This City Has the Worst Bed Bug Problem in the U.S. With the Most Hotel Infestations

In 2023, there was a bed bug outbreak in Paris so intense that it sent travelers into a panic—there was a collective sigh of relief when the situation faded from headlines. But, even if you’re thinking about bed bugs when you’re traveling, it doesn’t mean they’re not thinking about you.

Pest control company Orkin recently released its annual roundup, Orkin’s Top 50 Bed Bugs Cities List, which ranks 50 American cities based on how many home and commercial bed bug infestations it has treated in the last year. And while some of the data is based on home treatments, the company also sourced its numbers on commercial treatments—primarily at hotels. “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,” Ben Hottel, a top Orkin entomologist, said in the report. “As summer travel picks up, it is critical.”

Chicago came in as the No. 1 city, as it has for the last five years. Cleveland, Detroit, Los Angeles, and Indianapolis rounded out the top five cities with the most reported infestations.

In some cities, year-over-year reports of bed bugs have actually decreased: New York City, Philadelphia, and Charlotte all reported fewer infestations.

However, information isn’t just designed to make you panic or sleep with one eye open the next time you’re at a hotel. There are a few easy steps you can take on your next trip to protect yourself from bedbugs, whether you’re traveling to Chicago or Paris. Orkin calls it the “SLEEP” method.

• Search: Check the room for bed bugs, which are “small, flat, oval-shaped insects that are brown and about the size of an apple seed,” according to Orkin. Other evidence of bed bugs includes bloody or inky stains on fabric and a sweet, musty smell in the room.
• Lift: Look under sheets, curtains, and cushions for bed bugs or signs of them.
• Elevate: Rather than putting your suitcase on furniture, use the luggage rack provided by the hotel.
• Examine: When you unpack your suitcase when you get home, check the interior of your luggage and belongings for signs of bedbugs.
• Place: Put all of your dryer-safe clothing into the dryer for 30 to 45 minutes at the top heat setting when you get home. This will zap any potential bed bugs or bed bug eggs before they get a chance to spread.