The 20 Best Places to Live with Allergies in The U.S.
Living with allergies is difficult. Air conditioning and HEPA filters can help, if you stay inside But, you can’t always do that. Even when the pollen count is high, you still may have to go out sometime, even if it’s just to get in your car. Fortunately, face masks are very popular right now as is frequent hand washing and general cleanliness. Still, there are some places to live that are easier to live in than others if you suffer from seasonal allergies. It seems the chill, thin air of the mountains is beneficial to allergy sufferers. If you don’t like the cold, sea breezes off the coast are just as beneficial. Do you prefer mountains or the beach? Let’s look at the twenty best places to live with seasonal allergies in the United States.
20. Milwaukee, Wi.
Hello, Wisconsin! Maybe it’s not a good place to live with dairy allergies, but it is a great place to live if you have seasonal allergies. As of this writing in mid October, no pollen is detected. It is also home to a good number of highly recommended allergy and asthma specialists. This good land by the water is the largest city in Wisconsin with humid summers, snowy winters and crisp lake breezes.
19. Boston, Ma.
“Please come to Boston for the springtime” goes a Dave Loggins song. If have allergies, you may want to come here in the springtime! It’s known for being a beautiful place in the fall as well with the leaves changing colors. Granted, you might want to wear a mask to look at the oaks and maples if tree pollen is a trigger for you. As of this writing, the ragweed pollen count in Boston is low and the pollen counts for grass and trees is nonexistent.
18. Washington, D. C.
It’s one of the best places for people who have problems with allergies. Currently the ragweed pollen count is moderate but expected to dip soon. The tree and grass pollen count is nonexistent. The cherry trees by the Potomac are unlikely to trigger allergies, but other springtime trees might. However, if it’s autumn allergies that bother you, the United States capital may be the place to be.
17. Palm Bay, Fla.
Fun fact: palms are more closely related to grass than trees. Fortunately, sea breezes tend to thin the pollen out. The current pollen count in Palm Bay is expected to be low to moderate in the next few days. Keep in mind that mold builds up where it’s damp and humid, so take care not to let this build up in your house. The city’s motto is “A perfect place to grow!” Let’s hope they mean as a person and not mold, mildew and ragweed.
16. Sacramento, Ca.
The capital of Sunny California might be where you ought to be. The current pollen count is zero and sea breezes waft in from the west. Now, its nickname is “City of Trees”. You might want to avoid the blue oaks, sycamore and willows in the spring. You may be able to cope with the boxelders and ash, though. It is a diverse and contemporary city, so young people starting out might like it here the best.
15. Daytona Beach, Fla.
If your allergies are triggered by exhaust fumes, the home of NASCAR, Biketoberfest and Daytona 500 isn’t for you. However, if your allergies are only triggered by grass, trees and ragweed and you love a salty ocean breeze, Daytona Beach is for you. You may want to stay away from the palms in the springtime, though. Temperatures in Daytona Beach can get into the triple digits so bring some hypoallergenic sun block to those white sandy beaches.
14. San Francisco, Ca.
No allergy triggers really would be a San Francisco treat! Currently, ragweed is a moderate problem but tree and grass pollen are unidentifiable. The City By The Bay is home to San Francisco Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. They treat environmental allergies, eczema, insect allergies, food allergies, sinusitus, the whole schmear! Palm trees may be a bit of a nuisance in the spring, but the sea breezes make up for it. Open up that Golden Gate!
13. Spokane, Wa.
Spokane is also known as Lilac City due to an annual Lilac Festival held every spring. Fear not, allergy sufferers! Lilac pollen is seldom airborne, relying more on bees, hummingbirds and butterflies to get around. Currently, the pollen count is very low overall and expected to drop. If you’re in the city of The Children of the Sun, be sure to visit Spokane Falls, right in the middle of the city!
12. San Jose, Ca.
Do you know the way to San Jose? Did you know the pollen count for ragweed is low and getting lower? Grass and tree pollen are undetected. You’ll find the air quality is quite good. The South Bay Allergy and Asthma Group, Inc comes highly recommended. They provide a wide variety of allergy related services. It may be The Capital of Silicon Valley, but it’s also The Garden City. Fortunately, it seems the plants in this garden are mostly hypoallergenic.
11. San Diego, Ca.
It’s America’s Finest City and it’s always in motion. There is currently no pollen detected here. Most of the plants here are allergy friendly succulents and bright flowers that depend on insects for pollenating rather than wind. San Diego has a Mediterranean climate with dry summers and wet winters. This and the constant sea breezes make such a place heaven for people with allergies. Fans of theme parks and zoos will love it in San Diego, being home to Sea World and once of the most successful zoos in the world while being a stone’s throw from Disneyland, Legoland, Knott’s Berry Farm and more.
10. Raleigh, NC
The nickname “City of Oaks” does not sound promising to someone struggling with allergies. Heck, their seal is an oak tree surrounded by oak leaves! That may be a problem in the spring, but for right now, the ragweed pollen count is low and getting lower while tree and grass pollen count is undetectable. Fall pollen count in North Carolina peaks in September then quickly plummets as fall in this area tends to be cold, damp and even frosty.
9. Salt Lake City, Ut.
Many of the great cities on this list have inspired timeless songs. Salt Lake City is described artfully by the duo Parker and Stone as “Where flies don’t bite your eyeballs and human life has worth.” The ragweed pollen just might bite your eyeballs but it’s starting to go down. The grass and tree pollen are not detected. Wasatch Allergy and Asthma plus Allergy Associates of Utah are two great places to go and have allergies treated. Temperatures are expected to dip soon in SLC, possibly bringing some snow in November. Bring your snowboard.
8. Seattle, Wa.
The city that invented grunge rock and Starbucks coffee may be the place for you. The ragweed pollen count is low and the grass and tree pollen count has not been detected. The weather, as typical for this time of year, is cloudy and rainy but the air quality is good. The City of Rains is a damp city surrounded by saltwater bays and freshwater lakes. People of Seattle are encouraged to plant flowers to beautify the industrial city. The formal double dahlia has almost no pollen and is a symbol of Seattle.
7. Colorado Springs, Co.
Colorado Springs is a picturesque mountain town that is a favorite for movie makers looking for some old fashioned charm. The pollen count for ragweed is low and getting lower. Snow should be falling soon, killing all the pollen until April at least. The oaks and pines of the Front Range should be avoided in the spring but succulents are nice and safe and the native yucca depends on moths rather than the wind for pollenation. The crisp, thin air of Pike’s Peak is soon going to be pollen free and open for ski season.
6. Ogden, Ut.
The pollen count in Ogden is low to medium and expected to go lower. It’s a humid continental climate with hot and relatively dry summers and cool, snowy winters. It’s near the Wasatch Mountains and besides being great for people with allergy problems it’s a great place to raise kids. If you like trains, Ogden is a major railway hub.
5. Portland, Or.
Be warned that Portland Oregon is called Rose City for a reason and the roses are not all the hothouse variety. However, while Portland does get rather sunny in the summer, winter is chilly, sometimes lightly snowy. The thin mountain air reduces allergy triggers from spreading too much. The current pollen count is rather low with juniper and ragweed being the biggest offenders. Fortunately, Portland is lower in ragweed than most places in the United States. Baker Allergy, Asthma and Dermatology is the place to go for hay fever treatment.
4. Boise, Id.
The ragweed pollen count is moderately high here, but expected to go down. With an elevation of 2,704 feet above sea level the air is a bit thin to be spreading around pollen. The summers are arid while the winters are moderately cold. Boise is a surprisingly a town dedicated to high culture with the famed Egyptian Theatre and Shakespeare festival. Come for the potatoes, stay for the avant garde puppet shows.
3. Provo, Ut.
The ragweed pollen count here is moderate but expected to drop. The tree and grass pollen counts are undetectable. The summers in Boise are just wet enough to be classified as humid continental climate. Winter tends to be cold and snowy. Though it is the third largest city in Utah, it’s a very rural mountain town so you might see the odd moose out in the streets. You’re not allergic to moose, are you?
2. Fresno, Ca.
There is currently no pollen to be counted in Fresno. Zero, zip, zilch, nada. A combination of sea breezes and local agriculture being dedicated to low pollen producing citrus trees and grapes contributes to that. The name of the city comes from the Spanish word for the ash trees by the San Joaquin River. Maybe stay out of that area in the spring. It’s located in The Valley not very far from the West Coast, so if you live here, you can have both the mountains and the beach.
And the number one place to live with allergies is…..
1. Denver, Co.
The Mile High City is currently experiencing a moderate amount of ragweed that is expected to go down with no grass or tree pollen detected. Weather in the Rockies does tend to be fairly unpredictable, so be prepared for anything. The US News and World Report named Denver the best place to live in the United States in 2016. It’s especially a nice place to live if you have allergies. The Colorado Allergy and Asthma Center has earned many honors including the Glaser Distinguished Service Award and Distinguished Clinician Award for putting their patients first.
Conclusion
Living with allergies is never easy. Living in a city with a low pollen count and a high quality allergy center nearby can make things just a little easier. Even if you decide not to live in any of these places, they are surely worth a visit at least. Try them some time!
