Dallas is one of the most pest-infested cities in the United States, according to a recent study.
New York-based pest inspector business Doctor Sniffs conducted the analysis. The inspectors examined 2021 U.S. Census data to identify which cities had the most rat and cockroach sightings.
Dallas ranked seventh in the nation with 45.6 pest sightings per 100,000 residents. Houston also made the list, ranking sixth with 50.4 sightings per 100,000 residents.
“There are a variety of factors at play when thinking about pests,” Doctor Sniffs said in a statement to The Dallas Express. “Big metropolitan areas usually see more pest problems simply due to the higher amount of waste that’s produced.”
“If something is discarded and not secured, there’s a pest that will eat it, multiply, and make the problem worse,” the statement continued. “A proactive stance on the matter is ultimately the best solution for the problem, securing waste away properly, regular inspections, and not giving them any chance to be a problem to begin with.”
The most pest-infected city in the United States is Atlanta, according to the analysis. Atlanta recorded 165.9 pest sightings per 100,000 residents.
The top 10 cities with the most pest sightings per 100,000 residents are as follows:
- Atlanta, GA — 165.9 pest sightings
- Miami, FL — 141 pest sightings
- Washington, D.C. — 83.7 pest sightings
- Boston, MA — 72.8 pest sightings
- Riverside, CA — 71.1 pest sightings
- Houston, TX — 50.4 pest sightings
- Dallas, TX — 45.6 pest sightings
- Philadelphia, PA — 43.6 pest sightings
- San Francisco, CA — 27.7 pest sightings
- New York City, NY — 27.2 pest sightings
Pest infestations can be averted by eliminating food waste, storing food in sealed containers, fixing leaky pipes and faucets, and eliminating clutter, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
As previously reported by The Dallas Express, Dallas has also ranked among the top 10 dirtiest cities in the United States, and problems surrounding city cleanliness have been linked to Dallas’ ongoing crisis of homelessness and vagrancy.