City With the Worst Pollen in Every State

April 4, 2019 by Mike Sauter

Pollen is one of the most common allergy triggers and unfortunately it is tough to avoid. While it can be easier to avoid certain types of allergy triggers, such as food or pets — some types of dogs don’t even trigger allergies — it’s far more difficult to avoid pollen when outdoors.

Plants seasonally release pollen grains as a way of reproducing. Yet much of this pollen never reaches its destination, instead finding its way up people’s noses and causing allergic reactions. Allergy sufferers report sneezing, runny noses, and itchy and watery eyes.

As plants begin blooming, spring is often the time of year when people with pollen allergies have the most severe reactions. Pollen is the most plentiful during dry and windy days. Areas that are farther north are less likely to experience high pollen counts. People in the coldest cities in the country do not have to worry about plants blooming earlier in the year, and the higher rainfall totals also stops pollen from traveling as rain drops capture pollen in the air.

In each state, there is one city where pollen levels stand out from the rest of the state. 24/7 Wall St. reviewed Pollen.com’s National Allergy Map to determine the city in each state with the highest average springtime pollen counts over the most recent 30 day period. No data was available for Alaska or Hawaii.

Some parts of the country have more pollen than others. In certain states in the Midwest, the city with the most pollen only reaches a low-medium level, as designated by pollen.com, while states in other regions have multiple cities with high pollen counts.

Click here to see the city with the worst pollen in every state
Click here to see the city with the least severe pollen in every state

Methodology

24/7 Wall St. reviewed Pollen.com’s National Allergy Map to determine the city in each state with the highest average pollen count. Cities were ranked on the average pollen index score on a 0-12 scale each day from March 5 through April 4. No data was provided for Alaska or Hawaii.

Worst Pollen

Alabama: Auburn
> Avg. pollen index 9.9/12
> Most common pollen types: Maple, Oak, Juniper

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Alaska: No Data Available

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Arizona: Phoenix
> Avg. pollen index 10.0/12
> Most common pollen types: Mulberry, Ash, Juniper

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Arkansas: Conway
> Avg. pollen index 9.4/12
> Most common pollen types: Maple, Juniper, Elm

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California: San Diego
> Avg. pollen index 8.7/12
> Most common pollen types: Mulberry, Juniper, Ash

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Colorado: Pueblo
> Avg. pollen index 8.9/12
> Most common pollen types: Elm, Oak, Poplar

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Connecticut: Hartford
> Avg. pollen index 6.7/12
> Most common pollen types: Elm, Maple, Poplar

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Delaware: Dover
> Avg. pollen index 7.3/12
> Most common pollen types: Maple, Elm, Juniper

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Florida: Orlando
> Avg. pollen index 10.3/12
> Most common pollen types: Juniper, Oak, Bayberry

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Georgia: Augusta
> Avg. pollen index 10.1/12
> Most common pollen types: Oak, Poplar, Maple

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Hawaii: No Data Available

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Idaho: Lewiston
> Avg. pollen index 6.9/12
> Most common pollen types: Alder, Ash, Birch

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Illinois: Rockford
> Avg. pollen index 4.9/12
> Most common pollen types: Elm, Maple, Poplar

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Indiana: Evansville
> Avg. pollen index 7.1/12
> Most common pollen types: Juniper, Maple, Elm

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Iowa: Council Bluffs
> Avg. pollen index 5.7/12
> Most common pollen types: Maple, Birch, Alder

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Kansas: Wichita
> Avg. pollen index 6.7/12
> Most common pollen types: Elm, Juniper, Maple

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Kentucky: Hopkinsville
> Avg. pollen index 8.4/12
> Most common pollen types: Juniper, Maple, Elm

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Louisiana: New Orleans
> Avg. pollen index 10.0/12
> Most common pollen types: Bald Cypress, Oak, Grasses

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Maine: Portland
> Avg. pollen index 3.8/12
> Most common pollen types: Poplar, Juniper, Maple

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Maryland: Silver Spring
> Avg. pollen index 8.1/12
> Most common pollen types: Maple, Juniper, Alder

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Massachusetts: Springfield
> Avg. pollen index 6.7/12
> Most common pollen types: Elm, Maple, Poplar

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Michigan: Sterling Heights
> Avg. pollen index 4.0/12
> Most common pollen types: Maple, Juniper

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Minnesota: Minneapolis
> Avg. pollen index 3.5/12
> Most common pollen types: Juniper, Elm

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Mississippi: Jackson
> Avg. pollen index 9.8/12
> Most common pollen types: Oak, Elm, Juniper

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Missouri: St. Louis
> Avg. pollen index 7.8/12
> Most common pollen types: Oak, Juniper, Elm

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Montana: Great Falls
> Avg. pollen index 5.1/12
> Most common pollen types: Alder, Juniper, Elm

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Nebraska: Omaha
> Avg. pollen index 5.7/12
> Most common pollen types: Maple, Birch, Alder

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Nevada: Las Vegas
> Avg. pollen index 10.6/12
> Most common pollen types: Mulberry, Ash, Alder

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New Hampshire: Manchester
> Avg. pollen index 2.7/12
> Most common pollen types: Elm, Poplar, Juniper

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New Jersey: Camden
> Avg. pollen index 7.1/12
> Most common pollen types: Maple, Juniper

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New Mexico: Roswell
> Avg. pollen index 9.8/12
> Most common pollen types: Juniper, Poplar, Elm

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New York: New York
> Avg. pollen index 6.6/12
> Most common pollen types: Maple, Juniper

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North Carolina: Charlotte
> Avg. pollen index 9.4/12
> Most common pollen types: Oak, Elm, Juniper

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North Dakota: Bismarck
> Avg. pollen index 2.2/12
> Most common pollen types: Juniper, Elm

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Ohio: Cincinnati
> Avg. pollen index 6.5/12
> Most common pollen types: Juniper, Elm, Alder

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Oklahoma: Lawton
> Avg. pollen index 9.5/12
> Most common pollen types: Oak, Hackberry, Maple

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Oregon: Medford
> Avg. pollen index 6.8/12
> Most common pollen types: Oak, Alder, Juniper

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Pennsylvania: Lancaster
> Avg. pollen index 7.1/12
> Most common pollen types: Maple, Juniper

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Rhode Island: Warwick
> Avg. pollen index 5.6/12
> Most common pollen types: Maple, Elm, Juniper

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South Carolina: Columbia
> Avg. pollen index 10.1/12
> Most common pollen types: Oak, Poplar, Maple

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South Dakota: Rapid City
> Avg. pollen index 3.6/12
> Most common pollen types: Juniper, Elm

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Tennessee: Chattanooga
> Avg. pollen index 8.4/12
> Most common pollen types: Alder, Juniper, Maple

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Texas: Laredo
> Avg. pollen index 10.5/12
> Most common pollen types: Oak, Mulberry, Willow

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Utah: St. George
> Avg. pollen index 8.0/12
> Most common pollen types: Mulberry, Ash, Alder

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Vermont: Brattleboro
> Avg. pollen index 5.2/12
> Most common pollen types: Poplar, Juniper, Maple

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Virginia: Richmond
> Avg. pollen index 9.2/12
> Most common pollen types: Maple, Juniper, Birch

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Washington: Seattle
> Avg. pollen index 8.6/12
> Most common pollen types: Birch, Ash, Juniper

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West Virginia: Beckley
> Avg. pollen index 8.2/12
> Most common pollen types: Maple, Birch, Juniper

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Wisconsin: Madison
> Avg. pollen index 5.3/12
> Most common pollen types: Maple, Juniper, Elm

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Wyoming: Evanston
> Avg. pollen index 5.1/12
> Most common pollen types: Elm, Poplar, Sycamore

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Least Severe Pollen

Alabama: Huntsville
> Avg. pollen index 9.2/12
> Most common pollen types: Oak, Ash, Juniper

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Alaska: No Data Available

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Arizona: Tucson
> Avg. pollen index 9.8/12
> Most common pollen types: Mulberry, Ash

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Arkansas: Jonesboro
> Avg. pollen index 8.1/12
> Most common pollen types: Oak, Birch, Willow

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California: San Jose
> Avg. pollen index 7.2/12
> Most common pollen types: Ash, Alder, Juniper

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Colorado: Fort Collins
> Avg. pollen index 5.0/12
> Most common pollen types: Maple, Juniper, Poplar

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Connecticut: Bridgeport
> Avg. pollen index 6.0/12
> Most common pollen types: Maple, Elm, Juniper

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Delaware: Wilmington
> Avg. pollen index 7.3/12
> Most common pollen types: Maple, Elm, Juniper

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Florida: Miami
> Avg. pollen index 8.2/12
> Most common pollen types: Oak, Bayberry, Juniper

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Georgia: Savannah
> Avg. pollen index 9.4/12
> Most common pollen types: Oak, Birch, Juniper

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Hawaii: No Data Available

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Idaho: Idaho Falls
> Avg. pollen index 4.5/12
> Most common pollen types: Poplar, Juniper, Elm

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Illinois: Champaign
> Avg. pollen index 4.1/12
> Most common pollen types: Elm, Maple, Poplar

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Indiana: South Bend
> Avg. pollen index 2.6/12
> Most common pollen types: Juniper, Elm, Maple

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Iowa: Sioux City
> Avg. pollen index 3.9/12
> Most common pollen types: Juniper, Elm, Maple

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Kansas: Salina
> Avg. pollen index 5.4/12
> Most common pollen types: Elm, Juniper, Maple

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Kentucky: Covington
> Avg. pollen index 6.5/12
> Most common pollen types: Juniper, Elm, Alder

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Louisiana: Monroe
> Avg. pollen index 9.6/12
> Most common pollen types: Oak, Bald Cypress, Grasses

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Maine: Bangor
> Avg. pollen index 2.3/12
> Most common pollen types: Poplar, Juniper, Maple

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Maryland: Baltimore
> Avg. pollen index 7.1/12
> Most common pollen types: Maple, Elm, Poplar

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Massachusetts: Worcester
> Avg. pollen index 5.2/12
> Most common pollen types: Poplar, Juniper, Maple

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Michigan: Grand Rapids
> Avg. pollen index 2.3/12
> Most common pollen types: Maple, Juniper, Birch

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Minnesota: Duluth
> Avg. pollen index 1.1/12
> Most common pollen types: Juniper, Elm

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Mississippi: Southaven
> Avg. pollen index 8.1/12
> Most common pollen types: Oak, Birch, Willow

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Missouri: Kansas City
> Avg. pollen index 5.9/12
> Most common pollen types: Elm, Juniper, Maple

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Montana: Bozeman
> Avg. pollen index 1.9/12
> Most common pollen types: Alder, Juniper, Elm

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Nebraska: North Platte
> Avg. pollen index 4.3/12
> Most common pollen types: Maple, Elm, Juniper

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Nevada: Reno
> Avg. pollen index 6.6/12
> Most common pollen types: Elm, Alder, Mulberry

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New Hampshire: Lebanon
> Avg. pollen index 2.0/12
> Most common pollen types: Juniper, Maple, Poplar

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New Jersey: Toms River
> Avg. pollen index 6.3/12
> Most common pollen types: Maple, Alder, Juniper

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New Mexico: Farmington
> Avg. pollen index 8.0/12
> Most common pollen types: Juniper, Poplar, Elm

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New York: Syracuse
> Avg. pollen index 2.6/12
> Most common pollen types: Maple, Juniper, Alder

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North Carolina: Raleigh
> Avg. pollen index 9.1/12
> Most common pollen types: Birch, Juniper, Maple

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North Dakota: Fargo
> Avg. pollen index 1.6/12
> Most common pollen types: Juniper, Elm

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Ohio: Toledo
> Avg. pollen index 2.5/12
> Most common pollen types: Juniper, Elm, Alder

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Oklahoma: Tulsa
> Avg. pollen index 8.2/12
> Most common pollen types: Oak, Elm, Maple

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Oregon: Eugene
> Avg. pollen index 6.3/12
> Most common pollen types: Alder, Juniper

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Pennsylvania: Erie
> Avg. pollen index 2.2/12
> Most common pollen types: Juniper, Elm, Maple

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Rhode Island: Providence
> Avg. pollen index 5.6/12
> Most common pollen types: Maple, Elm, Juniper

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South Carolina: Greenville
> Avg. pollen index 9.4/12
> Most common pollen types: Oak, Poplar, Maple

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South Dakota: Aberdeen
> Avg. pollen index 1.4/12
> Most common pollen types: Juniper, Elm

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Tennessee: Jackson
> Avg. pollen index 8.1/12
> Most common pollen types: Oak, Birch, Willow

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Texas: Austin
> Avg. pollen index 9.0/12
> Most common pollen types: Oak, Mulberry, Grasses

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Utah: Sandy
> Avg. pollen index 5.1/12
> Most common pollen types: Elm, Poplar, Sycamore

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Vermont: Essex Junction
> Avg. pollen index 1.8/12
> Most common pollen types: Juniper, Maple, Poplar

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Virginia: Arlington
> Avg. pollen index 8.1/12
> Most common pollen types: Maple, Juniper, Alder

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Washington: Spokane
> Avg. pollen index 6.0/12
> Most common pollen types: Alder, Ash, Birch

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West Virginia: Wheeling
> Avg. pollen index 5.4/12
> Most common pollen types: Juniper, Elm

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Wisconsin: Green Bay
> Avg. pollen index 3.3/12
> Most common pollen types: Maple, Juniper, Alder

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Wyoming: Rock Springs
> Avg. pollen index 3.2/12
> Most common pollen types: Maple, Juniper, Poplar

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