Milwaukee Ranks 18th Among Rattiest U.S. Cities

Orkin's annual list places Milwaukee two spots lower than last year, with Los Angeles now ranked first overall.

Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Wildlife

Bold flat-color vector editorial illustration of a rounded city-block silhouette with a small bait-station box at its base against a pale lakeshore horizon. — Orkin ranked Milwaukee 18th among the rattiest U.S. cities in its annual list, two spots lower than last year, with Los Angeles taking first place. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Orkin ranked Milwaukee 18th on its annual list of the rattiest U.S. cities, based on new residential rodent treatments from August 2025 to August 2026. Milwaukee dropped two spots from last year's ranking, while Chicago placed second behind Los Angeles.

Why it matters

Cities give rodents access to food, water, protected places, and nesting sites, which helps explain why urban rodent activity remains a persistent concern. The ranking gives Milwaukee residents a measure of how their city compares with other large Midwest cities.

Orkin's ranking uses new residential rodent treatments recorded from August 2025 to August 2026 to order cities from rattiest to least rattiest. The list does not specify the raw treatment counts behind each city's placement.

The players

Orkin

Orkin is a pest control company that publishes an annual ranking of the rattiest cities in the United States.

The details

Orkin ranked Milwaukee 18th overall, while Chicago held second place behind Los Angeles, which surpassed Chicago for first in last year's rankings after Chicago had led for years. Detroit ranked sixth, Cleveland seventh, Minneapolis 11th and Columbus 15th.

August 2025 to August 2026: period of new residential rodent treatments counted in the ranking.
Last year: Los Angeles surpassed Chicago for first place on the list.
November 3, 2026: Orkin's ranking placing Milwaukee 18th was published.

Wildlife Context

Milwaukee's 18th-place finish sits within Orkin's annual series, where Los Angeles overtook Chicago for the top spot last year after Chicago had held it for years. The shift shows Midwest cities trailing coastal metros in this specific ranking.

Milwaukee residents dealing with rodent activity may find the ranking useful when deciding whether to pursue residential pest treatment. The list gives a reference point for how the city compares with other large Midwest metros.

The takeaway

Urban rodent activity is shaped by food, water, and nesting access, so reducing those attractants at home is a practical step residents can take. Tracking annual rankings like Orkin's can help track whether a city's standing improves or declines over time.