The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (Website) has released its annual list of 100 Allergy Capitals in the contiguous United States. If your sinuses turn to cement with the first dusting of pollen in the City Beautiful, you might be surprised to find Orlando ranked down at 33 on the list.
AAFA’s ranking criteria is three-pronged. Chief among them is Tree, Grass, and Weed Pollen Scores compiled by IQVIA, which tracks the intensity of various allergens, including trees in the spring, grasses in the summer, and weeds (such as ragweed) in the fall. (We’re assuming they achieve this by employing gnomes in tiny hazmat suits, but we could not verify at press time.) AAFA also analyzes data about the sales and use of over-the-counter allergy medications and the availability of certified allergists in the area.
We’ve pulled out the Florida cities that made the 2026 list:
20. Lakeland
24. Palm Bay
28. Sarasota
29. Tampa
33. Orlando
39. Cape Coral
49. Daytona Beach
53. Jacksonville
56. Miami
By the way, if you’re convinced your allergies are getting worse, you’re not crazy. In their intro to the report, AAFA notes: “Longer, more intense pollen seasons caused by the impact of climate change mean allergy symptoms hit harder and last longer.” Swell.
For their full report and list of all 100, often surprising, Allergy Capitals, visit AllergyCapitals.org.
