Congratulations to Shitcago for taking the top honor.

ATLANTA (July 7, 2026) – As summer travel ramps up, Orkin’s 2026 Bed Bug Cities List highlights several destinations experiencing increased bed bug activity, including the addition of high-growth vacation destinations Tampa and Myrtle Beach. Chicago retained its position as the nation’s city with the highest rate of bed bug infestations, with Los Angeles, Detroit, Cleveland and Indianapolis rounding out the top five.

Ohio is the most represented state on this year’s list with six cities ranking in the top 50, reinforcing a broader trend of Midwestern cities appearing among the nation’s bed bug hotspots. While bed bugs can be found anywhere people live and travel, densely populated cities and environments with high resident and visitor turnover, such as apartments, dormitories and hotels, can create more opportunities for the pests to spread simply due to the movement of high numbers of people.

Many cities where bed bug activity has been the worst in the last year are also some of the country’s most popular travel destinations and are expected to welcome large numbers of visitors for major concerts, festivals and sporting events throughout the summer and beyond. As visitors move through hotels and other accommodations, Orkin encourages vigilance against bed bugs, which can hitchhike home in luggage and other personal belongings. Knowing how to inspect hotel rooms and luggage before unpacking can help prevent an unwanted souvenir from making the trip home.

This year’s rankings are based on treatment data from metro areas where Orkin performed the most bed bug treatments from May 12, 2025, to May 12, 2026. The list includes both residential and commercial bed bug treatments.



“Travel season brings excitement, but it also makes awareness especially important,” said Dr. Shannon Sked, Orkin entomologist and National Technical Director. “Bed bugs are resilient pests that can be difficult to control once introduced into a home or hotel room, and they are skilled at hiding in cracks, crevices and personal belongings. A quick inspection of hotels or short-term rentals while traveling, or belongings before unpacking at home, can help travelers reduce the chance of bringing bed bugs home.”

Several cities saw notable shifts this year, including Nashville and Oklahoma City, which each climbed 10 spots, while Youngstown, Omaha and Knoxville recorded some of the largest declines. These year-over-year changes highlight the persistent and evolving nature of bed bug activity across the nation.

Know before you go: Bed bug prevention tips

Bed bugs are notoriously difficult to detect because they are tiny. Adults measure just 3/16 inch long, while immature nymphs are even smaller, and their flattened bodies allow them to hide in hard-to-spot locations. Primarily nocturnal, these blood-feeding pests often target sleeping humans and can easily spread by hitchhiking on luggage, purses and other personal belongings.

Because bed bugs can remain hidden for weeks before being discovered, travelers may unknowingly bring them home and not realize until long after a trip has ended. Orkin recommends the following steps to help prevent travelers from accidentally spreading bed bugs in 2026.

During travel, remember the acronym S.L.E.E.P. to inspect for bed bugs:

Search the room for signs of infestation, looking for bed bugs, which are small, flat, oval-shaped insects that are reddish-brown and about the size of an apple seed as adults but almost translucently cream colored as nymphs. Other signs of bed bugs include ink-like speckled stains on fabrics, shed exoskeletons around crevices of beds and furniture and a sweet, musty smell.

Lift sheets, curtains and cushions to check for bed bugs or signs of bed bugs before settling in.

Elevate your luggage onto racks and keep it away from the bed or other furniture.

Examine your luggage carefully while repacking and again when you return home.

Place all dryer-safe clothing from your luggage in the dryer for 30 to 45 minutes at the highest heat setting upon returning home.

“Changes in the rankings can be influenced by a variety of factors such as travel trends, treatment resistance strains and educational campaigns to the public. Still, one thing remains constant: bed bugs continue to be a concern in communities across the United States, regardless of socioeconomic demographics, sanitation facilities maintenance levels. Because infestations rarely resolve on their own, addressing signs of bed bugs early can help limit their spread and make treatment more effective,” said Sked. “If there's any sign of bed bugs, it’s important to involve a trained professional, like the Pros at Orkin, right away.”

With 125 years of experience managing bed bugs and access to state-of-the-art tools and products, Orkin is well-equipped to assess bed bug problems, provide training for hospitality teams and implement strategic treatment plans to help rid homes and businesses of infestations while delivering lasting protection.

COMPLETE TOP 50 LIST:

1. Chicago
2. Los Angeles (+2)
3. Detroit
4. Cleveland, Ohio (-2)
5. Indianapolis
6. Springfield, Ill. (+3)
7. Washington, D.C. (-1)
8. Columbus, Ohio
9. Pittsburgh (+3)
10. Grand Rapids, Mich. (-3)
11. Denver (+3)
12. New York (+3)
13. Milwaukee (-3)
14. Baltimore (-3)
15. Cincinnati (-2)
16. Raleigh, N.C. (+7)
17. St. Louis (+1)
18. Charleston, W. Va. (+1)
19. Davenport, Iowa (+2)
20. Flint, Mich. (-4)
21. Atlanta (-4)
22. Philadelphia (+3)
23. Dallas (+1)
24. Oklahoma City, Okla. (+10)
25. Cedar Rapids, Iowa (-5)
26. Hartford, Conn. (+9)
27. Charlotte, N.C. (+5)
28. Peoria, Ill. (+5)
29. South Bend, Ind. (-2)
30. Seattle (+9)
31. Richmond, Va. (-3)
32. Youngstown, Ohio (-10)
33. Greenville, S.C. (-3)
34. Nashville (+10)
35. Buffalo (+2)
36. Omaha, Neb. (-10)
37. San Francisco (+5)
38. Dayton, Ohio (+5)
39. Norfolk, Va. (-8)
40. Knoxville, Tenn. (-11)
41. San Diego (+8)
42. Toledo, Ohio (-6)
43. Las Vegas (+3)
44. Syracuse, N.Y. (+6)
45. Fort Wayne, Ind. (-7)
46. Tampa, Fla. (new to top 50)
47. Miami (-6)
48. Minneapolis (-8)
49. Kansas City, Mo. (new to top 50)
50. Myrtle Beach, S.C. (new to top 50)

This message has been edited. Last edited by: 12131,

Bedbugs suck.

I see Myrtle Beach made the list. Beach houses always weird me out because of that, and obviously hotels do as well. Pgh made #9. I am near there.

Missing from the lists are the Las Vegas area hotels where guests have been bitten by scorpions!

I'M NUMBER ONE!
I'M NUMBER ONE!
I'M NUMBER ONE!

If random gunfire, carjackings, armed robberies, car accidents, high taxes, shitty politics or the rats won't get ya, I guess the bed bugs will.

Man this place sucks!

Given that bed bugs like warm/humid climates and the high international tourism out of Latin America, very curious that Miami is ONLY at #47

Im surprised Houston, which has been the 4th largest city in the US is on the list. I grew up in Houston, and I’ve only heard about bedbugs - never experiencing them. Flees from our dogs and cats was a different story.

My partner and I was at a house attempting to serve a warrant, and when we made contact with the guy, he had visible sores on him. Other than saying he had AIDS, he told us the sores were caused by bedbugs.

I don’t remember what the felony warrant was for, but a call to our jail confirmed they wouldn’t house him. We left him in his torment.

quote:

Im surprised Houston, which has been the 4th largest city in the US is NOT on the list.

That's what you meant to write. And I was, too. I had to look it over a couple times more to make sure my eyes were not deceiving me.

Holiday Inn, near Vienna (just off 29 IIRC) a few years ago,
2nd or 3rd time staying there (close to Wolftrap)

wife insists we check the beds when we walk in the room, at any hotel,

and we found one, relatively small little one but one nonetheless,


hotel staff was wanting me to move to another room, we said nope, and moved to another hotel,

About 15 years ago Cincinnati was # 1 on the list, near me.
The last time I went to Florida to visit my parents I stripped the hotel bed, looked everywhere with a flashlight, didn't see any.
Was going to check out, my suitcase was in the bathtub, there was a bug on it. From pics I'm sure it was a bedbug. Went to the store, got garbage bags, wrapped my bag in three bags and tied it off real good.
Got home, emptied my bag in the driveway and put everything in the dryer for an hour!
Didn't get any in my home. Now I'm always super vigilant to search hotel rooms.
Nasty little critters!

I will be spending the night in number 32 in less than 2 weeks.

I hate freaking bedbugs. Encounter houses with them in both my appliance business and my EMS job. One I can refuse to go in or go back, another I can't.

Permethrin is your friend. I treat my EMS boots and uniform with it. it's good for 5-6 washings. I treat my tool bag and our suitcases. If you have cats don't let them near treated stuff until it's dry and don't spray it around them Severe neurotoxin for kittahs.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Appliance Brad,

My daughter worked nuisance wildlife. She had a dog (corgi of course) to find dead animal cadavers.
At a Midwest pest convention, before she unpacked she set him on bedbugs. He found them. The word spread and he was kept busy.