Sneezing less? Boise drops several spots on 2025 worst cities for allergies list

Spring has sprung in Idaho, bringing the classic seasonal finicky weather, new blossoms and that familiar tickle in the nose from pollen when the wind blows.

The start of spring also means that allergy season is in full swing, as Idaho’s spring pollen allergy season typically starts in late February or early March. Allergies affect over 100 million people in the United States, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. Seasonal allergies can bring watery eyes, relentless sneezing, a runny nose and coughing.

But this year, there’s good news for Boise residents who suffer from allergies. A study by the AAFA ranked the City of Trees at No. 95 in the nation for allergy severity. To determine rankings, the study analyzed 100 cities for the amount of pollen, the number of specialists in the area and the amount of medicine used.

Boise’s is considered “better than average” at 52.92, with the average of the 100 cities weighed at 68.57. It ranked above average in its pollen count and average specialists and amount of medicine.

Last year, Boise was ranked No. 77, and the year prior it was ranked No. 50. For the third year in a row, Wichita, Kansas, maintained its number one ranking.

The study found that in 2025, the burden of seasonal allergies is falling heavily on the southern and eastern parts of the country. Allergy severity can be influenced by extreme weather events, such as hurricanes.

New Orleans was ranked No. 2 this year, quite the jump from its No. 34 spot last year. The report points to Hurricane Francine making landfall on Sept. 11, 2024 — the increased moisture overlapped with the weed pollen season and warmer than normal temperature created the perfect conditions for the jump.

Boise fares better than most states in the west, falling just ahead of San Diego at 97th Salt Lake City at 99th.

But the level of suffering from allergies can all depend on what you’re allergic to, according to experts.

“Here in the Intermountain West, we have a lot of sagebrush now. Atlanta may have worse allergies in general but if you’re allergic to sagebrush you’d rather be in Atlanta in the fall than you would be here. It’s really more person specific,” said G. William Palmer of Boise Valley and Allergy Clinic in an interview.

Common Idaho allergens

While it depends on what you’re allergic to, seasonal allergies aren’t rare. Allergic rhinitis, known more commonly as hay fever, is one of the most common allergic conditions, according to the AAFA.

The National Center for Health Statistics found that around 67 million adults and 14 million children were diagnosed with hay fever in 2021. The most common symptoms of hay fever allergies include:

• Runny nose or stuffy nose

• Watering eyes, sometimes swelling

• Sneezing, congestion

• Itchy nose, eyes, ears, or mouth

The biggest offenders for allergies are often pollen for trees, grasses, and weeds. Tree pollen is the first pollen to appear each year from February through April. A Boise Valley Allergy and Asthma Clinic ranked pollen counts on April 16 as extreme, with cottonwood trees followed by maple trees producing the most pollen. Other culprits include birch, ash, elm and juniper.

“I think it’s important to keep things in perspective. Our counts have been high. But we’re not the worst, even when we had 1,000 counts on our cottonwood last week, relative to areas in Texas where they have mountain cedar as a major allergen they can have values in like the 20,000 frames,” Palmer said. “Twenty times higher with that particular allergen relative to anything we ever see in this area. As bad as it can be here at times, it can be worse in other places.”

Late spring and summer will bring grass pollen. Common grass pollen found in Boise will be bluegrass and Bermuda, timothy, and orchard grasses.

Then to wrap up the sneezing season, weed pollen will appear in August with it peaking in mid-September. The most common weed allergen is ragweed, with almost 50 million people having an allergy in the United States, according to the AAFA study.

Managing your allergies

To help ease your symptoms the AAFA suggests the following things:

• Check pollen counts and forecasts to avoid extreme pollen days.

• Plan outdoor activities for when there are lower pollen counts to avoid exposing your eyes, nose or mouth to pollen.

• Keep your windows shut to keep allergens out of the home and car.

• Use a filtration device or air conditioning with a filter in your home.

• Remove your shoes and other items before entering your home.

• Shower before bed to avoid bringing pollen into your bed.

• Use over-the-counter medication such as Zyrtec or Claritin and a saline nasal spray when necessary.

• Wipe furry animals off when they come inside or bathe them weekly.

• Clean bedding, floors, and fabric furniture once a week. Clean blinds, curtains, and washable rugs once a month.