50 of America’s Most Bed Bug-Infested Cities

It’s easy to find advice on dealing with bed bug infestations, but most people would rather avoid encounters with the parasites in the first place. There are a few ways to do this, from staying at trustworthy hotels to resisting the urge to take in furniture you find on the street. But which part of the country you choose to rest your head can also determine your chances of running into the pests. Before planning your next trip, refer to the list below.

As Condé Nast Traveler reports, these cities come from Orkin’s annual list of the top 50 bed bug cities in America. The pest control company pulled their data from the number of bed bug treatments executed between December 1, 2016 and November 30, 2017. These results cover residential buildings like apartments and houses as well as hotels and motels.

Bed bug infestations are on the rise across the country, according to Orkin entomologist Dr. Tim Husen, but the problem is more apparent in some cities than others. Baltimore tops the list for the second year in a row, followed by Washington D.C. and Chicago. Los Angeles, New York, and Dallas also break the top 10.

A quick glance at the list shows that no part of the country is safe from the unwelcome bedfellows. That doesn’t mean the solution is to sterilize your home and never step outside again: Just be aware if you're living in or a visiting a city with high rates of bed bugs and take the appropriate level of caution. When sleeping in a new bed, no matter what city it’s in, it’s always a good idea to check the mattress first. Pull back the sheets and scan the crevices for blood, eggs, droppings, and the bugs themselves. And if you’re not sure what bed bugs look like, this guide should give you an idea.

Here is the full list:

1. Baltimore

2. Washington, D.C.

3. Chicago

4. Los Angeles

5. Columbus, Ohio

6. Cincinnati, Ohio

7. Detroit

8. New York

9. San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose

10. Dallas-Fort Worth

11. Indianapolis, Indiana

12. Philadelphia

13. Atlanta

14. Cleveland-Akron-Canton, Ohio

15. Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina

16. Richmond-Petersburg, Virginia

17. Houston

18. Norfolk-Portsmouth-Newport News, Virginia

19. Charlotte, North Carolina

20. Buffalo, New York

21. Knoxville, Tennessee

22. Nashville, Tennessee

23. Grand Rapids-Kalamazoo-Battle Creek, Michigan

24. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

25. Greenville-Spartanburg, South Carolina-Asheville, North Carolina

26. Champaign-Springfield-Decatur, Illinois

27. Phoenix

28. Denver

29. Milwaukee

30. Hartford-New Haven, Connecticut

31. Charleston-Huntington, West Virginia

32. Boston

33. Syracuse, New York

34. Dayton, Ohio

35. St. Louis, Missouri

36. Seattle

37. Miami-Ft. Lauderdale

38. Flint-Saginaw-Bay City, Michigan

39. Omaha, Nebraska

40. Cedar Rapids-Waterloo-Dubuque, Iowa

41. San Diego, California

42. Lexington, Kentucky

43. Honolulu, Hawaii

44. Louisville, Kentucky

45. Las Vegas

46. Greensboro-High Point-Winston Salem, North Carolina

47. New Orleans, Louisiana

48. Myrtle Beach-Florence, South Carolina

49. Tampa-St. Petersburg, Florida

50. Albany-Schenectady-Troy, New York

[h/t Condé Nast Traveler]