New Orleans is one of the country's allergy capitals

Axios

07-04-2025

New Orleans is the second-worst place to live in the U.S. in terms of seasonal allergies, according to new data.
Why it matters: We're currently in the midst of " The Pollening" in south Louisiana.
The big picture: The worst cities are concentrated in the South and the East Coast, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America says.
Wichita, Kansas, came in first for the third consecutive year.
Baton Rouge ranked No. 14. See the full list.
Between the lines: New Orleans ranked worse than average for pollen counts and over-the-counter medicine use but better than average for availability of health care professionals who specialize in allergies.
Threat level: Recent pollen counts in New Orleans have been among the highest in the country as the region approaches the seasonal peak, according to Pollen.com.
Pollen-related allergies are what many people call " hay fever."
Allergy symptoms vary by person, but they can include a runny nose, a stuffy nose, coughing, sneezing, watery eyes and nasal congestion.
Seasonal allergies often make asthma symptoms worse, too.
Zoom out: The New Orleans metro has four main allergy irritants, says Anna Timmerman, an LSU AgCenter assistant horticultural agent for St. Bernard Parish.
Tree pollen is the primary offender at the start of the season with live oaks, pine, pecan, tallow, elm and cedar trees, she previously told Axios.
Next up is ragweed, grass and mold.
Ligustrum is a widely used ornamental shrub and causes allergy problems for some people. Magnolias, jasmine, gardenias and other blooming ornamentals usually don't bother people, she said.
Zoom in: New Orleans leapfrogged up the rankings, mainly due to climate change, according to Kenneth Mendez, the president and CEO of the allergy foundation.
Last year, New Orleans was ranked No. 34, based on 2023 data.
He said New Orleans had a much higher weed pollen season in 2024, possibly due to increased moisture from Hurricane Francine, which made landfall in September.
November was also the warmest on record in Louisiana, he said, which would have extended the growing season.
State of play: Most major U.S. cities are suffering from longer allergy seasons amid human-caused climate change, according to new analysis from Climate Central.
"Climate change makes pollen seasons not only longer, but also more intense due to heat-trapping pollution," per Climate Central's report.
"Higher levels of planet-warming CO2 in the air can boost pollen production in plants, particularly in grasses and ragweed."
How it works: To rank allergy capitals, the foundation looked at year-round pollen counts, over-the-counter allergy medicine use and availability of board-certified allergists/immunologists in the 100 most populated U.S. metros.
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