This Popular US Tourist City Was Named America's Worst For Bed Bugs 6 Years Running

While Chicago has racked up a long list of accolades over the years, a recent study has added to that list in a way the Windy City might not appreciate. For the sixth year in a row, Chicago topped the Orkin 2026 Bed Bug Cities List ranking American cities based on how widespread their bed bug infestations are.

The study, conducted by the pest control company Orkin, uses a simple metric to compile its list: The number of bed bug treatments it performed in a city over a year. According to its findings, Chicago needed the highest number of bed bug treatments across residential and commercial spaces, with Los Angeles, Detroit, Cleveland, and Indianapolis coming in 2nd to 5th place, respectively. The study also highlights that most of the places on the list are popular tourist hubs, which makes sense since bed bugs typically spread by hitchhiking on travelers' clothes or luggage, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 

While this information may lead people to think of Chicago as being especially dirty or unhygienic, the truth is far from it. Contrary to popular belief, bed bugs don't come from poor environmental hygiene, but from other humans. With summer travel being one of Chicago's major revenue streams, it's unsurprising that the city regularly suffers from bed bug infestations. In 2025, Chicago welcomed 56.8 million tourists, and 2026 is already shaping up to be an equally busy year, with the events like the 100th anniversary of Route 66 and the Lollapalooza music festival, which drew over 450,000 visitors in its 2025 iteration (via FOX32 Chicago). "Travel season brings excitement, but it also makes awareness especially important," said Dr. Shannon Sked, Orkin's Entomologist and National Technical Director.

Bed bugs can be anywhere, whether you stay in a vacation rental, a smaller, affordable hotel, or lavish, luxurious properties. However, there are some things you can do to keep them from biting you — or coming home with you.

When you enter the room, put your luggage in the bathtub or shower, and don't use the luggage rack as it too can have bedbugs. Next, carefully check the bed by lifting the sheets away from the mattress and paying close attention to the seams in the mattress (top and underside), and the underside of the box spring where bed bugs hide. Check the furniture drawers, under bedside tables, and the curtains, paying attention to seams and crevices. Check the other furniture, lifting cushions and pillows to inspect carefully. Fully grown bugs look reddish-brown and are around the size of an apple seed, while young bugs are smaller and look cream colored and translucent. You may not find the bugs themselves, but a bed bug infestation still leaves signs: A musty, sweet-smelling room is a bed bug warning sign, and red-brown spots or stains on the bed linens can indicate blood — the excrement from bed bugs. 

If you suspect bed bugs, call the front desk to inform them, and ask to be moved to a new room in a different part of the hotel. You can use this Ziploc-bag packing hack to prevent bed bugs from hitching a ride on your clothes. In its report, Orkin also advises travelers to examine luggage when re-packing — and when unpacking at home, and then to place all dryer-safe clothes in the dryer on high heat for 45 minutes after unpacking them.