EL PASO, Texas -- El Paso is one of the top 25 cities with a risk of increased rodents, according to the 2009 Rodent Risk Report. El Paso ranks No. 16 on the list.

A total of five Texas cities made the top 25 list, more cities than any other state in the top 25. Houston ranks No. 3, San Antonio ranks No. 8, Fort Worth ranks No. 18 and Dallas ranks No. 20.

The top five cities on list are New York, Atlanta, Houston, Louisville and Philadelphia. The nation's capitol, Washington D.C., is also on the list.

The US might be in for the worst rodent season in years the Rodent Report said. The study was conducted by two world-renowned rodent experts.

The report found that with the onset of cooler weather and given that rodents already invade an estimated 21 million homes in the US annually, the rodent problem this year could be bigger than ever.

The 2009 Rodent Risk Report ranked the top cities in the country at highest risk for increased rodent problems this year. The 2009 study evaluated factors such as deteriorating city infrastructures, increasing congestion, climate trends, and a new category of research -- the nationwide economic downturn, including foreclosure rates.

Here is a list of the top 25 cities.

1 New York, NY
2 Atlanta, GA
3 Houston, TX
4 Louisville, KY
5 Philadelphia, PA
6 Chicago, IL
7 Boston, MA
8 San Antonio, TX
9 Milwaukee, WI
10 Detroit, MI
11 Columbus, OH
12 Baltimore, MD
13 Oklahoma City, OK
14 Memphis, TN
15 Portland, OR
16 El Paso, TX
17 Nashville, TN
18 Ft. Worth, TX
19 Jacksonville, FL
20 Dallas, TX
21 Washington, DC
22 San Jose, CA
23 Charlotte, NC
24 San Diego, CA
25 Seattle, WA

Miri Marshall can be reached at 915.834.2158 or miri.marshall@kfoxtv.com.