A-choo to you, Texas, Virginia, Kansas and California! You’re unlucky enough to be in one of the hotspots of this summer’s seasonal allergies shootout.
It’s that time of year again when weeds grow, lawns get mowed, and people sneeze their heads off. But, some of you are saying that you’ve been experiencing allergy issues for weeks and you’d be right.
Allergies are no longer a seasonal problem. As global temperatures rise and climate patterns change, allergy season seems to be extending its unwelcome stay for many people. Scientific studies and reports from allergists confirm that allergies are indeed getting worse and the data doesn’t lie.
Who’s got it bad and who’s got it good
The latest Lawn Love allergy rankings of 2024’s Worst Cities for Grass Allergies This Summer shows that from one end of the country to another, there are few places where we can feel safe from itching skin, headaches, dry eyes, and wheezing fits.
If you live in the nation’s capital, Washington D.C., sorry about your luck because you’re number one for the highest presence of significant grass allergens in Lawn Love’s ranking. You get to share that pain with Lancaster, Pennsylvania, if that makes you feel any better.
There’s smell-to-pay in seven Illinois cities, too, where they claim the most turf allergens overall — with high levels of mild, moderate, and significant allergens — followed by Philadelphia (No. 5), six Connecticut cities, and, again, Washington, D.C.
The places that lucked out in the turf allergy war? Florida and Minnesota, with Fort Myers, Florida, finishing in last place. These two states have low grass pollen forecasts and less severe lawn allergens.
Worst cities for grass allergies this summer
RANK | CITY |
1 | Washington, DC |
2 | Albany, NY |
3 | Virginia Beach, VA |
4 | Hampton, VA |
5 | Philadelphia, PA |
6 | Kansas City, MO |
7 | Reston, VA |
8 | Lancaster, PA |
9 | New Haven, CT (TIE) |
9 | Milford, CT (TIE) |
Best cities for grass allergies this summer
RANK | CITY |
1 | Fort Myers, FL |
2 | Paradise, NV |
3 | Ashland, KY |
4 | Edina, MN |
5 | Plymouth, MN (TIE) |
5 | Eagen, MN (TIE) |
5 | Bloomington, MN (TIE) |
8 | Boston, MA |
9 | Sandy Springs, GA |
10 10 | Centennial, CO (TIE) Lakewood, CO (TIE) |
Is what you’re experiencing allergies or just a cold?
Allergy or cold? Because the symptoms can be similar, it can be hard to tell the difference.
Dr. Andrew Rorie, assistant professor Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, says “Patients with seasonal allergies can have symptoms of itchy, watery eyes, runny nose, sneezing, nasal congestion, itchy nose, and post-nasal drainage. Some of the symptoms can also overlap with the common cold.”
One key element Rorie says you should remember is that allergy symptoms can be correlated with peaks in pollen counts whereas colds are not. In addition, allergies do not usually cause fevers, which are seen with viral infections.
He also points out that when it comes to seasonal grass allergies, one misconception you might have is that grass allergies will cause symptoms at any time of the year when they’re mowing their lawn. Not true.
“The only part of the grass that people are allergic to is the pollen and that is only being produced at a specific time of year,” he said. “If patients are having symptoms consistently throughout the year it could be more of a fungal spore allergy as mowing stirs up spores as well.?