The District is making national headlines again, but not for the reason you may think…
It turns out that Washington, D.C. has ranked among the top 10 most bedbug-infested cities in the nation!
Where did D.C. rank among America’s most bedbug-infested cities?
According to the study, which was performed by Orkin, Washington, D.C. ranks as the #6 most bedbug-infested city in the country!
The ranking was pulled from Orkin’s own bedbug treatment data, measuring which cities had the most bedbug treatments between May 2024 and May 2025.
In fact, since last year’s ranking, the bedbug problem in the District has seemingly gotten even worse, with D.C. jumping up a position since last year.
What other cities around the U.S. have bedbug infestations?
According to Orken’s data, the top ten most bedbug-infested cities break down as follows:
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Chicago
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Cleveland (+2 spots since 2024)
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Detroit (+3 spots since 2024)
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Los Angeles (+1 spots since 2024)
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Indianapolis (+3 spots since 2024)
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Washington, D.C. (+1 spots since 2024)
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Grand Rapids, Mich. (+7 spots since 2024)
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Columbus, Ohio (+3 spots since 2024)
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Champaign, Ill. (+1 spots since 2024)
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Milwaukee (+15 spots since 2024)
How to detect or deal with a bedbug infestation
“Bed bugs are extremely resilient, making them difficult to control,” said Ben Hottel, Orkin entomologist. “While bed bugs are visible to the naked eye, they are excellent at hiding. Involving a trained professional at the sight of a bed bug introduction is recommended.”
When it comes to identifying a bedbug problem, Orkin stated the following:
“Check the places where bed bugs hide during the day, including mattress tags and seams, and behind baseboards, headboards, electrical outlets, and picture frames”.
“Inspect when you move in, after a trip, when a service worker visits, or after guests stay overnight, and always examine all secondhand furniture before bringing it inside your home.”