You’d think with all the rats we’d catch a break! But if you’re skin isn’t crawling yet, just give it a few more paragraphs. Pest control company, Orkin, just released its annual Top 50 Bed Bug Cities List and to our dismay and disgust, NYC took second place.
Luckily we at least have Chicago stealing the lead—take that for beating NYC as the best big city in the U.S.! The Windy City has taken its rightful place at number one for the past four years.
Another notable city on the list includes Philadelphia just behind us in third. Not to mention Greensboro, N.C. jumped 25 spots in the ranking since last year, now making it into the top 20 at #18. Milwaukee, now at #25, also jumped 15 spots and Tampa 10, now #31.
These U.S. Cities Have the Most Bed Bugs
- Chicago
- New York
- Philadelphia
- Cleveland-Akron, OH
- Los Angeles
- Detroit
- Washington, D.C. (+2)
- Indianapolis (-1)
- Charlotte (+5)
- Champaign, IL (+1)
- Columbus, OH (-1)
- Cincinnati (+1)
- Atlanta (+3)
- Grand Rapids, MI (-2)
- Denver
- Baltimore (-8)
- Richmond, VA (+9)
- Greensboro, N.C. (+25)
- St. Louis (+6)
- Youngstown (+7)
The results were determined based on cities Orkin serviced the most bed bug treatments between Dec. 1, 2022 – Nov. 30, 2023. The data included both residential and commercial treatments.
“Bed bugs are extremely resilient, making them difficult to control. As travel plans ramp up, it’s important that Americans know how to protect themselves through pest identification and proper control,” warns Ben Hottel, Orkin entomologist. “While bed bugs are visible to the naked eye, they are excellent at hiding. Involving a trained professional at the sight of a bed bug introduction is recommended.”
Scary enough, female bed bugs can lay anywhere from 200-500 eggs in their lifetime. These pesky bugs can go on several months before they need to find their next victim.
So, how do you ensure they aren’t in your home and stay out? Orkin suggests routine checks on your mattress tags and seams, behind baseboards, headboards, electrical outlets and picture frames, keeping your spaces tidy and caution with secondhand items.
Learn more and discover the rest of the list on Orkin’s website here.