These Are the Most Bed Bug–Infested Cities in the U.S.

Bed bugs are every city-dweller's biggest fear, and new data suggests that the issue isn't confined to just NYC and LA. Pest control company Orkin compiled a list of the 50 most bed bug–infested cities in the US right now, revealing that some metropolitan areas aren't as immune as you'd expect.

Orkin based its latest findings on which cities required the most bed bug treatments between December 2019 and November 2020. The ranking took both residential and commercial treatments into consideration.

MORE: The Quickest Ways to Tell Whether Your Hotel Room Has Bed Bugs

Last year, Washington, DC held the title of most bed bug–infested city. This year, a new metropolis takes its place as the country's biggest hotbed for infestation: Chicago.

Despite its bad reputation, NYC didn't even make the top 10 list. The densely populated area landed in 12th place this year, down from sixth place in 2020. LA also improved, moving from the fourth worst city in the nation to the ninth worst. It's a minor improvement, but improvement nonetheless.

Toledo, Ohio—which barely broke into the top 50 last year—is on the worst trajectory, jumping from 50th place to 27th place after only 12 months. Below is the full list, which also shows in parentheses how each city's rank changed from last year's report.

1. Chicago (+2)
2. Baltimore
3. Washington, DC (-2)
4. Detroit (+3)
5. Columbus, OH
6. Cleveland, OH (+5)
7. Indianapolis (+2)
8. Cincinnati
9. Los Angeles (-5)
10. Grand Rapids (+8)
11. Charlotte (+9)
12. New York (-6)
13. Atlanta (-3)
14. Philadelphia (-2)
15. Champaign, IL (+1)
16. Dallas (+1)
17. Raleigh, NC (-3)
18. Charleston, WV (+8)
19. Pittsburgh
20. Denver (+7)
21. Flint (+7)
22. San Francisco (-9)
23. Greenville, SC (-9)
24. Norfolk (-9)
25. St. Louis (+3)
26. Richmond, VA (-5)
27. Toledo, OH (+23)
28. Dayton, OH (+21)
29. Buffalo, NY (-5)
30. Omaha (+2)
31. Nashville (-2)
32. Milwaukee (+1)
33. Fort Wayne, IN (+13)
34. Greensboro, NC (-9)
35. Cedar Rapids, IA (+6)
36. Knoxville, TN (-13)
37. Houston (+1)
38. Davenport, IA (-1)
39. Tampa (-5)
40. Youngstown (new to list)
41. South Bend (new to list)
42. Phoenix (+3)
43. Lexington (new to list)
44. Seattle (-1)
45. Orlando (-9)
46. Louisville (new to list)
47. Miami (-15)
48. Lansing (-18)
49. Peoria-Bloomington (new to list)
50. Minneapolis-St. Paul (new to list)

The moral of the story here is that you can never be too safe. As Ben Hottel, an Orkin entomologist, put it in a statement, "Bed bugs are a concern for everyone because they are master hitchhikers, traveling home with people when they likely don’t realize it."

Whether you're in Chicago, Minneapolis, or really any other city, you should always keep an eye out for bed bugs so that if they find their way in your home, you can treat them fast. A little fear can be healthy, as long as you don't let it control you.

MORE: How to Kill Bed Bugs, the Enemy You Sleep With

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