The Australian Capital Territory and Western Australia have the highest rates of allergic rhinitis in Australia, and Queensland and New South Wales have the lowest.
Queensland in Australia has a low pollen count from March through to August.
The five best states for allergy sufferers are all in the Rocky Mountain region of the Western United States — Utah, Nevada, Wyoming, Arizona and Colorado. The three best states for pollen allergies have the highest average elevation and relatively dry climates — Wyoming, Utah and Colorado.
Northern Territory. Coming in at last place, making it one of the the best places to live for allergy sufferers in Australia is the Northern Territory! With rates of almost half of the other states, at 11.8%, the Northern Territory is a haven for hay fever sufferers.
The amount of pollen in the air changes according to the season and where you live. For example, pollen counts can be very high in October and November in Melbourne and Hobart, and in the spring and summer in Adelaide, Sydney and Canberra. Brisbane and Darwin have high pollen for most of the year.
States that have a lot of trees, grass, and weeds will have a lot of allergens. Areas in the Northeast U.S. like Pennsylvania, New York, and Connecticut. Virginia, Kansas, and Texas have a high rate of allergens.
Canberra comes out on top in both categories, closely followed by Melbourne and Adelaide as cities where there are not only high rates of allergic rhinitis, but also where you are most likely to encounter plants with the potential to trigger allergic rhinitis (see species richness graph).
The Gold Coast and Adelaide have been named the healthiest cities in Australia in a new study by Mandoe Media, with Melbourne, Perth and Sydney rounding out the top 5. Brisbane missed a top 5 place, ranking 6th, and the nation's capital ranked a mediocre 12th.
The top six countries by number of active pollen stations are: Japan (143), Italy (88), USA (85), France (85), Spain (77) and Germany (44).
Pollen counts tend to go up when the weather is windy, sunny, and dry. These are prime conditions to spread pollen around the air—great for the ecosystem, but bad news for your sinuses. On the other hand, pollen counts usually drop when the weather is wet, drizzly, or cloudy, according to Dr. Bassett.
An Amazon rainforest study has shed light on why Melbourne is the hayfever* capital of the world.
Several factors within the modern, urban lifestyle have been identified, although no single agent has been highlighted as the main reason. Exposure to adequate levels of vitamin D and the types of infections in childhood are thought to change the immune system development and trigger an allergic response.
If you are allergic to pollen, minimising your exposure will help keep you well when pollen counts are at their highest. The ACT has the highest rate of hay fever in Australia, affecting almost 1 in 3 residents.
“Queensland's known as the Sunshine State. All those rays and the laid-back lifestyle might be among the reasons why it's Australia's happiest state,” Bayliss said.
After maintaining the highest standard of community well-being for seven consecutive years, it comes as no surprise that the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) cemented itself as the best place to live in Australia.
1. Sydney, NSW. Taking first place in this year's healthiest city rankings is Sydney, coming number one in the majority of the different categories. They also place the highest priority on their wellness compared to the rest of Australia, with 70% of Sydneysiders stated that wellness is a high priority for them.
Generally, coastal areas or dry places are the best places to travel to in the hayfever season as pollen counts are much lower in areas where there are fewer plants.
'Living near the coast is good as you've got the air flushing away over the sea, which really helps' says Dr Emberlin. 'Generally speaking, living near the sea will give you a lower pollen count. ' Another good option, Dr Emberlin says, are 'areas of moorland, or upland, where there is more heather and less grass'.
The best cities to live in for asthma sufferers in Australia are Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, and Sydney, which all have mild climates, low air pollution, and low pollen levels.
Another factor to consider is climate. A dry and sunny environment may be beneficial if you are allergic to mold or dust mites. Mold grows in damp, dark places and it's less prevalent in places that get little rain and a lot of sun.
Deserts of the world
If you can take the heat, desert destinations offer relief from respiratory allergies like hay fever. The main reason for this advantage is the fact that deserts are barren wastelands that don't contain many plants – the source of those offending pollens.
The top 10 worst cities for allergies, as found by our rankings, are: Albuquerque, New Mexico. Phoenix, Arizona. Glendale, Arizona.