Most people in the country suffering from nasal allergies or asthma are affected by seasonal allergens and the cities to avoid for respiratory patients are listed below. For seasonal allergies, cities are ranked on basis of their pollen scores, allergy medications used per person, and the number of board-certified allergists per 10,000 people. These factors define the total score of each city. According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA), the below cities are listed as the worst for those with seasonal allergies and asthma.

1. Jackson, Mississippi
With a total score of 100, Jackson held its place as the most pollen polluted city in the years 2017 and 2018. The pollen count and the medicinal use is ranked worse than average by the AAFA.

2. Memphis, Tennessee
The warm temperature of Memphis is why trees and flowers thrive and add to the seasonal allergy problem. With a score of 94.74, and a pollen count and medicine use ranking of worse than average, there’s a high probability of things going worse.

3. Richmond, Virginia
This city has earned the top spot on most lists of the worst cities for seasonal allergies or asthma. Richmond is famous for the use of allergy medicines since it’s common for people to be down with a cold or a stuffy nose around the year. Additionally, the seasonal change with shorter winters is posing a higher risk.

4. Scranton, Pennsylvania
Home to Birch trees, the city replaced moved from the eighth to second on the list of most particle polluted city with a score of 98.53. The key cause of this is the pollen grass and the Birch trees that thrive in coal banks. The city boasts of rich history in mining and it’s no surprise that birch trees are growing exponentially. What makes the situation worse is that the pollen seasons overlap, spiking the risk of seasonal allergies with each passing year.

5. Springfield, Massachusetts
Located in the core of a valley, Springfield is surrounded by pollen, making it a hub of allergies all year round. And since it’s a spot where Carbon dioxide lingers for a longer amount of time, it aids in allergens to thrive.

6. McAllen, Texas
The warm temperatures are a catastrophe in the case of growing seasonal allergies. However, the good news for the city dwellers is that their rank dropped from being at the top for five years in a row for seasonal allergy flares. What makes the condition in McAllen worse even in winters is the mountain collins from dry cold fronts.

7. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
The city is home to pollen-producing trees, which contributes to the pollution of the city. The other pollutants that add to the problem are emissions from vehicles and factories. This city ranks 16 ^th among the most particle-polluted cities in the country.

8. Knoxville, Tennessee
Warm temperatures and high humidity is a key reason for pollen to thrive, posing more challenges for seasonal allergies. This place is home to trees like oak, maple box elder trees, and birch, which are major pollen contributors. It’s also a place where the wind is light and ends up gathering everything together instead of taking particles along with the breeze.