City With the Worst Pollen in Every State
April 4, 2019 by Mike SauterPollen 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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Arizona: Phoenix
> Avg. pollen index 10.0/12
> Most common pollen types: Mulberry, Ash, Juniper
Arkansas: Conway
> Avg. pollen index 9.4/12
> Most common pollen types: Maple, Juniper, Elm
California: San Diego
> Avg. pollen index 8.7/12
> Most common pollen types: Mulberry, Juniper, Ash
Colorado: Pueblo
> Avg. pollen index 8.9/12
> Most common pollen types: Elm, Oak, Poplar
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
Florida: Orlando
> Avg. pollen index 10.3/12
> Most common pollen types: Juniper, Oak, Bayberry
Georgia: Augusta
> Avg. pollen index 10.1/12
> Most common pollen types: Oak, Poplar, Maple
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Idaho: Lewiston
> Avg. pollen index 6.9/12
> Most common pollen types: Alder, Ash, Birch
Illinois: Rockford
> Avg. pollen index 4.9/12
> Most common pollen types: Elm, Maple, Poplar
Indiana: Evansville
> Avg. pollen index 7.1/12
> Most common pollen types: Juniper, Maple, Elm
Iowa: Council Bluffs
> Avg. pollen index 5.7/12
> Most common pollen types: Maple, Birch, Alder
Kansas: Wichita
> Avg. pollen index 6.7/12
> Most common pollen types: Elm, Juniper, Maple
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
Maine: Portland
> Avg. pollen index 3.8/12
> Most common pollen types: Poplar, Juniper, Maple
Maryland: Silver Spring
> Avg. pollen index 8.1/12
> Most common pollen types: Maple, Juniper, Alder
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
Minnesota: Minneapolis
> Avg. pollen index 3.5/12
> Most common pollen types: Juniper, Elm
Mississippi: Jackson
> Avg. pollen index 9.8/12
> Most common pollen types: Oak, Elm, Juniper
Missouri: St. Louis
> Avg. pollen index 7.8/12
> Most common pollen types: Oak, Juniper, Elm
Montana: Great Falls
> Avg. pollen index 5.1/12
> Most common pollen types: Alder, Juniper, Elm
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
New Hampshire: Manchester
> Avg. pollen index 2.7/12
> Most common pollen types: Elm, Poplar, Juniper
New Jersey: Camden
> Avg. pollen index 7.1/12
> Most common pollen types: Maple, Juniper
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
North Carolina: Charlotte
> Avg. pollen index 9.4/12
> Most common pollen types: Oak, Elm, Juniper
North Dakota: Bismarck
> Avg. pollen index 2.2/12
> Most common pollen types: Juniper, Elm
Ohio: Cincinnati
> Avg. pollen index 6.5/12
> Most common pollen types: Juniper, Elm, Alder
Oklahoma: Lawton
> Avg. pollen index 9.5/12
> Most common pollen types: Oak, Hackberry, Maple
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
Rhode Island: Warwick
> Avg. pollen index 5.6/12
> Most common pollen types: Maple, Elm, Juniper
South Carolina: Columbia
> Avg. pollen index 10.1/12
> Most common pollen types: Oak, Poplar, Maple
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
Texas: Laredo
> Avg. pollen index 10.5/12
> Most common pollen types: Oak, Mulberry, Willow
Utah: St. George
> Avg. pollen index 8.0/12
> Most common pollen types: Mulberry, Ash, Alder
Vermont: Brattleboro
> Avg. pollen index 5.2/12
> Most common pollen types: Poplar, Juniper, Maple
Virginia: Richmond
> Avg. pollen index 9.2/12
> Most common pollen types: Maple, Juniper, Birch
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
Wisconsin: Madison
> Avg. pollen index 5.3/12
> Most common pollen types: Maple, Juniper, Elm
Wyoming: Evanston
> Avg. pollen index 5.1/12
> Most common pollen types: Elm, Poplar, Sycamore
Least Severe Pollen
Alabama: Huntsville
> Avg. pollen index 9.2/12
> Most common pollen types: Oak, Ash, Juniper
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Arizona: Tucson
> Avg. pollen index 9.8/12
> Most common pollen types: Mulberry, Ash
Arkansas: Jonesboro
> Avg. pollen index 8.1/12
> Most common pollen types: Oak, Birch, Willow
California: San Jose
> Avg. pollen index 7.2/12
> Most common pollen types: Ash, Alder, Juniper
Colorado: Fort Collins
> Avg. pollen index 5.0/12
> Most common pollen types: Maple, Juniper, Poplar
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
Florida: Miami
> Avg. pollen index 8.2/12
> Most common pollen types: Oak, Bayberry, Juniper
Georgia: Savannah
> Avg. pollen index 9.4/12
> Most common pollen types: Oak, Birch, Juniper
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Idaho: Idaho Falls
> Avg. pollen index 4.5/12
> Most common pollen types: Poplar, Juniper, Elm
Illinois: Champaign
> Avg. pollen index 4.1/12
> Most common pollen types: Elm, Maple, Poplar
Indiana: South Bend
> Avg. pollen index 2.6/12
> Most common pollen types: Juniper, Elm, Maple
Iowa: Sioux City
> Avg. pollen index 3.9/12
> Most common pollen types: Juniper, Elm, Maple
Kansas: Salina
> Avg. pollen index 5.4/12
> Most common pollen types: Elm, Juniper, Maple
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
Maine: Bangor
> Avg. pollen index 2.3/12
> Most common pollen types: Poplar, Juniper, Maple
Maryland: Baltimore
> Avg. pollen index 7.1/12
> Most common pollen types: Maple, Elm, Poplar
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
Minnesota: Duluth
> Avg. pollen index 1.1/12
> Most common pollen types: Juniper, Elm
Mississippi: Southaven
> Avg. pollen index 8.1/12
> Most common pollen types: Oak, Birch, Willow
Missouri: Kansas City
> Avg. pollen index 5.9/12
> Most common pollen types: Elm, Juniper, Maple
Montana: Bozeman
> Avg. pollen index 1.9/12
> Most common pollen types: Alder, Juniper, Elm
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
New Hampshire: Lebanon
> Avg. pollen index 2.0/12
> Most common pollen types: Juniper, Maple, Poplar
New Jersey: Toms River
> Avg. pollen index 6.3/12
> Most common pollen types: Maple, Alder, Juniper
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
North Carolina: Raleigh
> Avg. pollen index 9.1/12
> Most common pollen types: Birch, Juniper, Maple
North Dakota: Fargo
> Avg. pollen index 1.6/12
> Most common pollen types: Juniper, Elm
Ohio: Toledo
> Avg. pollen index 2.5/12
> Most common pollen types: Juniper, Elm, Alder
Oklahoma: Tulsa
> Avg. pollen index 8.2/12
> Most common pollen types: Oak, Elm, Maple
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
Rhode Island: Providence
> Avg. pollen index 5.6/12
> Most common pollen types: Maple, Elm, Juniper
South Carolina: Greenville
> Avg. pollen index 9.4/12
> Most common pollen types: Oak, Poplar, Maple
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
Texas: Austin
> Avg. pollen index 9.0/12
> Most common pollen types: Oak, Mulberry, Grasses
Utah: Sandy
> Avg. pollen index 5.1/12
> Most common pollen types: Elm, Poplar, Sycamore
Vermont: Essex Junction
> Avg. pollen index 1.8/12
> Most common pollen types: Juniper, Maple, Poplar
Virginia: Arlington
> Avg. pollen index 8.1/12
> Most common pollen types: Maple, Juniper, Alder
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
Wisconsin: Green Bay
> Avg. pollen index 3.3/12
> Most common pollen types: Maple, Juniper, Alder
Wyoming: Rock Springs
> Avg. pollen index 3.2/12
> Most common pollen types: Maple, Juniper, Poplar
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