13 Massachusetts Cites Named on 2024's Worst Cities for Bed Bugs

Massachusetts is a great place to live. From sandy, sprawling Cape Cod beaches, to the stunning Boston city skyline, all the way to the beautiful, lush mountains of the Berkshires, Massachusetts really has it all.

Massachusetts also has a great overall quality of life. It consistently finds itself featured on lists of the best places to live, the best small towns, and even the safest cities, so there is plenty to brag about. The Bay State also has some pretty decent weather. Yes, winters seem to drag on and be a little brutal at times, sure, but we don't contend with the extreme weather that occurs in so many other parts of the country.

What we do contend with are a few challenges with wildlife and bugs. While Massachusetts certainly isn't inhabited by apex predators, there are some smaller creatures that might not kill you, but can certainly make your life hell. We're talking about Bed Bugs.

As part of Bed Bug Awareness Week (yes, apparently that's a thing) which starts June 2, Pest Gnome recently examined 500 cities across the U.S. and compiled a list of the most bed bug-infested cities in the nation. A whopping 13 Massachusetts cities appeared on the list.

To reach their results, Pest Gnome determined the factors that are most relevant to bed bug infestations, including infestation risk, pest control, and density and then gave those each a weight and calculated scores.

A city’s Overall Score is the average of its scores across all factors and categories. The highest Overall Score ranked “Highest Risk” (No. 1) and the lowest “Lowest Risk” (No. 500).

These 13 Massachusetts Cities Named Most Bug Bed Infested in the U.S.

13 Massachusetts cities landed on the Pest Gnome rankings. Check them out below.

# 7 - Boston

#13 - Cambridge

#18 - Sommerville

#27 - Lawrence

#55 - New Bedford

#58 - Fall River

#67 - Worcester

#70 - Lowell

#83 - Lynn

#84 - Brockton

#117 - Springfield

#121 - Quincy

#192 - Newton

It's not all bad news for these Massachusetts cities, it actually might mean they're just popular. According to the report, cities like Las Vegas and Honolulu, known for their bustling tourist activity are seeing a surge in bed bugs, so at least Boston and the rest are in good company.