Buying a home isn’t just about price, schools, or commute time – it’s also about your health. For the 40 million Americans who suffer from seasonal or year-round allergies, location matters just as much as square footage. Where you live can make the difference between enjoying the outdoors or being stuck inside with itchy eyes and a box of tissues.
Each year, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) ranks the nation’s toughest cities for allergy sufferers. Their “Allergy Capitals” report measures three key factors: daily pollen levels, how often residents rely on allergy medications, and how many allergy specialists are available per patient.
The 2025 report highlights the worst large metro areas for allergy symptoms – places where pollen runs high, medications fly off the shelves, and access to care is limited. If you’re in the market for a new home and allergies are a serious concern, these are the cities you may want to think twice about ranked from bad to worse.
| City Ranking for Allergies | Total Score* | Contributing Factors |
|---|---|---|
| 10. Greensboro, NC | 82.08 | High pollen days, medicine use up, and specialist access is more limited. |
| 9. Greenville, SC | 82.74 | Similar pattern: high pollen (weeds especially), people using a lot of allergy medication, and not enough specialists. |
| 8. Richmond, VA | 82.80 | Lots of grass & weed pollen, many high or very high days. Medicine usage is high. Specialist access somewhat better than in some top-ranked cities, but still not sufficient. |
| 7. Raleigh, NC | 82.87 | Strong pollen exposure in tree, grass, weed categories; medicine use is high. Specialists are also relatively scarce. |
| 6. Little Rock, AR | 82.94 | High pollen scores + medicine usage. Specialist availability slightly better. |
| 5. Memphis, TN | 83.50 | High pollen especially weeds and trees, plenty of medicine use. Specialists per patient still limited. |
| 4. Tulsa, OK | 84.16 | Similar drivers: strong pollen presence (lots of high/very high days) + high medicine usage; specialist access less favorable. |
| 3. Oklahoma City, OK | 86.05 | Elevated pollen counts across the three types (tree, grass, weed), fairly high medicine use; moderate specialist access relative to need. |
| 2. New Orleans, LA | 86.81 | Especially bad weed pollen season, longer growing season from warmer temps. High pollen + high medicine use, but slightly better specialist availability. |
| 1. Wichita, KS | 100.00 | Very high tree, grass, and weed pollen scores with many “high” and “very high” days. High over-the-counter allergy medicine usage, plus relatively low availability of allergy/immunology specialists per patient. |
* Total Score is a composite of several subtotals: pollen (tree + grass + weed), medicine usage, and availability of allergy specialists. Cities are compared among the 100 largest metro areas.
Bottom line: If you’re house-hunting and know allergies are a trigger, factor geography into your decision. The worst allergy cities consistently rank high due to heavy pollen, high medication use, and limited access to specialists. Avoiding these hotspots – or preparing for them if you’re set on moving there – can make all the difference in your quality of life.
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Julie Gordey
A lifelong educator, Julie Gordey, is a retired school administrator. After years of focusing on education, this University of Texas graduate now travels and enjoys freelance writing for BDX and NewHomeSource.com.