The symptoms of asthma that comes from the environment vary from person to person. Typically, someone with environmental asthma flare ups have the usual shortness of breath, tightness or even pain in the chest, wheezing, coughing, and frequent respiratory infectious. Environmental asthma can prove to be worse or better depending on your zip code. Geographic location does not heal or change the fact that you have asthma, but symptoms can prove to be worse or improved based on the climate that you live in.

Here are some of the worst cities to live in if you suffer from asthma:

1. Springfield, MA
Springfield, Massachusetts is listed as the worst place to live in the U.S. if you have asthma, according to emergency room visits across the nation for those who suffer from asthmatic attacks or other illnesses related to their asthma. The reason for this is based on a very high pollen count in the city. The kinds of trees and the grass in the city contribute to the highest pollen count in America.

2. Dayton, OH
Just like Springfield, Dayton, Ohio is a difficult place to live if you have asthma due to the high pollen content in the air. The city has high levels of ragweed, and a very high number of ER visits for those with environmental asthma for this very reason.

3. Greensboro, NC
Greensboro, North Carolina has some of the worst numbers for asthma related ER visits. The city lies within the research medical “triangle” in North Carolina, which thankfully means more research for asthma treatment. However, Greensboro is still in the top ten for the worst U.S. cities to live in if you have asthma. This is because of a high number of plants, flowers, and trees that produce pollen all the time, thanks to the warmer climate.

However, the best U.S. cities to live in for asthma patients are:

1. Seattle, Washington
Seattle Washington is an excellent place to live for anyone who suffers from asthma. This is due to the fact that the city has a low count of air pollution and pollen. The city has an excellent climate for anyone with asthma. The city has put more funding towards improving the air quality in the city, including research for the treatment of those with asthma and allergies.

2. Abilene, Texas
Abilene is one of the top ten cities to live in if you have asthma. They have some of the lowest rates of ER visits for asthma. The city has generally good air quality. One main reason for this, is the city also has ruled the banning of cigarette smoking in workplaces and in all public places.

3. San Jose, California
San Jose, California is a great place to reside for anyone with asthma. The city has strict in place no smoking in public place laws. The city is concerned with improving the air. They do this by planting more trees, reducing junk mail, and focusing on clean energy production and initiatives.