Rats in New York City: Trends, Hotspots, and Comparisons

The Persistent Presence of Rats in New York City

Rats — the notorious and often dreaded inhabitants of urban landscapes, particularly in New York City. Residents frequently encounter these crafty creatures darting through subway stations, indulging in discarded pizza slices, or rummaging through garbage bins. In a troubling trend, sightings of these pests reported to city inspectors surged in 2022, prompting Mayor Eric Adams to take action by appointing a dedicated director of rodent mitigation, commonly referred to as the “rat czar.” This initiative has shown some efficacy, yet the rodent population continues to be an integral part of New York’s urban tapestry.

Hotspots for Rodent Activity

A comprehensive study conducted by RentHop examined rodent-related complaints logged with New York’s 311 helpline from 2015 through September 2024. The analysis categorized these complaints by location and ranked the areas based on the number of reports per 10,000 residents. Population statistics were sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau.

So far this year, Brooklyn has emerged as the borough with the highest number of rat complaints, totaling 9,518. Following closely are:

  • Manhattan: 5,375
  • Queens: 4,409
  • The Bronx: 3,508
  • Staten Island: 649

High Complaint Areas

When adjusting for population, the southern region of Harlem (specifically below 126th Street) has reported the highest number of complaints in 2024, averaging around 94 complaints per 10,000 residents. Not far behind is Ridgewood in Queens, with approximately 75 complaints per 10,000 residents. Other Brooklyn neighborhoods showing significant rodent activity include:

  • Windsor Terrace-South Slope: 74 complaints per 10,000 residents
  • Western Bushwick: 72 complaints per 10,000 residents
  • Clinton Hill: 71 complaints per 10,000 residents

Comparative Analysis with Other Cities

In addition to New York, the study also analyzed rat-related data from Boston, Chicago, and Washington, D.C. It was observed that complaints peaked in each of these cities between 2021 and 2022, but there has been a modest decline since then. Chicago consistently reported the highest total number of rodent complaints, although Washington D.C. has recently surpassed it in complaints per 10,000 residents.

Among the four cities assessed, New York recorded the fewest complaints per 10,000 residents this year, with an average of about 28. In the year 2024, only one monthly record was broken in New York, occurring in September with a total of 2,998 complaints citywide. According to the authors of the study, this trend may indicate that “rodent complaints are decreasing citywide.”

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