These cities had more rats, mice and cockroaches invading homes in 2023

Pests are a stubborn problem in America.

Around 24% of U.S. homes had signs of rats, mice or cockroaches living in them within 12 months in 2023, according to the government's latest American Housing Survey data out this September.

The percentage of those pests in homes has stayed at similar levels over the last decade.

But the pest problem varies among major cities, largely due to differences in weather, according to a ConsumerAffairs review of the 20 major metros the government collected data on.

Rodents tended to invade more homes in colder climates.

The 20 metros ranked by highest percentage of homes with signs of mice or rats were:

1. Boston, Massachusetts (25%)
2. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (20%)
3. Washington D.C. (17%)
4. New York City, New York (17%)
5. Cleveland, Ohio (13%)
6. Cincinnati, Ohio (13%)
7. Milwaukee, Wisconsin (12%)
8. Chicago, Illinois (11%)
9. Denver, Colorado (9%)
10. San Franciso, California (8.6%)
11. Detroit, Michigan (8.2%)
12. New Orleans, Louisiana (5.7%)
13. Houston, Texas (5.6%)
14. Los Angeles-Long Beach, California (5.6%)
15. Seattle, Washington (5.3%)
16. Riverside-San Bernardino, California (5.2%)
17. Dallas, Texas (4.2%)
18. Atlanta, Georgia (3.4%)
19. Miami, Florida (2.9%)
20. Phoenix, Arizona (2.1%)

On the other hand, cockroaches appeared much more in homes built in warmer climates.

The 20 metros areas ranked by the highest percentage of homes with signs of cockroaches were:

1. Houston, Texas (33%)
2. New Orleans, Louisiana (30%)
3. New York City, New York (20%)
4. Dallas, Texas (19%)
5. Atlanta, Georgia (18%)
6. Miami, Florida (18%)
7. Phoenix, Arizona (16%)
8. Los Angeles-Long Beach, California (14%)
9. Washington D.C. (10%)
10. Riverside-San Bernardino, California (9.5%)
11. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (7.4%)
12. Cincinnati, Ohio (6.2%)
13. Chicago, Illinois (4.7%)
14. Boston, Massachusetts (4.2%)
15. San Francisco, California (3.8%)
16. Cleveland, Ohio (3.2%)
17. Milwaukee, Wisconsin (2.5%)
18. Denver, Colorado (2.5%)
19. Detroit, Michigan (2.2%)
20. Seattle, Washington (2%)

Seattle, Detroit and Denver ranked well when accounting for both rodents and cockroaches, but Houston, New York City and New Orleans ranked poorly.

Tips for avoiding pests in your home

The Environmental Protection Agency has suggestions for keeping pests out of the home:

• Remove sources of food, water and shelter.
• Store food in sealed plastic or glass containers. Garbage containing food scraps should be placed in tightly covered trash cans. Remove garbage regularly from your home.
• Fix leaky plumbing and don't let water accumulate anywhere in the home. Don't let water collect in trays under your house plants or refrigerator. Don't leave pet food and water out overnight
• Clutter provides places for pests to breed and hide and makes it hard to get rid of them. Get rid of things like stacks of newspapers, magazines, or cardboard.
• Close off places where pests can enter and hide. For example, caulk cracks and crevices around cabinets or baseboards. Use steel wool to fill spaces around pipes. Cover any holes with wire mesh.
• Check for pests in packages or boxes before carrying them into your home.