Atlanta ranks 12th most rat-infested city in the US

ATLANTA — As temperatures drop, Atlanta’s rodents are heading inside — and the city has a top-15 spot on a national list to prove it.

What’s happening: Pest control company Terminix ranked Atlanta number 12 on its annual Top 50 Most Rodent-Infested Cities report, released October 5. The list is based on where customers used rodent control services most in 2025, drawn from more than 300 Terminix branches nationwide.

The silver lining, sort of: Atlanta slipped two spots from last year’s ranking, meaning slightly fewer Atlanta residents called for rodent help in 2025 than the year before. Progress, technically.

Why fall is the problem: “Fall is when rodents are most actively searching for a way inside,” said Emory Matts, a board-certified entomologist and technical service manager at Terminix. “A mouse can fit through a gap the size of a dime, so even a small opening can become an entry point.”

Matts also noted that dry conditions push rodents indoors looking for food and water, while mild winters let populations grow before cold weather arrives.

What you can do now: Terminix recommends sealing gaps around your foundation, garage, roofline, and utility lines with steel wool and caulk, and adding door sweeps to exterior doors. Store dry food in hard-sided containers, bring pet food bowls inside at night, and keep trash cans tightly lidded. Stack firewood away from the house and trim shrubs back from the foundation.