The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) has released the 2025 Allergy Capitals report. This report ranks the 100 most populous cities in the United States by how challenging they are to live in with pollen allergies.

Wichita, Kansas, is AAFA’s #1 Allergy Capital for 2025 – the third year in a row - due to its:

• Worse-than-average tree and grass pollen
• Worse-than-average OTC allergy medicine use
• Fewer board-certified allergists/immunologists
  
  

Key Findings in the Report

Here are some of the findings in the 2025 Allergy Capitals Report:

The Impact of Climate Change on Seasonal Allergies

New Orleans, Louisiana, gave us an example of how climate change can impact seasonal allergies. This Southern city moved to #2 this year from #34 last year. Its pollen numbers were boosted by the warmest November on record in 2024 and moisture from Hurricane Francine.

Allergy Burden in the East and South

States in the East and the South tend to carry most of the allergy burden. Year after year, most of the top Allergy Capitals are located in these 2 geographical regions.

More Activity in the West

Most cities on the list are in the East and South. This year, we saw big changes in the West. California had higher grass and weed pollen counts due to more storms that brought in moisture. For this reason, several cities in California jumped in the Allergy Capitals ranking this year.

Manage Pollen Allergies No Matter Where You Live

Our report also offers information on managing your seasonal allergy symptoms, including:

• Using pollen counts to help you limit your exposure to allergy triggers
• Finding the right over-the-counter or prescription medicines to address your symptoms
• Working with an allergist to develop an allergy management plan
  
  

Read the full report to find out how your city ranks.

The 2025 Allergy Capitals report is an independent research project of the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America and made possible by support from Opella, the makers of Allegra®.