Raccoons are strong, dexterous and persistent, and a New York attic, chimney flue or deck void is exactly the kind of sheltered, elevated den site they look for. Once a raccoon has established a den — especially a female with young — it will defend that access point and keep widening any gap it's given, tearing soffit boards and ripping loose-fitting chimney caps rather than looking elsewhere.
Most raccoon calls in NYC are attic or chimney entries discovered by the sound of heavy movement overhead, or a mother raccoon denned in a flue that hasn't been capped properly. The right first move is almost always exclusion — closing off every access point with material a raccoon can't tear through — rather than trapping, which in New York carries legal relocation restrictions most homeowners aren't aware of.
Raccoons are also a recognised rabies vector species in New York State, which changes how we handle any direct-contact situation and why we don't recommend DIY trapping. We inspect thoroughly, confirm whether young are present before closing anything off, and seal the structure so the den site stops being usable — for this raccoon and the next one that tries.
How much does raccoon removal cost in NYC?
$150–$600
Squirrel removal: $200–$600 (typical $250–$450, avg ~$300). Raccoon removal: $300–$450 avg, or $150–$300 per animal for trap-and-release. Exclusion vent installation: $300–$450 each. One-way mesh exclusion barrier: $10–$25/linear foot.
| Squirrel removal | $200–$600 one-time |
| Raccoon removal | $150–$450 one-time |
| Exclusion vent installation | $300–$450 per vent |
US national figure — NYC typically runs higher.
Market range — not our quote
This is a market range synthesised from published cost guides — not a quote from this provider. The actual price depends on an in-person or photo-based inspection.
US national — NYC typically higher. No NYC-specific wildlife-removal cost guide found despite NYC's well-documented raccoon/squirrel-in-building problem — a genuine gap versus the bed bug/rat/roach guides.
What drives the price
- Species
- Number of animals
- Location (open yard vs attic/wall void)
- Cleanup/repair needed after removal (droppings, insulation, entry-point damage)
Signs you have a raccoon removal problem
- Heavy thumping, rolling or walking sounds in the attic or chimney, especially at dusk and dawn
- Torn or pulled-back soffit boards, fascia gaps, or a chimney cap that's been pried loose
- Matted insulation, a strong ammonia-like odour, or a defined latrine area in one corner of the attic
- Handprint-like tracks in dust or snow near roofline gaps, downspouts or deck skirting
- Cries from young in the attic or wall void, most often in spring litter season
Why Long Island City sees this
Brooklyn and Queens brownstones and rowhouses have unlined, decommissioned chimney flues that make ideal raccoon maternal dens — the flue is dark, enclosed, elevated and usually capped, if at all, with a lightweight guard that doesn't hold up to a raccoon's strength. We replace these with a properly fastened, heavy-gauge cap rather than another cap that will fail the same way.
Mature street trees and nearby parkland across the outer boroughs put steady raccoon pressure on attached housing with older rooflines — soffit and fascia gaps that have gone unrepaired for years are the entry point we find most often.
Spring is the season we get the most raccoon-in-attic calls tied to a litter. A homeowner who hears movement in March through July should expect an inspection focused on whether kits are present, because that changes the timeline for sealing the structure — we won't close an animal's only way in or out while dependent young are still inside.