The Top 10 U.S. Cities for Bed Bugs in 2026

7/22/2026

Bed bugs continue to be one of the most challenging pest issues facing commercial and institutional facilities, with 24 percent of pest management professionals ranking them as the most difficult pest to control, according to the National Pest Management Association. Once these excellent hitchhikers are introduced into a facility, they can quickly become a costly problem, leading to reputational damage and expensive treatment solutions. 

The 2026 Bed Bug Cities List released by Orkin, offers a snapshot of where bed bug activity has been the worst in the last year. The rankings are based on residential and commercial treatment data collected over a 12-month period.  

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The top 10 cities are: 

• Chicago 
• Los Angeles 
• Detroit 
• Cleveland 
• Indianapolis 
• Springfield, Illinois 
• Washington, D.C. 
• Columbus, Ohio 
• Pittsburgh 
• Grand Rapids, Michigan. 

Chicago claimed the top spot for the sixth consecutive year. Many of the cities on the top 10 list are among the country’s most popular travel destinations, which aids in the persistent bed bug problem in hotels, transit hubs and other high-traffic facilities.  

While these rankings highlight cities with the highest treatment activity, it is important to note that bed bugs can become a problem anywhere people live, work, travel or gather. Routine inspections, proper training, timely reporting and professional pest management are essential components of an effective bed bug prevention strategy and can help avoid the significant costs associated with widespread bed bug outbreaks.  

Elaina Myers is the assistant editor of the facilities market. She has covered various topics from pest management to resilience to sustainability and is the beat writer for special days. She also runs the FacilitiesNet social media accounts.