U.S. Census Bureau Releases List of Most Vermin-Infested Cities

FAIRFAX, Va. (August 3, 2015) – The U.S. Census Bureau recently released its biennial report of rat, mouse and cockroach sightings across the country. The data is collected from the American Housing Survey (AHS), a comprehensive, statistical  survey conducted every two years by the U.S. Census Bureau and funded by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The AHS found that out of 25 U.S. metropolitan areas, Tampa is the most cockroach-infested city, Seattle is the rattiest, and Philadelphians are the most likely to spot a mouse in their house. 

The data demonstrates a geographical influence on which pests, and how many of them, are most likely to infest homes. For example, while cockroaches and rats are more common in warmer climates, mice are more likely to invade homes in colder, Northern areas. Compared with the national average, households below the poverty line are 50 percent more likely to report finding evidence of cockroaches or rats in their homes.