Most Bed Bug Infested Cities: Where This MD Town Ranks

As summer gives way to fall, a ranking has revealed that Baltimore is among the most bed bug-infested cities in the United States.

Pest management company Orkin recently released its annual list of the Top 50 Bed Bug Cities, based on treatment data from metro areas where the company performed the most bed bug treatments from May 2024 to May 2025.

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The list includes both residential bed bug control and commercial bed bug treatments, Orkin said.

Baltimore moved up five spots in this year's ranking to No. 11, according to Orkin.

“Bed bugs are some of the most resilient pests in the world, making them extremely difficult to control if brought into a home or hotel,” said Orkin entomologist Ben Hottel. "It is critical that people know the best ways to identify, prevent and control these pests.”

Chicago topped this year's list for the fifth consecutive year, followed by Cleveland, Detroit, Los Angeles and Indianapolis.

Hartford, Connecticut, made the biggest leap in this year's list, debuting at No. 35 after jumping an unprecedented 48 spots. In contrast, Charlotte (No. 31) and New York (No. 15) both saw significant drops, suggesting fewer reported bed bug infestations compared to the previous year.

Know Before You Go: Bed Bug Prevention Tips

Measuring only 3/16 inch long and mostly nocturnal, bed bugs are difficult to detect. These pests are hematophagous, which means blood is their only food source and their favorite supplier happens to be sleeping humans. Clinging to items such as luggage, purses and other personal belongings, bed bugs can travel from place to place with ease.

Orkin recommends the following steps to help prevent travelers from bringing bed bugs home in 2025:

• Search the room for signs of infestation, looking for bed bugs, which are small, flat, oval-shaped insects that are brown and about the size of an apple seed. Other signs of bed bugs include ink-like stains on fabrics, shed exoskeletons around furniture and a sweet, musty smell.
• Lift sheets, curtains and cushions to check for bed bugs or signs of bed bugs.
• Elevate your luggage onto racks and keep it away from the bed or other furniture.
• Examine your luggage carefully while repacking and again when you return home.
• Place all dryer-safe clothing from your luggage in the dryer for 30 to 45 minutes at the highest heat setting upon returning home.

“What makes bed bugs especially challenging is their growing resistance to certain treatments, which is why early detection and proactive prevention are so critical,” Hottel said.

See the full Top 50 Bed Bug Cities list.