Only one Iowa city is ranked among the 100 “Allergy Capitals” of the U.S. The rankings are issued each year by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. The only city from Iowa on the 2004 list is Des Moines, which had a springtime pollen count of 51 according to the survey. The rankings also take into consideration how many residents in a city use medicine to control their allergies and how many allergists practice in the area. The group that puts out the ranking hopes to encourage Americans to recognize and treat their allergies. The sneeziest city — the top city on the allergy list — is Atlanta, Georgia. The only Midwestern city in the top 10 was St. Louis, ranked at number five.
