100,000 residents

10. New York City with 27.2 pest sightings per 100,000 residents

FILE PHOTO. Rats are seen in a street of New York, United States on April 16, 2023. (Photo by Fatih Aktas/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

According to the findings, New York City topped the list for the most cockroach (1,225.7) and rat (1,164.9) sightings overall, but the population and amount of housing lowered its ranking on the list.