Atlanta is 10th rattiest city in U.S., Orkin says

Atlanta jumped five spots from last year, moving into the top 10
LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 04:  A rat emerges from bushes in St James's Park on November 4, 2013 in London, England. After the recent stormy weather, in many parts of the UK the autumn colours of trees are beginning to reach their peak as the season moves towards winter.  (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

Credit: Dan Kitwood

Credit: Dan Kitwood

LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 04: A rat emerges from bushes in St James's Park on November 4, 2013 in London, England. After the recent stormy weather, in many parts of the UK the autumn colours of trees are beginning to reach their peak as the season moves towards winter. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

Orkin has released its annual list of the nation’s rattiest cities, and Atlanta jumped five spots to place No. 10 on the list.

For the third straight year, Chicago takes the top spot on the Atlanta-based pest company’s list.

Orkin ranked the cities by the number of rodent treatments the company performed from Sept. 15, 2018, to Sept. 15, 2019. The list includes residential and commercial treatments.

Fall is the start of rodent season. As weather gets colder, rats and mice seek food, water and shelter to survive the winter. More than 20 million rodents invade homes each year, according to the National Pest Management Association.

MORE: Atlanta lands on booziest city list

“Rats and mice begin looking for warmer, more insulated places to get through the winter, and these too often happen to be our homes or businesses,” said John Kane, Orkin entomologist. “Rodents like to chew on wood and electrical wires, increasing the fire danger behind your walls and potentially damage to your home.

“Rats can squeeze through a hole the size of a quarter, while mice can fit through a hole the size of a dime,” Kane said. “Even if they can’t find an opening, they can often chew their way in.”

Here are the nation’s 15 rattiest cities:

1. Chicago

2. Los Angeles

3. New York

4. Washington

5. San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose

6. Detroit

7. Cleveland-Akron

8. Minneapolis-St. Paul

9. Philadelphia

10. Atlanta

11. Denver

12. Baltimore

13. Seattle-Tacoma

14. Boston

15. Dallas-Ft. Worth

The most common rodent pests in the United States are the house mouse, the Norway rat and the roof rat.

RELATED: 3 Georgia cities among most stressed in America, report says