Philly Ranks 25th Out of 100 Worst Cities for Allergy Sufferers

Achoo!

If your stuffy nose and watery eyes haven’t already made it crystal clear, note: Philly is not the best place to live if you have allergies, according to new rankings from the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. The good news is, it’s also not the worst—that honor goes to Jackson, Mississippi, which rose from #4 last year to the top spot this year due to its “very high pollen and a large reliance on allergy medications among allergy patients,” says the report. Knoxville and Chattanooga, Tennessee, round out the top three.

The study, which is independent but is sponsored by an allergy nasal spray called DYMISTA, moved Philly up five spots this year, from #30 to #25. We apparently have average pollen counts, but our allergy-meds usage is higher than the norm. Our pollinating trees include red cedar, hackberry, elm, willow and poplar.

And now for some facts about allergies to startle you:

• 1 in 5 Americans—about 50 million of us—suffer from allergies. (Count me among this unfortunate cohort.)

• Seasonal allergies are the fifth leading chronic disease in the U.S. among all age groups.

• Lots of people miss work because their allergies are so bad. Four million missed workdays a year are due to allergies.

Check out the full allergy rankings here. For a list of the top allergists in the region, go here.

Photo: Shutterstock