MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Just in time for back-to-school, Terminix released a list of the top 50 most bed-bug infested cities in America.
Students have arrived on college campuses nationwide, and joining them could be some annoying and uninvited roommates taking up residence in dormitories. Bed bugs spread easily by hitching rides on luggage, backpacks and clothing, and can crawl through cracks in the walls, making common spaces of dorm living extremely vulnerable to infestations.
“Bed bugs go where people go, so they can be virtually anywhere,” says Rick Cooper, senior director of bed bug services at Terminix. “Bed bugs move from infested structures – whether that be hotels, airports, schools or college campuses. They can tag along on someone’s clothes or backpack. Bed bugs are an extremely difficult pest to control, but Terminix has the expertise, proper tools and techniques to assess and address the problem correctly.”
Where Are Bed Bugs Most Common?
The top five cities on this year’s most infested list include Los Angeles claiming the top spot, followed by Cleveland, Philadelphia, Detroit and New York City. Thirteen states had more than one city on the list, including Alabama, Arkansas, California, Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Texas.
Terminix based its rankings on the number of requests received from each city in 2021*. The top 50 cities for bed bug infestations in the United States are:
| 1. Los Angeles, Calif. | 18. Tampa, Fla. | 35. South Bend, Ind. |
| 2. Cleveland, Ohio | 19. Louisville, Ky. | 36. Miami, Fla. |
| 3. Philadelphia, Pa. | 20. Phoenix, Ariz. | 37. Flint, Mich. |
| 4. Detroit, Mich. | 21. Dayton, Ohio | 38. Shreveport, La. |
| 5. New York, N.Y. | 22. Denver, Colo. | 39. Kansas City, Mo. |
| 6. Chicago, Ill. | 23. Oklahoma City, Okla. | 40. Ft. Smith, Ark. |
| 7. Dallas, Texas | 24. Nashville, Tenn. | 41. Springfield, Mo. |
| 8. Indianapolis, Ind. | 25. Boston, Mass. | 42. Mobile, Ala. |
| 9. Cincinnati, Ohio | 26. Lexington, Ky. | 43. Seattle, Wash. |
| 10. Atlanta, Ga. | 27. Orlando, Fla. | 44. Milwaukee, Wis. |
| 11. Columbus, Ohio | 28. Little Rock, Ark. | 45. San Diego, Calif. |
| 12. Houston, Texas | 29. Baltimore, Md. | 46. Fresno, Calif. |
| 13. San Francisco, Calif. | 30. Charleston, W.Va. | 47. Tulsa, Okla. |
| 14. St. Louis, Mo. | 31. Paducah, Ky. | 48. Las Vegas, Nev. |
| 15. Washington, D.C. | 32. Toledo, Ohio | 49. Sacramento, Calif. |
| 16. Pittsburgh, Pa. | 33. Birmingham, Ala. | 50. Dothan, Ala. |
| 17. Memphis, Tenn. | 34. Grand Rapids, Mich. | |
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