Roaches? Rats? Mice? Apparently none of those are a big deal if you’re a New Yorker! That’s according to a new study that found that, compared to every other U.S. city, NYC dwellers are the most fearless in the face of vermin.
Phoenix-based pest control company Lunar Pest Control went on the hunt; not to find pests but to determine who’s least likely to run and hide when seeing one. According to their study, NYC dwellers Googled critter-related phobias 7x less frequently over the last two years than the national average. But hey, you saw how we all reacted to Pizza Rat–and the NYer who then dressed up as the icon and ran around the subway–so what else would you expect from a New Yorker?!
The terms katsaridaphobia, or the fear of roaches, and musophobia, or the intense fear of mice and rats, were searched by New Yorkers less than any of the other 167 cities included in the study. Zach Jolley, co-founder of Lunar Pest, stated, “New Yorkers definitely live up to their tough reputation.” And you know what, he’s right. Jolley added:
Major metropolitan areas generally show lower fear levels. But NYC stands in a class of its own, outscoring even other major cities by significant margins. We find that the more people understand about the pests they fear, the less power those fears hold over them — perhaps that’s part of New York’s secret.
Following behind NYC as the least unfazed by pests was our friends over in Los Angeles, followed by Chicago, Phoenix, and San Antonio. On the opposite end of the spectrum was Atlanta, Salt Lake City, and Columbia, SC.
According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), approximately 9.1% of Americans–roughly 19 million individuals–suffer from a specific phobia. So if you feel like this study doesn’t exactly relate to you, you’re certainly not the only one.
With that being said, if you would like to avoid pests at all costs, bookmark this map which shows where rats have been hanging out in NYC, avoid NYC’s most rat-infested subways if possible, and maybe don’t buy or rent an apartment in this part of NYC, which is home to the city’s most roach-infested homes.
Don’t worry, we’ll still think you’re brave!