Nobody wants to talk about bed bugs, but somehow, here we are. These tiny little nightmares are popping up more and more, and if you live in a certain New Jersey town, you might already know this too well. Turns out, this one spot in NJ has more searches for bed bugs than anywhere else in the entire country.

So what’s going on? Are people seeing more of them? Freaking out more? Both? Hard to say for sure, but when a town is searching that much about one bug, it’s safe to assume something’s crawling around.

What Are Bed Bugs?

If you’ve never dealt with them, count your blessings. They’re tiny, sneaky, and love to hitch a ride home with you after you’ve been traveling. Hotels, trains, and theaters are all fair game. And once they’re in, good luck getting them out without a full-on battle. People lose sleep over these things, literally.

Even though they’re not dangerous in the way that ticks or mosquitoes are, the mental toll is real. Just the idea of them makes your skin crawl. The bites are itchy, they’re hard to see, and they can spread fast.

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Why NJ Is 'Bugged Out?'

Why is this one New Jersey town so obsessed with bed bugs? Maybe it’s got more hotels. Maybe people are just more paranoid. Maybe they’ve had a few scares and now everyone’s on high alert. Either way, something’s clearly going on, and folks are turning to Yelp for answers.

Yelp data shows that nationwide searches for bed bug extermination have increased by 53% from May 2024 through April 2025. Searches on Yelp for pest control and bed bug inspection have both climbed steadily every month of 2025.

This is such a significant issue that there's actually a Yelp Infestation Index, which identifies the top cities taking action against bed bugs with the help of service professionals.

This study uncovered that Atlantic City has more inquiries on Yelp for bed bug help than any other location in the United States.

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Bed bugs literally surround New Jersey, ew. Check out the spots that have the most tiny critters. 

These 50 US Cities are Crawling with Bed Bugs

Every year the pest control gurus at Orkin put together a list of the Top 50 Bed Bug Destinations in the United States. Which areas do you travel to that you should take extra care to watch out for these blood-sucking insects? Let's countdown to the most bed-bug-riddled city in the United States.

Gallery Credit: Scott Clow