Rats, mice, bed bugs—oh my! NYC is famous for its share of critters, but lately it seems we’re getting a worse reputation than we deserve. According to Orkin’s 2025 Top 50 Bed Bug Cities List, New York City left its second place position for a lower spot in the top 20—marking the first time in years that NYC didn’t appear in the nation’s top 10 worst cities for bed bugs.
In total, New York City dropped 13 places in the ranking, landing as the 15th most bed bug-infested city in America for 2025. With such high praise for being a clean city, Chicago has dominated the ranking as the most-infested bed bug city for the last five years.
Similar to New York City, Charlotte and Philadelphia also saw a significant decrease in bed bug activity. All three cities have been implementing more preventative measures against bed bugs, such as inspecting luggage and beds during and after travel.
Orkin urges everyone to follow the S.L.E.E.P. rule while traveling to best protect themselves from these 20,000-year-old pests:
- S – Search room for infestation signs
- L – Lift cushions, curtains, and sheets to check for bed bugs
- E – Elevate luggage
- E – Examine your luggage while repacking and when you return
- P – Place all dryer-safe clothes in dryer once home and run on the highest setting
Ben Hottel, Orkin entomologist said:
Bed bugs are some of the most resilient pests in the world, making them extremely difficult to control if brought into a home or hotel…As summer travel picks up, it is critical that people know the best ways to identify, prevent and control these pests.
Top 20 most bed bug-infested cities in America
All data was collected based on bed bug treatments by Orkin of metro areas between May 15, 2024 – May 14, 2025.
- Chicago
- Cleveland
- Detroit
- Los Angeles
- Indianapolis
- Washington, D.C.
- Grand Rapids, Mich.
- Columbus, Ohio
- Champaign, Ill.
- Milwaukee
- Baltimore
- Pittsburgh
- Cincinnati
- Denver
- New York
- Flint, Mich.
- Atlanta
- St. Louis
- Charleston, W. Va.
- Cedar Rapids, Iowa
You can explore the full ranking on Orkin’s website to see the top 50 most bed bug-infested cities in America.
