Where Iowa, Minnesota Cities Rank among Worst for Grass Allergies

You are not imagining things, allergies are getting worse.

Research shows that the increase in sniffles and itchy eyes has been extended by an average of nearly three weeks in 2023.

But around America, it is hitting harder in some places than in others.

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Lawn Love looked at the latest data from 131 of the biggest cities in the country and they compiled a list of the Best and Worst Cities for Grass Allergies based on three key categories:

• Allergy Risk
• Allergen Risk
• Detection and Treatment

The best showing in the Tri-State Area (South Dakota, Iowa, Minnesota) was the Minneapolis-St. Paul area.

The Twin Cities land in the top 30 best places for allergies, thanks in part to the fourth-lowest forecasted grass pollen levels in the country.

In Iowa, Des Moines is the top half of the best cities, at number 58 overall. Davenport is in the bottom half at number 77.

No South Dakota cities were included in the study.

BEST CITIES FOR GRASS ALLERGIES

1. Huntington-Ashland, West Virginia/Kentucky/Ohio
2. Cape Coral-Fort Myers, Florida
3. Naples-Marco Island, Florida
4. North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton, Florida
5. Lafayette, Louisiana
6. Charleston-North Charleston, South Carolina
7. Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater Florida
8. Lexington-Fayette, Kentucky
9. Augusta-Richmond County, Georgia/South Carolina
10. Tucson, Arizona
11. Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Alpharetta, Georgia

WORST CITIES FOR GRASS ALLERGIES

1. Springfield, Massachusetts
2. Wichita, Kansas
3. New Haven-Milford, Connecticut
4. Hartford-East Hartford-Middletown, Connecticut
5. Modesto, California
6. Lancaster, Pennsylvania
7. Buffalo-Cheektowaga, New York
8. Syracuse, New York
9. San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, California
10. Toledo, Ohio

Experts say there are a number of ways to lessen your exposure to grass pollen:

• Design an allergy-friendly landscape.
• Plant low-pollen trees and flowers.
• Avoid working in the morning, when pollen counts are highest.
• Keep an eye on your local pollen count before heading outside.
• Check the wind speed in your area — wind transmits a lot of pollen.
• Switch to artificial grass.