NYC Rodent Control Services Boroughs vs Terminix 📞 (347) 795-3007 Home › Guides › NYC Rat Index 2026 NYC Rat Index & Expert Guides 2026 NYC Rat Index: Worst Neighborhoods Ranked The NYC rat index is a composite metric published by the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene tracking bait station activity, 311 complaint density, and inspector field findings by census tract. In 2026, the top five rat pressure tracts in NYC were the Gowanus Canal corridor in Brooklyn, the Grand Central midtown corridor in Manhattan, Hunts Point in The Bronx, the Jamaica-Flushing corridor in Queens, and the Mott Haven area of the South Bronx. Understanding your property's position in the rat index directly informs the intensity and frequency of treatment required.
The NYC rat index is a NYC DOHMH composite metric tracking bait station activity, 311 complaint density, and inspector field findings by census tract. It is updated quarterly and is the primary data source for identifying the city's highest rat pressure zones.
Per 2026 DOHMH data: Gowanus Canal corridor in Brooklyn, the Grand Central midtown corridor in Manhattan, and Hunts Point in The Bronx rank as the three highest-pressure zones citywide. The Jamaica-Flushing-JFK corridor in Queens and Mott Haven in the South Bronx round out the top five.
Buildings in high-index census tracts face significantly higher probability of HPD rodent violations and active infestations. Environmental rat pressure from surrounding infrastructure — transit corridors, food markets, parks, and waterways — is persistent and requires proactive exclusion rather than reactive treatment.
The NYC DOHMH Rat Information Portal and NYC 311 Open Data are the primary public sources. Data is updated quarterly and is available by census tract, community board district, and neighborhood.
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