As summer travel plans unfold, travelers should be aware that bedbugs remain a common concern in many U.S. cities.
Chicago has once again led the list of cities with the highest number of bedbug treatments, maintaining its top spot for a fifth consecutive year.
The top five cities this year include Los Angeles, Detroit, Cleveland, and Indianapolis, all of which reported significant bedbug activity.
Popular tourist destinations such as Tampa and Myrtle Beach have seen a rise in bedbug incidents.
These high‑traffic locations are expected to host large numbers of visitors for concerts, festivals, and sporting events throughout the summer.
Nashville and Oklahoma City each moved up ten positions on the list, while Youngstown, Omaha, and Knoxville experienced notable declines.
The shifts in rankings underscore the persistent and evolving nature of bedbug activity across the country.
The data underlying the rankings come from treatment records in metropolitan areas collected between May 2025 and May 12 2026, covering both residential and commercial cases.
A separate analysis identified Michigan as the state with the highest estimated risk of encountering bedbugs, followed by Ohio, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, with Hawaii and Oregon ranking lowest.
Travelers are advised to inspect mattress seams, upholstered furniture, and the area behind headboards for signs of bedbugs.
Using a sticky lint roller on clothing, upholstery, and the bottoms of shoes can help detect hitchhiking bedbugs before they spread.
