The 100 Most Challenging Places to Live with Allergies

If you’re one of the millions of Americans sneezing your way through fall, the 2016 Fall Allergy CapitalsTM is your guide to the 100 cities where your allergy symptoms and quality of life may be most challenging.

The report identifies the 100 most challenging places to live with fall allergies in the U.S. AAFA has published this annual guide since 2003, to raise awareness about the impact of fall allergies, and to help improve the quality of life for the people who experience them. The report was developed to help people recognize, prevent, and manage allergy symptoms, and to help communities meet the needs of their residents with allergic diseases.

Fall Allergies by the Numbers

• Nasal allergies affect more than 50 million Americans.1
• Doctor visits, allergy medicine and other factors contribute to more than $18 billion in health costs.2
• Allergies are the 6th leading cause of chronic illness in the U.S.3
• According to the CDC, 8.4% of U.S. children suffer from hay fever, and 10% have respiratory allergies.4

Our Fall Allergy CapitalsTM report looks at:

• Pollen scores (grass/tree/weed pollen and mold spores)
• Number of allergy medicines each patient uses
• Number of allergy doctors per patient

The five most challenging cities to live in with fall allergies this year are:

1. Jackson, Mississippi
2. Memphis, Tennessee
3. McAllen, Texas
4. Louisville, Kentucky
5. Syracuse, New York

2016 Regional Rankings of most challenging cities*:

Midwest – Dayton, Ohio

Northeast – Syracuse, New York

South – Jackson, Mississippi

West – Fresno, California

This year’s report named Jackson, Mississippi, as the top Fall Allergy Capital. It has:

• Higher than average pollen
• Higher than average medicine use

Where Can I Get More Information About the Fall 2016  Rankings?

2016 Fall Allergy Capitals™ – 100 Metro Areas and Regional Rankings

Press Release

Talk to your doctor about your allergies. Discuss changes in your allergy plan.

Acknowledgements

AAFA’s 2016 Fall Allergy CapitalsTM Report was supported in part by pollen.com (QuintilesIMS).

*The following states comprise the four regions:

• Midwest: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, Wisconsin
• Northeast: Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island
• South: Arkansas, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington D.C.
• West: Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington

1http://www.cdc.gov/healthcommunication/ToolsTemplates/EntertainmentEd/Tips/Allergies.html2 Id.3 Id.4 National Center for Health Statistics. National Health Interview Survey, 2015. Table C-2a. Age-adjusted percentages (with standard errors) of hay fever, respiratory allergies, food allergies, and skin allergies in the past 12 months for children under age 18 years, by selected characteristics: United States, 2015. https://ftp.cdc.gov/pub/Health_Statistics/NCHS/NHIS/SHS/2015_SHS_Table_C-2.pdf