These are the best and worst cities to live in if you have seasonal allergies
Spring is here and with it comes seasonal allergies.
Around 60 million people across the U.S. deal with allergies, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, but some of them will have an easier time this season. A new Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America report identified the worst cities to live in if you have allergies.
The 2023 "Allergy Capitals" were determined based on pollen scores, over-the-counter medication use and the number of allergy specialists. The 20 worst cities for people with allergies are:
- Wichita, Kansas
- Dallas
- Scranton, Pennsylvania
- Oklahoma City
- Tulsa, Oklahoma
- Sarasota, Florida
- Cape Coral, Florida
- Orlando, Florida
- Des Moines, Iowa
- Virginia Beach, Virginia
- Houston
- Little Rock, Arkansas
- Miami
- Lakeland, Florida
- Raleigh, North Carolina
- Palm Bay, Florida
- Tampa, Florida
- Greensboro, North Carolina
- Rochester, New York
There is some good news for those who don't want to sneeze and sniffle throughout spring. Some cities are much easier to live in for those dealing with allergies, AAFA found. Buffalo, New York, is the least challenging city. Other cities with better-than-average rankings include Seattle; Cleveland; Austin, Texas; Akron, Ohio; Washington, D.C.; Detroit; Albuquerque, New Mexico; Columbus, Ohio and Salt Lake City.
Don't live in one of these cities? The full 2023 Allergy Capitals report ranks the 100 largest cities in the continental U.S.
How badly specific cities are impacted could change, according to the CDC, shifting seasonal patterns and weather tied to climate change can impact the amounts of pollen in the air each spring. It's nothing to sneeze at. Those changes also mean allergy season can start earlier and end later.