City With the Worst Pollen in Every State

By Mike Sauter Updated Feb 17, 4:44PM EST · Published Apr 4, 6:00PM EDT

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City With the Worst Pollen in Every State — © Jevtic / Getty Images

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

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

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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

Hawaii: No Data Available

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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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Alaska: No Data Available

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

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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

Hawaii: No Data Available

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

About the Author Mike Sauter →

Michael Sauter is Lead Editor at 24/7 Wall St. He has worked here in various capacities since 2010, starting out as a healthcare industry beat writer. He helped develop the site’s data-driven content, which contributed to 24/7 Wall St. becoming a recognized brand in the field of data journalism, covering a wide range of social and economic issues. Today, he rarely writes but enjoys working with authors and data to find the best way to present information clearly and effectively. In his occasional spare time, Michael loves cycling, listening to audiobooks, and (passably) playing the piano.