Close doors when you aren't using them, especially on the loading dock. Clean up food spills right away. Make sure dumpsters and trash cans are tightly sealed. Look over incoming shipments for chew marks before bringing them inside.

Keep storage items elevated off the floor. Check behind heavy equipment for signs of pests. Do a deep clean of the employee break room.

Have your pest control partner perform a service check. Secure all floor drain covers. Walk the property looking for holes or burrows in the ground. Look for dark, oily "rub marks" on pipes and walls where rodents might be running.

Quarterly or semi-annually

Check drop ceilings, attic spaces, and rooftops for activity. Trim back tree branches near the building. Ensure a clear, 18-inch vegetation-free zone around your foundation.

2025 State of the Rodent Report

Key insights

Rodent activity is no longer just a winter problem, as changing weather patterns are driving high activity into the warmer months.
Severe weather, such as droughts and heavy rains, along with new commercial construction, is increasingly pushing rodents into businesses in search of shelter.
You can help lower your facility's rodent risk by keeping trash cans tightly sealed, cleaning up spills quickly, and keeping doors closed.
Since every business faces unique vulnerabilities, utilizing industry-specific checklists can help your team systematically address structural and sanitation risks.
Partnering with a pest management professional for a customized plan can help protect your facility from shifting rodent activity and year-round pressures.

Rodents do not care about the calendar. For a long time, commercial facilities put most of their emphasis on winter rodent control, expecting pests to seek shelter only when the temperatures dropped. While that biological drive hasn't disappeared, major seasonality changes are afoot. High rodent activity is bleeding into the warmer months, meaning businesses across the U.S. must keep their guard up year-round.

To help you stay ahead of shifting rodent activity trends, we analyzed nearly 650,000 commercial service visits from 2025 to create the Rentokil 2025 State of the Rodent Report.¹ We divided the U.S. into five distinct regions to track broader rodent population trends and local, state-level risks. Together with expert insights from our certified entomologists, we’ve created clear, actionable steps to help protect your business from unwanted rodents.

Top 10 states with the highest levels of rodent activity²

Urban density plays a huge role in driving rodent activity. Cities provide readily available food, water, and shelter. While familiar hot spots like California, Illinois, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin topped the list again in 2025, four new states joined the ranks. The Northeast, Midwest, and West each have three states in the top 10, and three Northeast states fall into the top 5 slots.

Whether you are dealing with pests in commercial properties or worrying about rodent-borne diseases, businesses in these states require extra caution:

Pennsylvania
Wisconsin
California
New York
Maryland
Washington
Illinois
Ohio
Oregon
Texas

Rodent activity by region

Every part of the country faces its own unique challenges, from weird weather to a booming construction market. Here is a look at what drove rodent activity from coast to coast in 2025.

West

Overall rodent activity in the West dipped by 3.6% in 2025 compared to 2024, but the real story was the wild weather. An unusually warm fall and winter in 2024 meant fewer rodents died of the cold, leaving a larger population ready to breed in the spring. Severe weather and disaster events—like the Los Angeles wildfires, widespread droughts, and a heavy atmospheric river in the Pacific Northwest—also forced rodents to flee to new areas or escape indoors.

Help stop pests before they enter

Professional exclusion services are the best way to stop clever rodents from sneaking inside your business. However, typical sealants like foam or caulk are not always enough. Rentokil’s Flexi Armour™ products use tough, knitted stainless steel mesh designed to withstand heavy gnawing and clawing by securing your facility's weak points.

Southwest

Rodent activity held steady in the Southwest, dipping just 0.4% in 2025. Drought was a major culprit here, too, pushing thirsty rodents indoors. But we might also be seeing the effects of a population boom. Almost every state in this region grew last year, and new commercial construction often disturbs natural rodent habitats, sending them packing straight toward nearby businesses.

“Roof rats continue to expand inland and are the primary rodent pest of concern, especially near new developments. In more arid areas, roof rats seek cool, dry nest spots within a few hundred feet of potential water sources. Rats need at least an ounce of water per day every day, even more so in the desert and other dry parts of the Southwest. Rats commonly use irrigation systems, ornamental fruit trees, and condensation from refrigeration systems for supplemental water. Block off potential runways rats can climb and limit access to water wherever possible.”

– Emory Matts, MS, BCE, CCFS, Technical Service Manager

Midwest

Usually, freezing Midwest winters act like natural pest control, but 2025 was surprisingly warm. While overall rodent activity across the region dropped by 10.5% compared to last year, the lack of a deep freeze allowed many more rodents to survive and breed locally.³ For example, Minnesota experienced record-breaking warm streaks, resulting in a massive 42.44% spike from 2024. Since more rodents are surviving the winter, you should be on high alert during their peak season from July through October.

“Expansion joints, large cracks, and other openings in concrete floors can provide access inside structures as well as harborage in areas below the floor. Ensure these areas are sealed with rodent-proof materials, such as Rentokil’s Flexi ArmourTM Expansion Joint, featuring knitted stainless steel mesh, which is harder than the enamel on a rodent’s tooth. The process also closes gaps to prevent the buildup of debris that can provide a food source.”

– Wiley Sanders, ACE, CAWCO - Technical Services Manager, Building & Home Services

Northeast

Overall rodent activity in the Northeast was down 4.5% compared to 2024, but the region still dominates the national charts with three states landing in the top five. New city rules in major hubs like New York, Boston, and Philadelphia now require hard-shell trash bins, which clean up sidewalks but leave street rats hungry.* Keep a close eye on your facilities during the summer rush from June through September.

Upgrade to 24/7 pest monitoring

Catch rodent problems before they escalate. Rentokil’s PestConnect System uses wireless technology to alert our technicians the exact moment a rodent enters a trap or bait station. This rapid response not only resolves issues much faster but also reduces the overall need for rodenticides at your facility.

Southeast

Between the mild winters and sticky humidity, the Southeast is the absolute perfect environment for rodents to thrive 365 days a year. In fact, the Southeast was the only region to see an overall increase in activity over last year, ticking up 0.7%. Heavy rain and severe storms naturally wear down the outside of commercial buildings, creating tiny cracks that give mice and rats an easy way to sneak indoors. Rodent pressure reaches its absolute peak between May and August.

“The generally warm and humid environment in the Southeast can contribute to a faster breakdown of building materials. Tack on extreme weather like hurricanes and floods, which can further weaken structures, and it becomes easier for rats and mice to find or create new entry points.”

– Oleg Latyshev, Technical Account Manager

Protecting your business from rodents

The best defense is a customized rodent control plan from a professional, but your everyday habits matter just as much. Share these routine checklists with your team to help keep rodents out.

Key insights

Top 10 states with the highest levels of rodent activity²

Rodent activity by region