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LA Holds Spot As Second 'Rattiest' American City

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA ) -- The City of Angels is still the second-most rat-infested in the United States, according to a new survey.

Once again, L.A. came in second only to Chicago on Orkin's annual "Top 50 Rattiest Cities" list.

The cities were ranked according to where Orkin conducted the most rodent treatments over the past year.

Topping the list was New York maintaining its third-worst ranking. West Palm Beach, Florida, took the 50th spot.

Orkin says the closure of restaurants due to the pandemic has forced rats to scavenge residential areas for food, increasing their visibility.

RELATED: Report Warns Of 'Alarming Increase' In Rodent Population

"Rodents are experts at sniffing out food and shelter, and they're resilient in their ways to obtain both," Orkin entomologist Ben Hottel said. "Residential properties offer the ideal habitat for rodents, and once they've settled in, they're capable of reproducing rapidly and in large quantities."

Experts recommend you throw out trash immediately, don't leave food out and keep places uncluttered.

You can view the complete list here:

  1. Chicago
26.  Raleigh, N.C. (-2)
  1. Los Angeles
27.  Hartford, Conn. (-2)
  1. New York
28.  Columbus, Oh (-7)
  1. Washington, D.C.
29.  Grand Rapids
  1. San Francisco
30.  Kansas City (+8)
  1. Detroit
31.  Charlotte, N.C. (-3)
  1. Philadelphia (+3)
32.  Phoenix (5)
  1. Baltimore (+4)
33.  Richmond, Va. (-3)
  1. Denver
34.  Nashville
  1. Minneapolis (-2)
35.  Greenville, S.C. (-2)
  1. Cleveland, Oh. (-4)
36.  Sacramento (+5)
  1. Seattle (+1)
37.  St. Louis (-6)
  1. Boston (+1)
38.  Albany, New York (+10)
  1. Atlanta (-3)
39.  Champaign, Ill. (-3)
  1. Indianapolis (+1)
40.  Green Bay (+18)
  1. Dallas-Fort Worth (-1)
41.  Tampa (-1)
  1. Houston
42.  Flint, Mich. (+3)
  1. Pittsburgh
43.  Buffalo, New York (-8)
  1. San Diego (+13)
44.  Syracuse (-5)
  1. Miami (-1)
45.  Knoxville (+14)
  1. New Orleans (+6)
46.  Orlando (-3)
  1. Cincinnati (+1)
47.  Burlington, Va. (+2)
  1. Portland, Or. (-1)
48.  Albuquerque (+19)
  1. Milwaukee (-4)
49.  Dayton (-2)
  1. Norfolk, Va. (+1)
50.  West Palm Beach (+3)
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