The Worst Cities for Bed Bugs in 2026, According to the Data
Orkin's 2026 treatment data ranks Chicago the worst U.S. city for bed bugs for the sixth straight year; Terminix's 2025 service data ranks Philadelphia first for the second year running. Both lists agree on Detroit, Cleveland, Chicago, and Washington, D.C., seven of Orkin's top ten are Midwestern cities, and vacation markets like Nashville, Tampa, and Myrtle Beach are climbing. Bed bugs travel with people, so the rankings track travel patterns as much as geography.
Ask the two biggest names in pest control which American city has it worst and you get two different answers. That disagreement is the most useful thing in the 2026 data. We broke it down in a full article on X; here is the short version.
Two datasets, two number ones
Orkin ranked metro areas by its own residential and commercial bed bug treatments from May 2025 through May 2026. Its top ten: Chicago, Los Angeles, Detroit, Cleveland, Indianapolis, Springfield (Illinois), Washington D.C., Columbus, Pittsburgh, and Grand Rapids. Terminix ranked its 2025 service activity and got a different list: Philadelphia, Cincinnati, New York, Detroit, Cleveland, Chicago, Atlanta, Washington D.C., Nashville, and Charleston, West Virginia.
Chicago's consecutive run at #1 on Orkin's bed bug city ranking.
Orkin 2026 treatment data
Neither list is a census; each reflects where that company actually treats. Which is exactly why the overlap matters. Detroit, Cleveland, Chicago, and Washington D.C. rank high in both datasets, and seven of Orkin's top ten are Midwestern cities, with Ohio placing six cities in Orkin's top 50. The vacation markets are the trend to watch: Nashville jumped ten spots, Tampa and Myrtle Beach entered the top 50, and Orkin points at travel growth as a driver.
Bed bugs have a transportation system: us
Bed bugs do not fly between cities. They ride in luggage, clothing, bedding, and furniture. CDC notes that frequent travelers who share sleeping spaces face higher exposure, and that bed bugs turn up in five-star properties, because cleanliness does not determine presence. If you travel: check mattress seams, the headboard, and the luggage rack before settling in, keep bags off the bed, and run dryer-safe clothing on high heat when you get home, which is the step EPA specifically recommends.
You cannot inspect your way to zero risk, and you do not control what the next guest carries in. That is why the reactive cycle, find, treat, wait, inspect, repeat, keeps repeating. A treatment that stays active on surfaces changes the question from how fast you react to whether the next introduction survives the room. That is the strategy VA88's residual was built for, and the year-long field evaluation behind it, including bugs introduced 12 months after treatment, is on our evidence page.
Frequently asked
What is the worst city in America for bed bugs in 2026?
It depends on the dataset. Orkin's 2026 treatment data ranks Chicago #1 for the sixth consecutive year, while Terminix's service data ranks Philadelphia #1 for the second year running. Detroit, Cleveland, Chicago, and Washington, D.C. rank high on both lists.
Why are Midwestern cities suddenly topping bed bug rankings?
Seven of Orkin's 2026 top ten are Midwestern metros, and Ohio placed six cities in Orkin's top 50, more than any other state. The rankings reflect where treatments happen, and the data shows sustained, broad activity across the region rather than a single-city outbreak.
How do I avoid bringing bed bugs home from a trip?
Inspect the room for about a minute before unpacking: mattress seams, headboard, and the luggage rack. Keep luggage elevated and off the bed. When you return, inspect belongings before they enter the bedroom and run dryer-safe clothing on high heat, the step EPA specifically recommends, since washing alone may not kill bed bugs.
Bed bugs can't evolve past physics.
VA88 kills on contact and keeps protecting treated surfaces for up to 12 months when used as directed.