Rats are drawn to places that are messy or cluttered...like big cities that have tons of trash, food and spills. They aren’t picky eaters either, which might explain why Miami was recently labeled as one of Florida’s dirtiest and most rat-infested cities.

Miami is ranked as the 20th dirtiest city in the U.S. in 2024, using metrics like air quality, water cleanliness, and waste management. A few other South Florida cities like Coral Springs, Hollywood, and West Palm Beach also made the list. Plus, with Miami’s landfills expected to reach capacity by 2026, it seems like a good time to grab some extra garbage bags! Ew.