However, a 2023 study estimates that there are approximately 3 million rats in New York, which is close to a third of New York's human population. The city's rat population is dominated by the brown rat (also known as the Norway rat).

1 day ago · New York City Council Member Shaun Abreu launched Bill 736, or "Flaco's law." The bill passed on Sept. 26, 2024, and will implement rat contraceptives in areas where trash is containerized.

Aug 15, 2023 · A color-coded and searchable map breaks down at a building-by-building level what places in NYC passed their last rodent inspection, where there was recent rat activity, what spots had failed...

Aug 4, 2024 · A map shows every single property in New York City that failed its last rat inspection—and there are many.

Oct 13, 2023 · Images and videos posted on social media suggest that rats are still very much a feature of New York's nightlife—and some are evidently still gorging themselves, judging by their size.

Oct 24, 2024 · So far this year, Brooklyn has had the most rat complaints among New York City boroughs (9,518), followed by Manhattan (5,375), Queens (4,409), the Bronx (3,508) and Staten Island (649).

NYC’s Rat Sightings have increased 131% since 2010. Health officials have emphasized the need for focused intervention.

Oct 6, 2024 · Nearly 80 years ago, rats lurked in the city's docks and butcheries, bringing the potential for disease, according to an account in the New Yorker magazine. Then, the most prevalent species was the...

Oct 4, 2024 · In the past fourteen years, New York has seen a dramatic rise in rat sightings. Data collected through the 311 service shows Brooklyn and Manhattan as the hardest-hit boroughs, with a peak in 2023 and provisional data for 2024 suggesting a slight decrease.

Jan 31, 2025 · A brown rat, the species commonly found in New York City and other major cities. Getty Images Benji Jones is an environmental correspondent at Vox, covering biodiversity loss and climate change.