Best and Worst Cities for Pollen Allergies Ranked (2023)
In this report, Wyndly presents a comprehensive ranking of cities across the United States based on their average pollen PPM levels. This ranking is designed to help allergy sufferers better understand which locations may pose greater challenges during peak pollen season. Our analysis takes into account tree, grass, and weed pollen data to provide an overall assessment for each city. Discover how various cities compare in terms of pollen concentrations and which ones might be best avoided by individuals with pollen allergies.
What are the Five Best Cities for Allergy Sufferers?
- Pueblo, CO — 438.11
- Las Vegas, NV — 462.53
- Phoenix, AZ — 471.00
- Tucson, AZ — 476.42
- Salt Lake City, UT — 481.82
What are the Five Worst Cities for Allergy Sufferers?
- Philadelphia, PA — 950.79
- Baltimore, MD — 933.39
- Wilmington, NC — 924.60
- Annapolis, MD — 922.27
- Dover, DE — 907.36
The Best and Worst Cities for Allergies
Ranking is from best to worst (lowest allergies to most allergies).
- Pueblo, CO — 438.11
- Las Vegas, NV — 462.53
- North Las Vegas, NV — 467.32
- Chandler, AZ — 469.18
- Mesa, AZ — 470.72
- Gilbert, AZ — 470.72
- Tempe, AZ — 471.00
- Phoenix, AZ — 471.00
- Scottsdale, AZ — 471.27
- Surprise, AZ — 472.18
- Peoria, AZ — 472.58
- Glendale, AZ — 472.58
- Goodyear, AZ — 473.99
- Buckeye, AZ — 475.88
- Tucson, AZ — 476.42
- Salt Lake City, UT — 481.82
- Las Cruces, NM — 481.91
- Santa Fe, NM — 483.18
- El Paso, TX — 483.36
- West Valley City, UT — 484.47
- Dayton, OH — 488.88
- West Jordan, UT — 488.97
- Ventura, CA — 494.41
- Rio Rancho, NM — 500.68
- Albuquerque, NM — 500.68
- Fresno, CA — 500.93
- Carson City, NV — 502.22
- Reno, NV — 502.87
- Visalia, CA — 502.98
- Clovis, CA — 503.50
- Roseville, CA — 503.79
- Sparks, NV — 505.41
- Elk Grove, CA — 506.28
- Sacramento, CA — 506.32
- Oakland, CA — 509.02
- Berkeley, CA — 509.02
- Victorville, CA — 509.41
- Hesperia, CA — 509.41
- Concord, CA — 509.82
- Vacaville, CA — 510.26
- Stockton, CA — 510.61
- Modesto, CA — 511.67
- Palmdale, CA — 512.10
- Lancaster, CA — 512.10
- Menifee, CA — 512.10
- Santa Clarita, CA — 512.60
- Antioch, CA — 513.46
- Temecula, CA — 514.00
- Murrieta, CA — 514.00
- Fairfield, CA — 514.23
- Corona, CA — 515.29
- Pasadena, CA — 515.37
- Thousand Oaks, CA — 516.70
- Simi Valley, CA — 516.70
- Sunnyvale, CA — 518.16
- Santa Clara, CA — 518.16
- San Jose, CA — 518.16
- Rialto, CA — 518.29
- Rancho Cucamonga, CA — 518.29
- Ontario, CA — 518.29
- Fontana, CA — 518.29
- Colorado Springs, CO — 518.91
- Chico, CA — 520.02
- Hayward, CA — 520.73
- Moreno Valley, CA — 520.74
- Richmond, CA — 520.80
- Santa Ana, CA — 520.92
- Irvine, CA — 520.92
- Newark, NJ — 520.94
- Fremont, CA — 520.94
- Garden Grove, CA — 521.33
- Fullerton, CA — 521.33
- Oceanside, CA — 521.60
- Vallejo, CA — 522.26
- Burbank, CA — 522.75
- Santa Rosa, CA — 522.76
- San Mateo, CA — 523.20
- Escondido, CA — 523.42
- Chula Vista, CA — 523.51
- Orange, CA — 524.06
- Anaheim, CA — 524.06
- San Bernardino, CA — 524.59
- Bakersfield, CA — 524.94
- Norwalk, CA — 525.13
- Downey, CA — 525.13
- West Covina, CA — 525.26
- El Monte, CA — 525.26
- Riverside, CA — 526.31
- Jurupa Valley, CA — 526.31
- Inglewood, CA — 526.42
- Aurora, CO — 526.72
- Oxnard, CA — 527.87
- Odessa, TX — 528.37
- Lubbock, TX — 529.32
- Amarillo, TX — 530.21
- Los Angeles, CA — 531.00
- Glendale, CA — 531.00
- Pomona, CA — 531.01
- Torrance, CA — 534.64
- Long Beach, CA — 534.64
- El Cajon, CA — 534.66
- Boise, ID — 535.53
- Carlsbad, CA — 536.13
- Louisville, KY — 537.41
- Huntington Beach, CA — 538.23
- Costa Mesa, CA — 538.23
- Bend, OR — 539.04
- Santa Maria, CA — 539.93
- Lexington, KY — 559.90
- Centennial, CO — 565.70
- Evansville, IN — 567.91
- Greeley, CO — 568.95
- Henderson, NV — 576.36
- Murfreesboro, TN — 577.36
- Meridian, ID — 577.57
- Frankfort, KY — 580.57
- Nashville, TN — 580.64
- Indianapolis, IN — 581.21
- Fishers, IN — 581.29
- Carmel, IN — 582.94
- Nampa, ID — 582.98
- Provo, UT — 587.66
- Harrisburg, PA — 588.78
- Lakewood, CO — 589.28
- Denver, CO — 589.28
- Arvada, CO — 589.28
- Columbus, OH — 590.02
- Westminster, CO — 592.30
- Thornton, CO — 592.30
- Laredo, TX — 596.09
- Seattle, WA — 596.91
- Renton, WA — 596.91
- Bellevue, WA — 596.91
- Kent, WA — 598.21
- Olympia, WA — 600.50
- Fort Wayne, IN — 605.63
- Tacoma, WA — 606.25
- Toledo, OH — 613.63
- Midland, TX — 619.81
- Jackson, MS — 622.94
- Detroit, MI — 623.97
- Dearborn, MI — 623.97
- Warren, MI — 624.47
- Lansing, MI — 626.23
- Ann Arbor, MI — 626.51
- Sterling Heights, MI — 628.14
- Cleveland, OH — 629.16
- Akron, OH — 629.20
- Charleston, WV — 630.94
- Cheyenne, WY — 635.47
- Lafayette, LA — 636.08
- San Diego, CA — 638.34
- Abilene, TX — 644.43
- Salinas, CA — 648.25
- Gainesville, FL — 653.14
- Edinburg, TX — 655.23
- Augusta, ME — 656.38
- McAllen, TX — 656.49
- St. Louis, MO — 660.96
- South Bend, IN — 662.37
- Springfield, IL — 666.52
- Longmont, CO — 671.88
- Jacksonville, FL — 673.74
- Grand Rapids, MI — 674.91
- Sandy Springs, GA — 676.31
- Lincoln, NE — 676.45
- Fort Collins, CO — 682.22
- Orlando, FL — 682.74
- Savannah, GA — 683.54
- Wichita Falls, TX — 687.09
- Cincinnati, OH — 688.06
- Lakeland, FL — 688.61
- Palm Bay, FL — 690.74
- Boulder, CO — 693.37
- South Fulton, GA — 697.76
- Port St. Lucie, FL — 698.30
- Pembroke Pines, FL — 699.03
- West Palm Beach, FL — 701.67
- Montpelier, VT — 701.78
- Tampa, FL — 701.85
- Bismarck, ND — 703.65
- Pompano Beach, FL — 704.43
- Birmingham, AL — 704.94
- Coral Springs, FL — 705.60
- Knoxville, TN — 705.64
- Chattanooga, TN — 705.73
- Fort Lauderdale, FL — 706.39
- Davie, FL — 706.39
- Miramar, FL — 706.74
- Miami Gardens, FL — 706.74
- Hollywood, FL — 706.74
- Hialeah, FL — 708.11
- Chicago, IL — 708.50
- Cape Coral, FL — 709.39
- Huntsville, AL — 709.55
- Clearwater, FL — 710.47
- Peoria, IL — 711.51
- Tallahassee, FL — 711.56
- Evanston, IL — 712.70
- Carrollton, TX — 714.28
- Quincy, MA — 716.36
- Augusta, GA — 719.65
- Pittsburgh, PA — 720.33
- Joliet, IL — 722.00
- Vancouver, WA — 723.34
- Jefferson City, MO — 723.88
- Concord, NH — 725.02
- Green Bay, WI — 725.56
- St. Petersburg, FL — 727.32
- Washington, DC — 727.68
- Naperville, IL — 727.86
- Aurora, IL — 727.86
- Elgin, IL — 729.71
- Charleston, SC — 729.75
- Columbia, MO — 729.84
- Macon, GA — 732.34
- Portland, OR — 735.61
- Gresham, OR — 735.61
- Athens, GA — 735.71
- Davenport, IA — 735.83
- Miami, FL — 736.82
- Hillsboro, OR — 737.40
- Madison, WI — 740.28
- Milwaukee, WI — 741.64
- Spokane Valley, WA — 742.73
- San Francisco, CA — 742.77
- Daly City, CA — 742.77
- Buffalo, NY — 742.87
- Spokane, WA — 744.33
- Sioux Falls, SD — 744.60
- Brownsville, TX — 744.73
- Oklahoma City, OK — 745.31
- Cedar Rapids, IA — 746.05
- Norman, OK — 746.58
- Helena, MT — 747.95
- North Charleston, SC — 748.04
- High Point, NC — 748.31
- Albany, NY — 749.07
- Manchester, NH — 749.91
- Greensboro, NC — 752.38
- Columbus, GA — 753.06
- Eugene, OR — 753.63
- Tuscaloosa, AL — 754.13
- Charlotte, NC — 754.25
- Columbia, SC — 754.42
- Winston–Salem, NC — 754.58
- Concord, NC — 755.44
- Lowell, MA — 758.06
- Syracuse, NY — 760.55
- Billings, MT — 761.54
- Salem, OR — 763.93
- Montgomery, AL — 765.08
- Mobile, AL — 765.34
- Fort Worth, TX — 766.95
- Pearland, TX — 767.76
- Fargo, ND — 767.95
- Denton, TX — 768.07
- Pasadena, TX — 769.40
- Lynn, MA — 770.14
- Everett, WA — 770.14
- Cambridge, MA — 770.14
- Sugar Land, TX — 770.79
- Rochester, NY — 771.56
- Rochester, MN — 771.96
- Boston, MA — 773.63
- Arlington, TX — 773.66
- Saint Paul, MN — 774.03
- Minneapolis, MN — 774.22
- Durham, NC — 775.86
- Cary, NC — 776.98
- Raleigh, NC — 779.73
- Brockton, MA — 780.85
- Irving, TX — 780.99
- Lewisville, TX — 781.00
- Corpus Christi, TX — 781.05
- Waco, TX — 781.92
- Wichita, KS — 782.84
- Frisco, TX — 783.09
- Beaumont, TX — 783.94
- San Antonio, TX — 784.92
- League City, TX — 785.38
- Killeen, TX — 785.55
- Richardson, TX — 785.91
- Plano, TX — 785.91
- Omaha, NE — 786.83
- Garland, TX — 788.78
- Worcester, MA — 789.35
- Providence, RI — 791.87
- Baton Rouge, LA — 793.42
- New Orleans, LA — 793.55
- New Bedford, MA — 793.65
- Round Rock, TX — 794.71
- Rockford, IL — 794.74
- Mesquite, TX — 797.61
- Springfield, MA — 798.48
- Allen, TX — 799.51
- McKinney, TX — 800.93
- Grand Prairie, TX — 801.59
- Dallas, TX — 801.59
- Pierre, SD — 801.68
- College Station, TX — 802.51
- Des Moines, IA — 803.32
- Atlanta, GA — 806.42
- Houston, TX — 806.92
- Memphis, TN — 811.76
- Hartford, CT — 815.65
- Austin, TX — 816.49
- Lee's Summit, MO — 822.37
- Tyler, TX — 824.22
- Springfield, MO — 825.15
- Kansas City, MO — 825.20
- Independence, MO — 825.20
- Allentown, PA — 825.97
- Little Rock, AR — 826.46
- Waterbury, CT — 827.29
- New Haven, CT — 828.27
- Bridgeport, CT — 829.46
- Shreveport, LA — 831.76
- Richmond, VA — 834.49
- Broken Arrow, OK — 836.18
- Alexandria, VA — 837.07
- Tulsa, OK — 837.33
- Chesapeake, VA — 839.15
- Fayetteville, NC — 842.68
- Norfolk, VA — 843.22
- Hampton, VA — 846.57
- Newport News, VA — 849.52
- Stamford, CT — 849.62
- Paterson, NJ — 854.13
- Virginia Beach, VA — 855.02
- Topeka, KS — 856.89
- Yonkers, NY — 857.89
- New York, NY — 863.35
- Jersey City, NJ — 866.66
- Elizabeth, NJ — 866.66
- Kansas City, KS — 870.01
- Overland Park, KS — 870.09
- Olathe, KS — 870.09
- Woodbridge, NJ — 871.16
- Lakewood, NJ — 877.62
- Edison, NJ — 884.07
- Trenton, NJ — 886.16
- Dover, DE — 907.36
- Annapolis, MD — 922.27
- Wilmington, NC — 924.60
- Baltimore, MD — 933.39
- Philadelphia, PA — 950.79
Wyndly Summer 2023 Pollen Report Methodology
For each city, Wyndly obtained monthly pollen PPMs (pollen grains per cubic meter) for each form (tree, grass, and weed) from February 2022 - May 2023. Data were obtained from Pollen Sense, LLC Automated Particulate Sensors (APS). These sensors automatically detect particulate matter collected from ambient air, and use a neural network algorithm to identify individual pollen species and calculate daily pollen counts.
Yearly averages are calculated by summing the three allergen averages per month of data for a total monthly PPM, summing all monthly total PPMs, then dividing by 12 (month count). Used for per-city average, state average, and total USA average. Season comparisons are done by summing the months of Spring (March, April, May) for 2023 and 2022. If the absolute of the (2023-2022)/2022 is ≤ 0.05, the years were about the same. Otherwise, the more PPM, the worse the season was.