Staying in a bedbug-infested hotel is every traveler’s nightmare scenario. These pests can cause terrible bites and itching during your stay, and even worse, they can easily hitch a ride home with you via your luggage or clothing, leading to an infestation in your house.
Bedbugs can be found in hotels and vacation rentals worldwide, plaguing both luxury hotels and budget motels, regardless of cleanliness. But where are bedbugs most likely to be found in the United States?
Pest control company Orkin has released its annual list of the worst cities in America for bedbugs. Orkin ranked the cities based on where the company performed the most bedbug treatments from December 1, 2022 through November 30, 2023.
When booking a hotel in any of these cities (or anywhere, really) you might want to search the Bedbug Registry first to see if the place you’re considering has been reported for bedbugs. Also, consider searching TripAdvisor and other hotel review sites for the words “bedbugs” and “bites.”
To avoid bedbugs when traveling, place your luggage on a tile surface (such as inside the bathtub) as soon as you check into a hotel room or vacation rental. Then, thoroughly inspect the mattress, box spring, and headboard of your bed for signs of bedbug infestations, such as actual bugs or spots of blood. Read our full guide to spotting bedbugs in your hotel here.
If you spot evidence of bedbugs, immediately alert the front desk and ask to be moved to a room on another floor. When you return home, isolate your luggage outside or in a sealed bag, and wash and dry all your clothing at hot temperatures to eliminate any potential stowaways.
The Worst Cities in America for Bedbugs
According to Orkin, these are the cities with the most bed bugs.
- Chicago, IL
- New York, NY
- Philadelphia, PA
- Cleveland-Akron, OH
- Los Angeles, CA
- Detroit, MI
- Washington, D.C.
- Indianapolis, IN
- Charlotte, NC
- Champaign, IL
- Columbus, OH
- Cincinnati, OH
- Atlanta, GA
- Grand Rapids, MI
- Denver, CO
- Baltimore, MD
- Richmond, VA
- Greensboro, NC
- St. Louis, MO
- Youngstown, OH
- Pittsburgh, PA
- Dallas-Ft. Worth, TX
- Flint, MI
- Raleigh-Durham, NC
- Milwaukee, WI
- Charleston, WV
- Greenville, SC
- Norfolk, VA
- Davenport, IA
- Nashville, TN
- Tampa, FL
- Toledo, OH
- Dayton, OH
- Knoxville, TN
- Las Vegas, NV
- Omaha, NE
- South Bend, IN
- Houston, TX
- Cedar Rapids, IA
- Ft. Wayne, IN
- San Francisco, CA
- Buffalo, NY
- Harrisburg, PA
- Seattle, WA
- Miami, FL
- Orlando, FL
- Minneapolis, MN
- Oklahoma City, OK
- Louisville, KY
- Lexington, KY
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