Upstate New York Has A Shockingly Bad Score For Seasonal Allergies

You thought being an allergy sufferer was bad enough in Upstate New York, grab your tissues. Two Upstate New York cities just ranked some of the worst places in the country to experience spring allergies.

If you're someone who suffers from seasonal allergies, you dread the days where pollen counts are extreme. Allergy season will be here before you know it all across New York State. How do we rank compared to living in other places?

The Asthma and Allergy Foundation has released their list of most challenging places to live with spring allergies in 2021. Even though Upstate New York didn't make the  Top 10, we had two cities check in for the Top 30.

Allergic conditions are among the most common medical conditions affecting people in
the United States. People with allergies need to know what allergens trigger their symptoms, find ways to reduce their exposure to those allergens, and have access to the right treatments for their needs"

Based on our seasonal pollen scores, over-the-counter medication use for allergies and number of allergy specialist, Albany ranked #14 on a list of the 100 most populated cities in the contiguous United States, and Syracuse ranked #26 for Spring allergies. For Fall Allergies, Albany ranked #10, while Syracuse ranked much higher at #17. #1 for Spring nationwide was Richmond VA, and #1for Fall nationwide was Scranton PA.

Honestly, New York doesn't show up all that often on this list. Buffalo ranked #17 for spring and #6 for fall, Rochester #81 for spring #47 for fall, Poughkeepsie #37 for spring #59 for fall, and New York City #45 for spring, #66 for fall.

Remember, spring allergy season begins with pollen released by trees. Grass pollen appears later in the spring, while weeds release pollen in the late summer and through the fall. Lucky in the world we live in, there are apps that track local pollen counts to help people manage their exposure.