Living with asthma and allergies, or any other inflammatory lung disease (i.e., COPD), is not pleasant. There are a number of different factors that may exacerbate asthma symptoms, including pollution, traffic congestion, air quality and more. However, many individuals do not often consider their city of residence as detrimental to their condition.

Symptoms of asthma develop as the airways narrow and become inflamed. The following U.S. cities can be troublesome for folks living with asthma:

1. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Oklahoma City is not going to be a friendly and easy-to-live place for individuals with asthma attributable to its poor air quality and elevated pollen levels. Also, there are no indoor smoking regulations that will benefit those with asthma.

2. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Despite its stunning scenery and a good standard of living, Philadelphia is not the safest city for asthma patients. Philly has obtained a lower-than-average grade on all categories, including but not confined to air quality, public smoking regulations, asthma mortality rates, and poverty rates.

3. Detroit, Michigan
Detroit has a moderately high rate of asthma incidence and a crude mortality risk of asthma. The city also has poor air quality, a high pollen percentage, a higher than average poverty rate with impacts on healthcare, and no strict outdoor smoking restrictions.

4. Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is often ranked as one of the toughest cities for seasonal allergies, making life difficult for those with allergic asthma. The bluegrass that gives the state its reputation and feeds so many purebred horses gives off more pollen than any other kind of grass. Louisville falls in the bowl-shaped Ohio Valley, which also has high humidity, which traps the particulates in the atmosphere.

5. Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha does have a high number of emergency room asthma-related visits and a high risk of death from asthma. Within lower-income Black and Hispanic communities, the prevalence of asthma is particularly high.

6. Memphis, Tennessee
Even though air quality in Memphis is average, nearly all other variables do not yield positive results for asthma sufferers. For starters, the prevalence rate of asthma in the region, as well as the mortality rate of asthma, is reasonably high, although the amount of asthma specialists practicing here is comparatively lower. On top of these variables, the pollen level is about as high as the city’s poverty rates.

Asthma is a lifelong disease that cannot be completely cured, but it can be managed with a good lifestyle and residence (with clean air). Now, if your city is among those mentioned on this list, it doesn’t actually mean that you have to move. However, it suggests that you need to monitor daily air quality levels and limit your exposure to pollen and pollution more carefully to help manage your symptoms more effectively.