The Data
NYC has an estimated 2 million rats and a 311 system where residents can report them. Every call logs a location, date, and specific complaint type (rat sighting, rat hole, rodent activity). We aggregate the 311 rodent feed by NYC Neighborhood Tabulation Area (NTA) and normalize to average reports per 150-meter walking radius — roughly a one-and-a-half-block radius, the zone that actually affects your walk home, your trash bins, and your backyard.
The 15 Rattiest NYC Neighborhoods
Higher is rattier. All values are average 311 rodent reports per 150-meter walking radius, aggregated across every residential building in the NTA over the last 12 months of reported data.
| Rank | Neighborhood | Borough | Reports / 150m |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Hunts Point | Bronx | 18 |
| #2 | East New York-New Lots | Brooklyn | 16 |
| #3 | East New York (North) | Brooklyn | 15 |
| #4 | Mott Haven-Port Morris | Bronx | 15 |
| #5 | Fordham Heights | Bronx | 14 |
| #6 | Bushwick (East) | Brooklyn | 13 |
| #7 | Concourse-Concourse Village | Bronx | 13 |
| #8 | East Harlem (South) | Manhattan | 12 |
| #9 | Bedford-Stuyvesant (East) | Brooklyn | 12 |
| #10 | Bushwick (West) | Brooklyn | 12 |
| #11 | Harlem (North) | Manhattan | 11 |
| #12 | Bedford-Stuyvesant (West) | Brooklyn | 11 |
| #13 | Harlem (South) | Manhattan | 10 |
| #14 | Crown Heights (North) | Brooklyn | 10 |
| #15 | Crown Heights (South) | Brooklyn | 9 |
Data source: 311 Service Requests via NYC Open Data. Updated 2026-01.
⚠️A note on "reported" vs "actual"
311 data captures reported rat sightings, not rat populations. Neighborhoods with more civically engaged residents file more reports. Historical disinvestment in sanitation can mean real problems that don't always surface in complaint data. Treat this as a directional signal, not a rodent census.
Why Are Some Neighborhoods Rattier Than Others?
NYC rats follow three things: food, shelter, and sanitation policy. The rattiest neighborhoods tend to share a combination of these factors:
- Dense restaurant corridors — open trash, grease runoff, and nightly food waste.
- Older housing stock — burrow access through foundation cracks and old pipes.
- Inconsistent trash collection — areas with mixed commercial and residential zoning sometimes fall through DSNY scheduling gaps.
- Proximity to parks with food litter — parks are a secondary rat habitat, and the blocks around them inherit the population.
- Construction activity — dig sites displace burrows and push rats to nearby blocks.
Check Rodent Complaints for Any Address
Neighborhood averages are a starting point. Enter any NYC address to see 311 rodent reports within a 150m walking radius plus the building-specific complaint history.
Check Any Address — $2.99Methodology
- Source: 311 Service Requests from 2010 to Present (NYC Open Data dataset
erm2-nwe9). - Time window: The most recent 12 months of reported rodent complaints.
- Filters: All complaint types in the "Rodent" category, including rat sightings, rat holes, and rodent activity reports.
- Geographic unit: NYC Neighborhood Tabulation Areas (NTAs).
- Normalization: For each residential address in the NTA, count 311 rodent reports within a 150-meter walking radius. Average across all addresses in the NTA.
- Excluded: NTAs with fewer than 50 residential addresses.
What About the Least Ratty Neighborhoods?
The opposite of this list — the least ratty NYC neighborhoods — tends to include newer residential developments (with sealed trash rooms), neighborhoods with consistent DSNY enforcement, and areas with fewer 24-hour food establishments. Some parts of the Financial District, Battery Park City, and newer Long Island City developments rank lowest.
But "least ratty" still means rats exist. Check the specific building on DwellCheck for its full rodent complaint history before you sign anything.
How to Protect Yourself as a Renter
- Check the building's 311 rodent history before signing (HPD Online, or use DwellCheck for a faster aggregated view).
- Ask the super about recent extermination visits. Responsive landlords schedule quarterly; reactive landlords wait for complaints.
- Inspect the trash room during your viewing. Sealed compactors and rodent-proof containers are a good sign; loose bags and visible droppings are a red flag.
- Check the basement and utility rooms if the landlord will let you. Rats travel through pipes and wall cavities.
- Look for rub marks and droppings along walls and baseboards — signs of active infestation.
Frequently Asked Questions
1Which NYC neighborhood has the most rats?
Based on 311 rat sighting reports per 150-meter walking radius, the rattiest NYC neighborhood is Hunts Point (Bronx) with 18 reports per 150m. That's well above the citywide average of 6.9. These are reported sightings, not rat population estimates — but reporting density correlates strongly with actual rat density.
2What counts as a 311 rat sighting?
NYC 311 accepts reports in the "Rodent" complaint type, which covers rat sightings, rat holes, rat droppings, and visible rat activity on public property. Reports filed against specific buildings also count. Both indoor and outdoor sightings are aggregated in this ranking.
3Does a lot of rat complaints mean a rat problem?
It almost always means there's a rat population nearby — rats don't usually get reported without being visible. But 311 data captures reported sightings, not total rats. Neighborhoods with more civically engaged residents may file more reports even when rat density is similar. For a true population estimate, cross-reference with Department of Health rodent inspection data.
4How do I find a rat-free NYC neighborhood?
Rat-free isn't a real option in NYC — they're everywhere. But you can find significantly lower-density areas. The quietest neighborhoods on this metric tend to be newer residential buildings, areas with consistent sanitation enforcement, and neighborhoods with fewer open trash piles (which means fewer 24-hour food establishments). Check any specific address on DwellCheck for a walking-radius count.
5Is this list fair to diverse neighborhoods?
The rankings reflect reported 311 data. Neighborhoods with higher civic engagement may file more reports than those with less. Historical disinvestment in sanitation services in some neighborhoods can mean real rat problems that don't always show up in complaints. Use these rankings as a directional signal.
6Do buildings have to disclose rat problems to tenants?
NYC does not require landlords to disclose rat history to prospective tenants. But NYC law requires landlords to maintain buildings free of vermin, and tenants can file 311 complaints that trigger Department of Health inspections. A building with chronic 311 rodent complaints in its address history is a strong red flag during any apartment search.
7What does the city do about rats?
NYC runs a Rat Academy (yes, really) and the Mayor appointed a "Rat Czar" in 2023. Enforcement focuses on trash containment (the new DSNY wheelie bin mandate is the biggest intervention), baiting programs in high-density areas, and rodent-resistant construction standards. Results vary by neighborhood.
8How often is this list updated?
NYC's 311 data updates daily through NYC Open Data. This list was last generated using data from 2026-01. Rankings move more than safety data — a single rat-focused enforcement campaign in one neighborhood can shift rankings noticeably over a few months.
The Bottom Line
NYC's rat map isn't a moral judgment — it's a function of density, food waste, and sanitation policy. The 15 neighborhoods above have the highest reported rodent activity in current 311 data. If you're apartment hunting in any of them, check the specific building's history before you sign.
Check Rodent Complaints for Any NYC Address
See 311 rodent sighting reports, walking-radius counts, and building-specific complaint history for any NYC address — free.
Check Any Address — $2.99No account needed. Results in under 30 seconds.