Wichita ranked worst city in U.S. for people with allergies

Wichita, Kansas, was named the worst city in the United States for allergies.

In March 2023, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) released its annual “Allergy Capitals” report for 2023.

“The report identifies the most challenging cities for pollen allergies in the 100 most populated metropolitan areas in the continental United States. Cities are ranked based on tree, grass, and weed pollen scores, over-the-counter allergy medicine use, and availability of board-certified allergists/immunologists,” a news release said.

Allergies.Photo byBrittany ColetteonUnsplash

This year, Wichita, Kansas, “takes the top spot based on its high tree and grass pollen scores, higher-than-average use of allergy medicines, and limited number of allergy/immunology specialists per patient,” the release said.

Dallas, Texas, and Scranton, Pennsylvania, were named the number two and three worst cities for people with allergies, the release said.

See the full rankings here.

AAFA "began identifying annual Allergy Capitals 20 years ago in 2003. Since that first report, pollen counts have worsened," the release says. "This year’s report once again highlights the significant impact that climate change has on public health – specifically, for people with pollen allergies. Rising temperatures result in longer growing seasons, leading to higher pollen concentrations in many areas of the country."

“We are experiencing longer and more intense allergy seasons because of climate change. For people with asthma, allergies can trigger an asthma attack,” says Kenneth Mendez, CEO and president of AAFA. in the news release. “About 81 million people in the U.S. have seasonal allergic rhinitis, which is most often caused by pollen allergies. If we don’t take immediate action on the climate crisis, pollen production will only intensify. This means more allergy and asthma attacks and additional strain on our health systems.”