Chicago Makes List of Most Rat-, Roach-Infested Cities In U.S.

It's perhaps one of the most upsetting sights a homeowner can see: A mouse, rat or cockroach darting from under a piece of furniture, scurrying across the room and disappearing.

But where are they going? Cockroaches are seen most frequently in New Orleans and Houston, while mice and rats are most often spotted in Philadelphia and Boston.

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But Chicago also earned a spot on the list of the 20 most rat- and roach-infested cities in the country. The Windy City ranked at No. 16 on both the rat and roach lists, according to the American Housing Survey, a review conducted every two years by the U.S. Census Bureau that gives us the closest idea of just how pervasive these visits into our homes are.

The full data from 2015's survey isn't available yet, but statistics from 25 major metropolitan areas were just released. They include the 15 largest areas and 10 other metros.

Respondents were asked if they had seen evidence of a rat, mouse or cockroach in their home in the last 12 months or since they had moved in.

In Chicago, more than 3,400 people responded to the survey. Of those, 302 — or 8.72 percent — reported seeing evidence of a mouse or rat. Around 170, or just less than 5 percent, reported seeing evidence of roaches.

Chicago was the only Illinois city to make the top 25 most rat- and roach-infested list.

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Like any survey, the data shouldn't be taken as any sort of empirical evidence. Rat or roach populations are difficult to estimate across a large area. These numbers show only how many respondents said they had or hand't seen one of these critters in their home.

At nearly 18 percent, Philadelphia had the highest rate of people who said they had seen at least evidence of either a rat or mouse.

The roaches were much more pervasive. At 41 percent, New Orleans residents saw evidence of a roach at a higher rate than any other city available.

See the full data for rats/mice and roaches below:

By Marc Torrence (Patch National Staff)/Patch Regional Manager Shannon Antinori contributed to this report.