Bedbugs: Which U.S. Cities Have the Most and How to Stay Safe (Explained Simply)

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What Are Bedbugs? (Explained Like You’re 5)

Bedbugs are tiny little insects (bugs) that drink blood from people and animals — think of a very small vampire that you can barely see. They like to live close to where we sleep or sit, such as:

• Beds
• Couches
• Other nearby furniture

When they bite, they can make your skin:

• Itchy
• Irritated (red and sore)
• Sometimes cause an allergic reaction (when your body really doesn’t like the bite)

Bedbugs in Paris (From a Video Story)

In a video from Fox News, there was a street in Paris, France, that was filled with mattresses put inside plastic bags. This happened because the city is having a bedbug problem. An 18-year-old student was walking home from school and saw all those mattresses on the side of the street.

The 2026 List of U.S. Cities with the Most Bedbugs (By Orkin)

As families get ready for summer trips, a top company that helps get rid of pests (called Orkin) shared a list of U.S. cities where you might meet bedbugs.

Chicago was number one again! It stayed at the top of Orkin’s 2026 "Bed Bug Cities List." This means Orkin did the most bedbug treatments (helping people remove them) in Chicago. In fact, last year Orkin said Chicago had been the #1 most bedbug-infested city for the fifth year in a row.

The rest of the top five this year were:

• Los Angeles
• Detroit
• Cleveland
• Indianapolis

Also, popular vacation spots Tampa and Myrtle Beach saw more bedbug activity, Orkin reported.

Important Point: Orkin said many of these bedbug-heavy cities are also places lots of people visit for concerts, festivals, and sports events in summer. So travelers should be careful.

Other changes on the list:

• Nashville and Oklahoma City each moved up 10 spots.
• Youngstown, Omaha, and Knoxville dropped down a lot.

How Orkin Made the List

The ranking used data from places where Orkin did the most bedbug treatments between May 2025 and May 12, 2026. This includes both homes and businesses.

Important Point: Orkin stated, "These year-over-year changes highlight the persistent and evolving nature of bedbug activity across the nation."

Another Report: States and Cities (By casino.ca)

A different report from a website called casino.ca (released earlier this summer) looked at which states have the highest chance of meeting bedbugs. They mixed together information from Orkin, another bug-removal company called Terminix, hotel reviews from TripAdvisor (a site where people rate hotels), treatment records, and social media posts.

States with highest estimated risk:

1. Michigan
2. Ohio
3. Maryland
4. Pennsylvania
5. Wisconsin

States with lowest risk: Hawaii and Oregon.

For U.S. cities in that report:

• Warren, Michigan was the top city for bedbug risk.
• North Las Vegas, Nevada and Madison, Wisconsin were also big hot spots.

Important Point: A picture in the original article noted that Chicago has been a bedbug hot spot for years according to reports.

What the Smart Experts Say

Some professors who study bugs in cities talked to Fox News.

Zachary DeVries (a professor at University of Kentucky who studies city bugs) said these ranking lists are "fun reads" but we shouldn’t worry too much about them. He said:

• The lists make it seem like only big cities have bedbugs.
• But his work shows bedbugs can show up anywhere — big city, suburb, or countryside.
• In countryside areas, people might have a harder time getting rid of bedbugs because they have fewer bug-control services.

Dini Miller (a professor at Virginia Tech who studies how to manage city pests) said places get noticed for bedbugs when visitors come and look for them.

Important Point: Bedbugs are equal-opportunity pests — they don’t just live in dirty or urban places. They can hitch a ride with anyone!

How to Check for Bedbugs When Traveling (Easy Steps)

Experts say you should do a quick check when you stay somewhere new. Here’s a simple step-by-step:

1. Look at the mattress seams (the stitched edges of the bed) for tiny bugs or spots.
2. Check upholstered furniture (soft chairs/couches) and behind the headboard (the board behind the bed).
3. Use a sticky lint roller (the thing that picks up fuzz) on your clothing, furniture, and the bottoms of your shoes to catch any bugs trying to hitchhike.
4. Also check shoes and other cozy spots near where you rest.

This helps you spot them before they come home with you!

Summary

• Bedbugs are small blood-sucking bugs that live where we sleep and can make us itchy.
• Paris had a street full of mattresses due to a bedbug outbreak; an 18-year-old student spotted them.
• Chicago is the #1 U.S. city for bedbugs in Orkin’s 2026 list, holding the spot for the fifth+ consecutive year.
• Top 5 cities: Chicago, Los Angeles, Detroit, Cleveland, Indianapolis. Tampa and Myrtle Beach saw increased activity.
• Michigan is the state with highest risk per casino.ca; Hawaii and Oregon lowest. Warren, MI, North Las Vegas, and Madison, WI are top risky cities in that report.
• Experts remind us bedbugs can be anywhere, not just big cities, and rural areas may struggle more to remove them.
• When traveling, inspect beds and furniture and use a lint roller to detect them.
• The original article was written by Teresa Mull, a freelance writer with the Lifestyle team at Fox News Digital. It also encouraged readers to explore more lifestyle news, sign up for a newsletter, download the Fox News app, and take a lifestyle quiz.

FAQ

Q1: What exactly is a bedbug?
A: It’s a tiny insect that feeds on blood from humans or animals. They hide in beds, couches, and furniture, and their bites can make your skin itchy or irritated.

Q2: Which U.S. city has the most bedbugs in 2026?
A: Chicago, according to Orkin’s 2026 Bed Bug Cities List. It has been number one for several years in a row.

Q3: Can bedbugs be found outside of big cities?
A: Yes! Experts say bedbugs can show up in urban, suburban, or rural areas. They might even be harder to get rid of in rural places with fewer pest control services.

Q4: How can I avoid bringing bedbugs home from a trip?
A: Check mattress seams, furniture, and headboards for bugs. You can also use a sticky lint roller on clothes, shoes, and upholstery to catch any hidden bugs before they hitch a ride.

Q5: Are there other places with high bedbug risk?
A: Besides Chicago, the casino.ca report says Warren, Michigan, North Las Vegas, and Madison, Wisconsin are high-risk cities. Michigan state overall is the highest-risk state.