Every year, the Asthma and Allergies Foundation of America puts out an Allergy Capital report which ranks the top 100 large cities in the U.S. if you suffer from pollen-based seasonal allergies.
Oklahoma City and Tulsa regularly make the top 10 and this year they take the No. 3 and 4 spots, respectively. (Wichita, KS, ranks first.)
In this month’s How Curious, host Rachel Hopkin— who found that her own allergy woes grew exponentially after moving to the Sooner State a couple of years ago—explores what makes the Sooner State so challenging in this regard.
She also learns about ways to mitigate the effects, and seeks guidance on cultivating non-allergenic plants for our similarly-afflicted landscaping listeners.
You can find the full episode transcript here.
Professor Estelle Levetin, who is a contributor to this episode, is an expert on airborne allergies. Her own website is at Tulsapollen.com.
Aside from study allergenic sources in Oklahoma, Levetin has also looked into allergy-free plants and is a contributor to the following guide on landscaping for allergy sufferers.
The Asthma and Allergy Foundation's 2025 Allergy Capitals report can be accessed here.
The websites of both the Asthma and Allergies Foundation of America and the Global Allergy & Airways Patient Platform offer many resources for allergy sufferers.
Board-certified allergist Dr. Shahan Stutes works at the Oklahoma Allergy and Asthma Clinic. If you are looking for an allergy specialist in your area, ask your primary care provider for a referral.
