Kansas is the worst place in the country for allergies, new report finds. What to know
Wichita, Kansas, is the most challenging place to live with pollen allergies in the country, according to a new report from the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.
The foundation’s 2023 Allergy Capitals report ranks the 100 largest cities in the U.S. by their allergy severity using a combination of pollen scores and access to allergy relief through medication and allergy specialists.
Wichita ranks as the most difficult place to live with allergies in the country, with Kansas City coming in 21st place.
The report concludes that the Wichita area has:
- Worse-than-average tree and grass pollen
- Higher-than-average allergy medicine use
- Fewer board-certified allergists
What allergens are most common in Missouri and Kansas?
The report used three pollen types to determine the severity of allergens around the country.
Tree pollen is most prevalent in the spring, coming from species like ash, cedar, maple and walnut. Grass pollen takes over in the summer, with plants like rye, Kentucky blue grass and orchard grass among the culprits. Finally, weed pollen from plants like mugwort, ragweed and sagebrush are most common in the fall months.
Wichita ranked first in the country on all three pollen levels: tree, grass and weed.
Kansas City ranked 20th most severe out of 100 cities on tree pollen, 36th on grass pollen and 34th on weed pollen. Its overall ranking of 21st in the country designated it a “worse than average” place to live for pollen allergy sufferers.
St. Louis was also included in the study for being one of the 100 largest metro areas in the country. It ranked 42nd on tree pollen, 69th for grass pollen and 47th for weed pollen, giving it an overall ranking of 58th in the country — slightly better than the average city.
Why are allergy seasons getting more severe?
The warmer weather and increased CO2 levels associated with climate change are causing pollen seasons to be longer and more severe, multiple studies have found.
“Researchers found that climate change is responsible for about 50% of the increase in pollen seasons and about 8% of the increase in pollen concentrations,” the report stated. It added that higher temperatures in urban centers can exacerbate the problem.
“CO2 pollution from vehicles, power plants, and industry in cities can be very high and can impact pollen production,” it said. “Extreme heat made worse by urban heat islands increases air pollution and can increase allergic sensitivity.”
Temperatures in the Kansas City area are projected to rise in the years to come. A 2022 study found that the heat index in Kansas City will reach 125°F at least one day per year in the next 30 years. Heat index is the “feels like” temperature you can find on your weather app.
How can I check allergen levels near me?
Children’s Mercy Hospital maintains a pollen report on its website that lists the top types of pollen present in Kansas City. For the latest pollen information, you can call the hospital’s Pollen Line at 816-346-1331.
National sources of pollen information like AccuWeather provide daily updating pollen information. Your weather app may also include pollen counts.
When will allergy season end in the metro?
Your personal allergy season will depend on what types of pollen you’re most sensitive to. However, the report’s rankings indicate that Kansas City has more severe tree pollen levels, which are mostly seen in the spring.
If you’re most sensitive to tree pollen, you should see symptoms start to taper off in May. Grass pollen season is getting started now, and will likely last through June. Finally, those with sensitivities to ragweed and other weeds will see their allergies flare up in August and last until November.
Do you have more questions about the impacts of climate change in Kansas City? Ask the Service Journalism team at kcq@kcstar.com.
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