How Many Rats Live in New York?

New York City’s rat problem is a growing concern for residents. The city’s pest control professionals expect the problem to get worse with the warmer weather. In 2017, the mayor launched a $32 million initiative to control rat populations. Workers laid more poison and traps, the sanitation department blasted dry ice into nests, and building owners were fined for not cleaning up their trash. A heron even swallowed a rat in Central Park.

In the same period in 2019, the city’s 311 hotline received nearly 15,000 reports of rat sightings. That’s nearly double the number reported in 2014. The latest fiscal year, the number of initial health inspections triggered by “active rats” signs increased by almost 70 percent. In addition, rats are known to carry deadly diseases like leptospirosis, which can cause severe liver damage.

The majority of New York’s rats are Norway rats, which live for about a year and produce three to twelve litters. They grow up to 16 inches long from nose to tail and can squeeze through small gaps. They don’t require a lot of food, only one ounce per day.

Brooklyn has the highest number of reported sightings since 2010, and rats are especially prevalent in 3+ family apartment buildings. Construction sites are also a source of rat activity.