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No. 1: New York | Overall Score: 95.75

• Number of Used Furniture Stores: 77 | Rank: 1
• Population Density: 28,182 | Rank: 1
• Number of Accommodations: 934 | Rank: 2
• Share of Multi-Unit Residential Buildings: 83.6% | Rank: 5
• Average Monthly Google Searches for Bed Bug-Related Keywords Over Past Year: 105,510 | Rank: 1

Local Tips: 

No. 2: Los Angeles | Overall Score: 70.17

• Number of Used Furniture Stores: 37 | Rank: 4
• Population Density: 8,181 | Rank: 48
• Number of Accommodations: 997 | Rank: 1
• Share of Multi-Unit Residential Buildings: 57.5% | Rank: 42
• Average Monthly Google Searches for Bed Bug-Related Keywords Over Past Year: 46,890 | Rank: 2

Local Tips:

No. 3: Houston | Overall Score: 62.55

• Number of Used Furniture Stores: 54 | Rank: 2
• Population Density: 3,570 | Rank: 220
• Number of Accommodations: 811 | Rank: 3
• Share of Multi-Unit Residential Buildings: 50.9% | Rank: 79
• Average Monthly Google Searches for Bed Bug-Related Keywords Over Past Year: 31,770 | Rank: 3

Local Tips: 

No. 4: Chicago | Overall Score: 57.43

• Number of Used Furniture Stores: 22 | Rank: 18
• Population Density: 11,840 | Rank: 17
• Number of Accommodations: 396 | Rank: 10
• Share of Multi-Unit Residential Buildings: 70.4% | Rank: 16
• Exterminators per 10,000 Homes: 1.2 | Rank: 24

Local Tips: 

No. 5: San Francisco | Overall Score: 56.96

• Number of Used Furniture Stores: 24 | Rank:14
• Population Density: 17,443 | Rank: 6
• Number of Accommodations: 423 | Rank: 8
• Share of Multi-Unit Residential Buildings: 70.2% | Rank: 18
• Exterminators per 10,000 Homes: 1.3 | Rank: 28

Local Tips:

The Upshot

Major metros like New York (No. 1) and Los Angeles (No. 2) top the rankings, while leading the pack for most bed bug-related Google searches. Despite its lower urban density, Houston holds the No. 3 spot, owed significantly to high numbers of accommodations and used furniture stores. Notably, urban extensions like Miami Beach (No. 6) and Jersey City (No. 10), also stand out on the list.

Cities known for their bustling tourist activity are seeing a surge in bed bug . Las Vegas (No. 75), a high-traffic entertainment hub, ranks prominently, while Honnolulu's (No. 30) picturesque resorts aren't spared from recent events either. The Big Pineapple boasts a high number of accommodations and multi-unit residential buildings.  

In colder regions like Denver (No. 15), Boston (No. 7), and Buffalo (No. 50), the temperatures don't stop the itchy pests. Most recently, Buffalo's low number of exterminators, high population density, and substantial number of apartment complexes have put the Queen City in the .

Smaller metros — Fort Myers, Florida (No. 498), Edmond, Oklahoma (No. 499), and St. George, Utah (No. 500) — round out the bottom of the rankings. While these cities present lower population densities, Fort Myers stands out with a higher infestation risk, underscored by substantial numbers of multi-unit residences, used furniture stores, and hotel accommodations.

Final Thoughts: Bed Bug Vigilance

Travel is expected to this summer, even as bed bugs have been increasingly troubling vacationers worldwide since their noticeable last October. 

Bed bug outbreaks are hard to control and can occur in hotel accommodations and shared living spaces like apartments and retirement homes. Some local governments are trying to diminish the spread by implementing , such as requiring used mattresses to be before disposal.

Prevent unwanted guests from crashing your and learn how to avoid bed bugs while visiting a with help from our tips below.

• Know how to identify , , and of this pest's life.
• Take a close look at Fido's fur if you're vacationing with a . 
• Know what to do if you spy .
• Keep your allies nearby in your fight against bed bugs: , , and . 
• Bed bugs aren't just hiding in your mattress — carefully check your , , and other parts of your home. 
• Get undisturbed slumber with and a .
• If you don't have time for a professional extermination, grab some and .
• Treat lingering .