Daily life can be riddled with challenges for people with respiratory troubles associated with conditions like Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), asthma, and the like. Genetic and lifestyle factors contribute to aggravating the risk of these conditions, but the environment also plays a crucial role. Where one lives can influence the severity of the symptoms, and this article lists some of the best US cities for people with respiratory problems.
1. San Francisco, California
San Francisco is, undoubtedly, one of the best US cities for people with respiratory problems. The air quality in the city is excellent, and it has made fighting asthma a civic priority. Plus, this Californian city has an Asthma Task Force that helps prevent asthma and improve patients’ quality of life.
2. Boise, Idaho
This is another one of the most recommended cities for people with asthma. It has excellent air quality, a low poverty rate, low pollen content, and a healthcare sector that meets the residents’ requirements. There are fewer emergency-room visits for asthma in the city, and patients need less medication to manage the condition, which means the city has favorable environmental conditions.
3. San Jose, California
Although the air quality in San Jose is relatively average, the city has a reasonably decent ranking in aspects like pollen count, public smoking regulations, and the healthcare sector. Additionally, San Jose participates in the Spare the Air program, which incorporates projects that work toward better local air quality.
4. Honolulu, Hawaii
Honolulu is no surprise entrant on the list of the best US cities for people with respiratory problems. It has excellent air quality and was named one of the country’s cleanest cities in the 2020 “State of the Air” report released by the American Lung Association. This means the city experiences zero high ozone or high particle pollution days and has one of the country’s lowest year-round particle pollution levels. High particle pollution and ozone can trigger or aggravate pulmonary issues like lung cancer, so Honolulu can be an excellent consideration for people with respiratory problems. The city is also committed to improving its green initiatives.
5. Seattle, Washington
Seattle is one of the best US cities for people with respiratory problems associated with health conditions like asthma, thanks to its low pollen count, good air quality, and excellent healthcare sector. Also, Seattle has been allocating more resources to better the local air quality in the past few years.
Bangor, Maine; Burlington-South Burlington-Barre, Vermont; and Wilmington, North Carolina are the other cities named the country’s cleanest in the 2020 “State of the Air” report by the American Lung Association. You can always check out their ratings if you have respiratory trouble and are planning to relocate to a more suitable area.
