
(UPDATED 3/28/2021) Where does Sacramento rank on the Spring 2019 Allergy Capitals report recently released by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA)? New: See 2021 UPDATE below.
Original Post
The AAFA Spring 2019 Allergy Capitals report ranks the 100 largest cities in the continental United States – and I was very interested to see where Sacramento ranked on the list of the most challenging places to live with spring allergies.
When I first moved from San Diego to Sacramento eons ago everyone warned me about the “heat” and “pollen/allergies”. I personally have found both only an occasional bother.
SacramentoRevealed.com – All Things Sacramento (from a personal perspective)
In fact, after years of living in San Diego one year I was suddenly hit with horrible allergies when the desert flowers bloomed one Spring. I suffered each year from then on until I moved to Sacramento. Here, at worst, I am stuffed up and have the sniffles for a day or two each year.
The AAFA advises that seasonal allergies in the Spring are caused mostly by tree pollen – take note residents of The City of Trees!
Spring 2019 Allergy Capitals – The Most Challenging Places to Live With Spring Allergies
The AAFA national ranking of 100 cities for Spring 2019 includes an overall ranking, a comparison to the 2018 Spring ranking, a Total Score, and a score (Worse Than Average, Average, Better Than Average) for:
- Pollen
- Medicine Utilization per Patient
- Board-Certified Allergists per Patient
No. 1 on the list is McAllen, TX, with an overall score 100% (Worse Than Average) in all three of the categories.
No. 100 on the list, arguably the best place in the Spring of 2019 for people with allergies to live, was Denver, CO, with a total score of 26.07.
Sacramento ranked No. 80 with an overall score of 43.79 (Better Than Average). Breaking it down further Sacramento ranked:
- Pollen – Better Than Average
- Medicine Utilization per Patient – Better Than Average
- Board-Certified Allergists per Patient – Average
California cities on the AAFA list (from worst to best) are:
- 31 – Fresno
- 39 – Modesto
- 52 – Riverside
- 62 – Los Angeles
- 65 – Stockton
- 68 – Bakersfield
- 74 – Oxnard
- 80 – Sacramento
- 88 – San Diego
- 90 – San Francisco
- 92 – San Jose
It all depends on what specifically a person is allergic to, but it does appear my fellow Sacramentans that things could be a LOT worse!
About The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America
The AAFA has published this annual report since 2003. The AAFA is a non-profit dedicated to improving the quality of life for people with asthma and allergic diseases through education, advocacy, research and support.
Among other things the AAFA educates patients with practical information about disease management and helps consumers identify products suitable for those with asthma and allergies.
If you have allergies or asthma it may be worth your while to check out the AAFA website.
See related blog posts: Pollen.com National Allergy Forecast and Where Does Sacramento Rank?
UPDATES
(3/28/2021) In February, 2021 the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America released its annual ranking of the 100 most populous metro areas in the U.S. for spring and fall allergies. Sacramento ranked #85 for spring allergy season and #93 for the fall allergy season. Overall, Sacramento ranked #90 on the list, The 2021 score is 49.82 which is below the year’s average of 64.43. This score means that Sacramento was ranked as having lower-than-average allergy problems.
Comments on Spring Allergies in Sacramento?
What has been your experience with allergies in Sacramento? If you moved to Sacramento – did you find that your allergies improved or got worse?
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