These are the 50 worst bedbug cities in the US, Orkin says

Story at a glance

• In its annual list of the worst bedbug cities in the U.S., pest control company Orkin ranked Chicago as No. 1 for the third year in a row.

• This was followed by New York and Philadelphia, which traded spots compared to last year.

• Bedbugs can hitch a ride from taxis, buses, airplanes and other areas, so it’s good to be vigilant.

INDIANAPOLIS (WXIN) — Cities stretching from the Midwest and into the Northeast recently landed toward the top of an annual list that doesn’t exactly come with bragging rights.

In its annual list of the worst bedbug cities in the U.S., pest control company Orkin ranked Chicago as No. 1 for the third year in a row, followed by New York and Philadelphia, which traded spots compared to last year.

To create its list, Orkin reviewed cities in which it performed residential and commercial bedbug treatments from December 2021 through November 2022.

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Making the largest jumps on the list this year were Los Angeles, which moved sevens spots to rank as the fifth-worst bedbug city, and Youngstown, Ohio, which climbed 10 spots to No. 27.

Cities making the most improvement on the list included Toledo, Ohio, which fell seven spots to No. 38, and Miami, which dropped six spots to No. 45.

Here are the 50 bedbug cities on this year’s list, as well as how their ranking changed compared to last year:

1. Chicago

2. New York (+1)

3. Philadelphia (-1)

4. Cleveland-Akron, OH (+4)

5. Los Angeles (+7)

6. Detroit (-2)

7. Indianapolis (-1)

8. Baltimore (-3)

9. Washington, D.C. (-2)

10. Columbus, OH (-1)

11. Champaign, IL (+2)

12. Grand Rapids, MI (-1)

13. Cincinnati (-3)

14. Charlotte (+1)

15. Denver (+2)

16. Atlanta (-2)

17. Dallas-Ft. Worth (-1)

18. Pittsburgh (+2)

19. Charleston, W.V. (+3)

20. Raleigh-Durham (+4)

21. Flint, MI (+2)

22. San Francisco (-3)

23. Norfolk, VA (+2)

24. Greenville, SC (-3)

25. St. Louis (-7)

26. Richmond, VA

27. Youngstown (+10)

28. South Bend, IN (+5)

29. Buffalo, NY (-1)

30. Knoxville (-1)

31. Cedar Rapids, IA (-1)

32. Omaha, NE (-5)

33. Nashville (+1)

34. Dayton, OH (-2)

35. Ft. Wayne, IN (+1)

36. Harrisburg (+6)

37. Davenport (-2)

38. Toledo (-7)

39. Seattle (+5)

40. Milwaukee (-2)

41. Tampa (-1)

42. Lansing, MI (+6)

43. Greensboro, N.C.

44. Houston (-3)

45. Miami (-6)

46. Lexington, KY (+1)

47. Orlando (-1)

48. Peoria (-3)

49. Louisville, KY (-3)

50. Lincoln, NE

Orkin says bedbugs are “mostly nocturnal insects that come out of hiding to take blood meals from sleeping humans.” Typically ranging in color from red to dark brown and measuring 3/16 inches long, bedbugs can easily move from location to location by clinging to clothing, luggage, and other personal belongings.

“Taxis, buses and airplanes are also common bedbug hiding places, allowing these pests an opportunity to hitch a ride with unsuspecting travelers,” said Orkin entomologist Ben Hottel.

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If you’re traveling in 2023, Orkin recommends you remember the SLEEP acronym for how to identify bedbugs and prevent them from coming back to your home: survey your hotel room for infestation; lift and look in hiding spots; elevate your luggage away from the bed and wall; examine your luggage when repacking and returning home, and place all clothes from your luggage in the dryer for 30 to 45 minutes once returning home.

More information on bedbugs can be found on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website, and Orkin offers tips for dealing with bedbugs on its website.

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