Photo: Getty Images
Bed bugs are sneaky pests that invade the coziest parts of our homes when we least expect them. Nobody wants to deal with these creepy critters that leave itchy evidence of their infestation. However, some of us have to encounter them more than others.
Orkin released its annual list of the worst cities for bed bugs. The 2024 edition saw some new additions to the list that has locals shivering:
"Chicago, New York, and Philadelphia hold onto the top three spots, ranking first, second and third, respectively for cities with most bed bugs. Greensboro, N.C. saw the largest jump this year, moving up twenty-fife spots into the Top Twenty, with Milwaukee (#25) moving up the list by fifteen and Tampa (#31) moving up by ten.
Amid the Paris Bed Bug craze, travelers are more concerned than ever with avoiding these stealthy pests. As Americans look towards travel in 2024 it is critical to know how to identify and thoroughly check for bed bugs in hotel rooms (both internationally and domestically) while being careful not to bring the pests home with them.
The bed bug cities list is based on treatment data from the metro areas where Orkin performed the most bed bug treatments from Dec. 1, 2022 – Nov. 30, 2023. The ranking includes both residential and commercial treatments.
Texas was included twice on the list with Dallas-Ft. Worth at number 22 and Houston at 38. While Dallas-Ft. Worth dropped five points from last year's list, Houston rose six points.