The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) has released its Allergy Capitals 2022™ report, which ranks the 100 most challenging cities in the continental United States to live with seasonal pollen allergies.
Scranton, Pennsylvania ranks #1 overall again this year. City rankings are based on higher-than-average spring and fall pollen scores, higher-than-average medication usage, and availability of board-certified allergists/immunologists in the area. The top 10 Allergy Capitals for 2022 are:
1. Scranton, Pennsylvania
2. Wichita, Kansas
3. McAllen, Texas
4. Richmond, Virginia
5. San Antonio, Texas
6. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
7. Hartford, Connecticut
8. Buffalo, New York
9. New Haven, Connecticut
10. Albany, New York
AAFA’s Allergy Capitals report is an annual research and educational project designed to help people recognize, prevent, and manage allergy symptoms. It also helps communities see where the needs of people with allergic diseases, like seasonal allergies, can be better met.
This year’s report shows the impact on seasonal allergy symptoms of public health strategies related to COVID-19 control. It also demonstrates the continued impact of climate change, resulting in longer and more intense pollen seasons, and the worsening of urban heat islands.
View the full report.