Being in the heart of the action every day is exciting, but city life can get a little… well, dirty. We’re talking congested traffic, overflowing trash cans, and maybe even a furry visitor seen running along a wall (gross). Yes, if that last bit of “dirt” that some cities experience isn’t your thing, there are two cities in Minnesota that you may not want to claim as “home.”
Small brown rat near the wooden wall on the ground
Liudmila Chernetska ThinkStock
Two Minnesota cities on list of homes with the most signs of mice and rats
If you had told me 10 years ago that I would move into a house infested with mice, I would never have believed you. I’m not a fan of rodents. Knowing that one… or 30… lived in my house with me would have scared me. But I did it. There were so many mice in our house that they stripped the insulation out of the wall cavities and the pipes in one of our bathrooms froze because of it. It wasn’t just mice though, we also had voles, which look a lot alike but are still nasty creatures, especially when you can hear their little feet running around in the ceiling cavity above you while you watch TV. Which makes this whole situation better. The seller knew there was a problem with mice. They didn’t reveal it in the house documents, but they knew it, and we know they knew it because we found a note where the husband wrote: “Have fun this weekend at the house with the mice while I’m away.” you.”.
Our house has since been destroyed and we solved the mouse problem very quickly because my house is mine, not for rodents. (I also have some very large dogs that would like to talk to any creature that crosses their path.)
Close up rat on dry leaves background. Animal contagious disease concept.
BirdShutterB ThinkStock
Mice evidence is something I can detect very easily now, because of that unpleasant experience. According to a recent survey by LawnStarter, two Minnesota cities likely have residents who are also great at spotting mice. Unfortunately, these two cities just became the places with the most signs of mice and rats in homes. (And it is NOT a city where I live).
LawnStarter Reveals America’s Dirtiest Cities
If you don’t like pollution, unpleasant living conditions full of mice, rats, cockroaches and other disgusting creatures, or congestion, there are several cities you’ll want to avoid. LawnStarter recently collected tons of data to discover the dirtiest cities in America. Here are some of the key findings from the data:
- If you love breathing clean air, stay away from California. They had five cities tied for the worst air quality: Riverside, San Bernardino, Fontana, Ontario and Rancho Cucamonga.
- If trash isn’t your thing, Cincinnati, Ohio probably isn’t your next home. They have the highest tonnage of waste in landfills per 100,000 inhabitants.
- Houston, Texas has major problems! It is the third most polluted country, has the biggest cockroach problem, and ranks No. 3 for worst greenhouse gas emissions from large industrial facilities.
- Most homes that have signs of mice or rats in the past year: Boston is No. 1, Philadelphia is No. 2, Baltimore is No. 3, and Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota tie for No. 4.
Eight Minnesota cities named worst for bed bugs in 2024
Gallery Credit: Troy Dunken
Keynote USA
For the Latest Local News, Follow Keynote USA Local on Twitter.