Moving with Food Allergies: Best & Worst Places in the U.S. (2025)

Great Guys Moving presents its Best and Worst places in the U.S. for Allergy-Friendly Living in 2025, evaluating the nation's states and top cities based on key factors essential for families managing food allergies.

Jump to Key Findings >>

Key Findings
Compare Results by City
10 Most Food Allergy Friendly Cities in the US
10 Least Food Allergy Friendly Cities in the US
Cities with the Most Allergy-Friendly Grocery Stores
Cities with the Quickest Access to Healthcare
State Review of Childcare Food Allergy Initiatives
GGM Food Allergy-Friendliness Rating
Data and Methodology
Contact Us

For families managing food allergies, choosing the right city to call home can make all the difference in the quality of daily life. Access to safe food options, supportive healthcare, and allergy-friendly resources are essential factors that impact every aspect of life. In recent years, many U.S. cities have improved their infrastructure to support families dealing with food allergies, but some stand out as the best environments for allergy-friendly living.

To determine the most and least allergy-friendly places, this comprehensive study by Great Guys Moving (GGM) analyzed approximately 15,000 U.S. cities and 50 states across five key data categories. Ultimately, 177 of the largest cities and all 50 states were ranked based on their ability to support families with food allergies. The five data categories used are:

Access to allergy-friendly grocery stores
Nearby availability of longer-term immunotherapy options
Quick access to a nearby Children's Hospital in the event of a life-threatening anaphylactic emergency
Statewide anaphylaxis policies for school districts and childcare facilities
Environmental factors affecting allergies unique to a city or state

Based on their overall performance across these metrics, the cities and states were classified as Good, Above Average, Below Average, or Bad in terms of their support for families managing food allergies.

So, whether you're planning a move or simply curious about the best place to live if you have food allergies, these rankings provide an essential look at where to live, work, and thrive with food allergies in 2025.

Download|Share

Key Findings

GGM's Top Food Allergy-Friendly City: New York City, NY (final score: 85.948) with a population of 8,258,035
GGM's Least Food Allergy-Friendly City: Montgomery, AL (final score: 33.019) with a population of 195,287
Top City by Grocery Count: New York City, NY with 128 allergy- friendly grocery stores
Top City by Grocery Count per Capita: Jersey City, NJ has 4.1 allergy- friendly grocery stores per 10,000 people - or 1 store per 2,430 residents
Top State with the most number of OIT Specialists: Texas with 16 OIT Specialists
Top State with the most number of Children's Hospital: California with 23 Children's Hospitals
State with the most number of Good-rated cities: Florida with 8 good-rated cities (Hollywood, Pembroke Pines, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, Miami, St. Petersburg, Hialeah and Jacksonville)
State with the most number of Bad-rated cities: Califonia with 10 bad-rated cities (Oxnard, Corona, Santa Clarita, Moreno Valley, Oceanside, Riverside, Bakersfield, Lancaster, Palmdale and San Bernardino)
The state of California dominates our top 10 list of most allergy- friendly grocery stores with four cities (Glendale, Sunnyvale, Garden Grove, and Roseville)

Full Results

#	City & Population	Final Score	Grocery Stores within 10 miles	Nearest OIT Specialist (miles)	Nearest Children's Hospital (miles)	Hybrid AAFA City Score
1	New York, NY 8,258,035	85.948	128 0.155 per 10k people	1.6 Latitude Food Allergy Care	2.731 Hassenfeld Children's Hospital	75.8
2	Bellevue, WA 151,574	85.135	32 2.111 per 10k people	0.9 Columbia Allergy - Bellevue	6.57 Seattle Children's	84.5
3	Seattle, WA 755,078	84.341	29 0.384 per 10k people	6.9 Columbia Allergy - Bellevue	0.206 Seattle Children's	87.3
4	Buffalo, NY 274,678	84.033	15 0.546 per 10k people	1.1 University at Buffalo Pediatric Associates	1.114 John R. Oishei Children's Hospital	21.1
5	Lubbock, TX 266,878	83.93	12 0.45 per 10k people	1 The Food Allergy Center for Excellence	1.413 Covenant Children's Hospital	55.8
6	Oakland, CA 436,504	82.384	31 0.71 per 10k people	0.6 Columbia Allergy - Oakland	1.505 Kaiser Permanente - Oakland Medical Center	96.2
7	Hollywood, FL 153,859	80.656	22 1.43 per 10k people	1.9 Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital	1.878 Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital	26.9
8	Boise, ID 235,421	77.972	10 0.425 per 10k people	2.6 The Allergy Group - Boise	0.503 St. Luke's Children's Hospital	98.0
9	Pembroke Pines, FL 171,119	77.948	32 1.87 per 10k people	3.1 Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital	3.042 Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital	26.7
10	Fort Lauderdale, FL 184,255	76.989	32 1.737 per 10k people	7.4 Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital	1.397 Salah Foundation Children's Hospital	30.0
11	St. Paul, MN 303,820	76.738	34 1.119 per 10k people	6.1 Allergy and Asthma Center of Minnesota	0.482 Gillette Children's Specialty Healthcare	26.9
12	Salt Lake City, UT 209,593	76.604	29 1.384 per 10k people	7.2 Tanner Clinic - Murray	2.258 Shriners Children's Salt Lake City	97.8
13	Boston, MA 653,833	75.755	27 0.413 per 10k people	8.9 The New England Food Allergy Treatment Center-Boston	0.466 Shriners Children's Boston	36.9
14	Orlando, FL 320,742	75.728	42 1.309 per 10k people	8.8 Allergy Asthma Specialists - Orlando	1.31 Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children	26.1
15	Fremont, CA 226,208	75.346	9 0.398 per 10k people	0.3 Columbia Allergy - Fremont	12.81 Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford	88.6
16	Tacoma, WA 222,906	75.273	13 0.583 per 10k people	28.6 Columbia Allergy - Bellevue	1.002 Mary Bridge Children's Hospital	75.1
17	Minneapolis, MN 425,115	74.992	43 1.011 per 10k people	8.4 Advancements in Allergy & Asthma Care	0.407 Hennepin County Medical Center	22.6
18	Washington, DC 678,972	74.96	41 0.604 per 10k people	5.3 The Institute for Asthma and Allergy	2.512 Children's National Hospital	67.1
19	Scottsdale, AZ 244,394	74.67	18 0.737 per 10k people	0.7 Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Associates	6.704 Phoenix Children's Hospital	87.8
20	Paterson, NJ 156,452	74.088	27 1.726 per 10k people	7.9 Allergy Partners of NJ - Teaneck	1.027 St. Joseph's Children's Hospital	69.1
21	Newark, NJ 304,960	73.789	45 1.476 per 10k people	9.9 Latitude Food Allergy Care	0.944 University Hospital Pediatrics	73.2
22	San Francisco, CA 808,988	73.534	35 0.433 per 10k people	8.7 Columbia Allergy - Oakland	1.89 UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital	100.0
23	Greensboro, NC 302,296	73.018	7 0.232 per 10k people	1.2 Allergy and Asthma Center of North Carolina	1.268 Cone Health Women's & Children's Center at Moses Cone Hospital	17.1
24	Jersey City, NJ 291,657	72.428	120 4.114 per 10k people	5.1 Latitude Food Allergy Care	5.574 Hassenfeld Children's Hospital	74.5
25	Springfield, MA 153,672	71.725	0 0 per 10k people	52.4 Northeast Allergy Asthma and Immunology	1.356 Shriners Children's New England	66.3
26	Tempe, AZ 189,834	71.012	20 1.054 per 10k people	4.4 Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Associates	4.37 Banner Children's at Desert	88.4
27	Reno, NV 274,915	70.842	17 0.618 per 10k people	5.7 Northern Nevada Allergy	0.931 Renown Children's Hospital	70.5
28	Overland Park, KS 197,089	70.759	29 1.471 per 10k people	2.9 Prairie Allergy	3.533 Children's Mercy Hospital Kansas	23.7
29	Aurora, CO 395,052	70.615	38 0.962 per 10k people	3.6 Colorado Allergy and Asthma Centers	0.857 Children's Hospital Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora	21.7
30	Vancouver, WA 196,442	70.521	25 1.273 per 10k people	8.3 Columbia Allergy - Vancouver	5.955 Randall Children's Hospital at Legacy Emanuel	31.2
31	Charlotte, NC 911,311	70.461	10 0.11 per 10k people	1.3 Allergy Asthma & Immunology Relief	1.494 Hemby Children's Hospital	22.1
32	Norfolk, VA 230,930	70.42	2 0.087 per 10k people	1.2 CHKD Allergy	1.23 Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters	27.0
33	Sunnyvale, CA 151,967	70.403	30 1.974 per 10k people	13 Columbia Allergy - Fremont	3.045 Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Santa Clara	90.9
34	Philadelphia, PA 1,550,542	70.256	19 0.123 per 10k people	0.4 Chestnut Hill Allergy & Asthma Associates	1.634 Children's Hospital of Philadelphia	34.1
35	Miami, FL 455,924	70.141	15 0.329 per 10k people	17.1 Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital	1.661 Holtz Children's Hospital	18.8
36	Glendale, CA 187,050	70.004	42 2.245 per 10k people	6.2 Adult & Children Allergy Asthma Center	4.215 Children's Hospital Los Angeles	72.7
37	Worcester, MA 207,621	69.857	9 0.433 per 10k people	19.8 Northeast Allergy Asthma and Immunology	2.303 UMass Memorial Children's Medical Center	39.8
38	St. Petersburg, FL 263,553	69.78	22 0.835 per 10k people	33.7 Food Allergy Center of Florida	1.806 Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital	31.8
39	Austin, TX 979,882	69.763	21 0.214 per 10k people	5 Aspire Allergy & Sinus - Austin	3.139 Dell Children's Medical Center of Central Texas	13.1
40	Hialeah, FL 221,300	69.463	22 0.994 per 10k people	12.9 Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital	6.14 Holtz Children's Hospital	22.8
41	Jacksonville, FL 985,843	69.431	20 0.203 per 10k people	129.7 Allergy Asthma Specialists - Orlando	1.245 Wolfson Children's Hospital	82.7
42	Alexandria, VA 155,230	68.827	33 2.126 per 10k people	11 The Institute for Asthma and Allergy	8.608 Children's National Hospital	65.9
43	Frisco, TX 225,007	68.716	18 0.8 per 10k people	3.3 Allergy Partners of North Texas - Frisco	16.75 Medical City Children's Hospital	19.4
44	Denver, CO 716,577	68.619	55 0.768 per 10k people	4.7 Colorado Allergy and Asthma Centers	1.014 Children's Hospital Colorado	17.7
45	Mesa, AZ 511,648	68.396	15 0.293 per 10k people	7 Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Associates	3.166 Banner Children's at Desert	86.3
46	Atlanta, GA 510,823	67.482	39 0.763 per 10k people	23.1 Chacko Allergy Asthma and Sinus Center	0.582 Children's Healthcare of Atlanta	82.1
47	Birmingham, AL 196,644	67.451	14 0.712 per 10k people	3 Pediatric & Adult Asthma and Allergy P.C	1.078 Children's of Alabama	29.3
48	Naperville, IL 150,245	67.069	21 1.398 per 10k people	2.3 Oak Brook Allergists	20.889 Shriners Children's Chicago	79.5
49	Sacramento, CA 526,384	66.97	29 0.551 per 10k people	42 Allergy, Immunology & Asthma Medical Group, INC	1.496 Children's Center at Sutter Medical Center	96.1
50	Garland, TX 243,470	66.967	14 0.575 per 10k people	7.8 Allergy Partners of North Texas - Dallas	7.834 Medical City Children's Hospital	13.7
51	Long Beach, CA 449,468	66.896	15 0.334 per 10k people	10.5 Palos Verdes Medical Group	2.732 Miller Children's Hospital	67.0
52	Plano, TX 290,190	66.728	18 0.62 per 10k people	8.5 Allergy Partners of North Texas - Dallas	8.472 Medical City Children's Hospital	15.8
53	San Jose, CA 969,655	66.692	34 0.351 per 10k people	15.8 Columbia Allergy - Fremont	5.983 Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Santa Clara	94.1
54	Denton, TX 158,349	66.562	4 0.253 per 10k people	2.7 Family Allergy & Asthma Care - Denton	28.392 Medical City Children's Hospital	22.5
55	Rochester, NY 207,274	66.549	19 0.917 per 10k people	65.7 UBMD Pediatrics/ Allergy	2.469 Golisano Children's Hospital	19.7
56	Hayward, CA 155,675	66.547	15 0.964 per 10k people	9.6 Columbia Allergy - Fremont	14.435 Kaiser Permanente - Oakland Medical Center	91.4
57	Grand Rapids, MI 196,608	66.45	7 0.356 per 10k people	4.5 Allergy Associates of Western Michigan - Grand Rapids	0.476 Helen DeVos Children's Hospital	29.5
58	New Orleans, LA 364,136	66.397	5 0.137 per 10k people	4 Hoyt Institute of Food Allergy	4.1 Children's Hospital of New Orleans	14.3
59	Tampa, FL 403,364	66.077	30 0.744 per 10k people	44.7 Food Allergy Center of Florida	3.063 St. Joseph's Children's Hospital	24.5
60	Kansas City, KS 152,933	65.891	22 1.439 per 10k people	9.4 Prairie Allergy	3.342 Children's Mercy Hospital	19.9
61	Durham, NC 296,186	65.66	5 0.169 per 10k people	7.4 Allergy Partners of Chapel Hill	2.085 Duke Children's Hospital	23.3
62	Stockton, CA 319,543	65.628	5 0.156 per 10k people	2.5 Allergy, Immunology & Asthma Medical Group, INC	42.085 Shriners Children's Northern California	96.9
63	St. Louis, MO 281,754	65.601	7 0.248 per 10k people	12.8 Allergy, Asthma & Food Allergy Centers	2.174 Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital	95.0
64	Irving, TX 254,373	65.6	13 0.511 per 10k people	11.4 Allergy Partners of North Texas - Dallas	6.389 Children's Health, Dallas	11.6
65	Charleston, SC 155,369	65.482	10 0.644 per 10k people	2.6 Charleston Allergy & Asthma	0.717 MUSC Shawn Jenkins Children's Hospital	23.5
66	Portland, OR 630,498	65.344	40 0.634 per 10k people	7 Baker Allergy	1.435 Shriners Children's Portland	26.8
67	Gilbert, AZ 275,411	65.243	15 0.545 per 10k people	11.9 Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Associates	5.707 Banner Children's at Desert	85.2
68	Los Angeles, CA 3,820,914	65.186	52 0.136 per 10k people	8.8 Adult & Children Allergy Asthma Center	4.103 Children's Hospital Los Angeles	75.3
69	Roseville, CA 159,135	64.942	31 1.948 per 10k people	52.7 Allergy, Immunology & Asthma Medical Group, INC	2.136 Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Roseville, Women's and Children's Services	89.5
70	Akron, OH 188,701	64.911	4 0.212 per 10k people	14.5 Allergy Asthma & Sinus Relief Center - Twinsburg	0.433 Akron Children's Hospital	75.8
71	Dallas, TX 1,302,868	64.767	14 0.107 per 10k people	9.4 Allergy Partners of North Texas - Dallas	2.049 Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children	6.3
72	Chandler, AZ 280,167	64.654	16 0.571 per 10k people	13.2 Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Associates	6.153 Banner Children's at Desert	85.6
73	Phoenix, AZ 1,650,070	64.51	13 0.079 per 10k people	6.5 Allergy Partners of Phoenix	2.829 Phoenix Children's Hospital	91.5
74	Glendale, AZ 253,855	64.09	15 0.591 per 10k people	11.7 Allergy Partners of Phoenix	9.341 Phoenix Children's Hospital	87.3
75	Salinas, CA 159,506	64.025	2 0.125 per 10k people	1.1 Central Coast Allergy and Asthma	49.502 Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Santa Clara	78.6
76	Louisville, KY 622,981	63.86	8 0.128 per 10k people	94 Cincinnati Allergy and Asthma Center	0.682 Norton Children's Hospital	82.6
77	Chicago, IL 2,664,452	63.853	28 0.105 per 10k people	15.5 Kenilworth Medical Associates	1.434 Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago	88.0
78	McKinney, TX 213,509	63.348	7 0.328 per 10k people	8.8 Texas Allergy MD	21.776 Medical City Children's Hospital	21.5
79	Aurora, IL 177,563	63.252	13 0.732 per 10k people	4.1 Kaneland Allergy and Asthma Center	29.102 Shriners Children's Chicago	77.6
80	Santa Ana, CA 310,539	63.24	35 1.127 per 10k people	28.8 Palos Verdes Medical Group	2.19 Children's Hospital of Orange County	59.5
81	Providence, RI 190,792	63.124	4 0.21 per 10k people	34.9 The New England Food Allergy Treatment Center-Boston	0.909 Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island	35.9
82	Winston Salem, NC 252,975	62.725	13 0.514 per 10k people	25.5 Allergy and Asthma Center of North Carolina	1.594 Atrium Health Levine Children's Brenner Children's Hospital	19.5
83	San Antonio, TX 1,495,295	62.695	6 0.04 per 10k people	4.3 Aspire Allergy and Sinus	0.307 CHRISTUS Children's	9.9
84	Garden Grove, CA 168,234	62.382	33 1.962 per 10k people	24.5 Palos Verdes Medical Group	4.63 Children's Hospital of Orange County	61.6
85	Elk Grove, CA 178,444	62.369	13 0.729 per 10k people	29.1 Allergy, Immunology & Asthma Medical Group, INC	10.936 Shriners Children's Northern California	90.4
86	Milwaukee, WI 561,385	62.207	18 0.321 per 10k people	58.8 Consultants in Allergy & Asthma Care - Highland Park	5.155 Children's Wisconsin	86.0
87	Fort Worth, TX 978,468	62.085	8 0.082 per 10k people	24.5 Family Allergy & Asthma Care - Flower Mound	1.202 Cook Children's Healthcare System	19.9
88	Cape Coral, FL 224,455	61.79	21 0.936 per 10k people	58.3 Food Allergy Center of Florida	8.054 Golisano Children's Hospital of Southwest Florida	22.0
89	Anaheim, CA 340,512	61.651	22 0.646 per 10k people	25.2 Adult & Children Allergy Asthma Center	4.567 Children's Hospital of Orange County	61.1
90	Columbus, OH 913,175	61.608	9 0.099 per 10k people	11 Ohio ENT and Allergy Physicians	1.294 Nationwide Children's Hospital	77.6
91	Peoria, AZ 198,750	61.349	10 0.503 per 10k people	15.3 Allergy Partners of Phoenix	13.337 Phoenix Children's Hospital	85.6
92	Port St. Lucie, FL 245,021	60.657	20 0.816 per 10k people	37.1 Allergy Associates of the Palm Beaches	41.15 Palm Beach Children's Hospital	40.4
93	Chattanooga, TN 187,030	60.408	6 0.321 per 10k people	90 Chacko Allergy Asthma and Sinus Center	1.1 Children's Hospital at Erlanger	27.3
94	Pittsburgh, PA 303,255	60.4	13 0.429 per 10k people	16 Allergy, Asthma, Sinus Wellness Center LLC	2.601 UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh	29.4
95	Newport News, VA 183,118	60.389	3 0.164 per 10k people	10.6 CHKD Allergy	10.63 Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters	31.7
96	Cincinnati, OH 311,097	60.348	7 0.225 per 10k people	4.8 Cincinnati Allergy and Asthma Center	2.748 Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center	34.4
97	Huntington Beach, CA 192,129	60.107	25 1.301 per 10k people	22.4 Palos Verdes Medical Group	10.45 Children's Hospital of Orange County	62.1
98	Spokane, WA 229,447	59.901	13 0.567 per 10k people	221.7 Columbia Allergy - Bellevue	0.446 Shriners Children's Spokane	22.4
99	Grand Prairie, TX 202,134	59.806	8 0.396 per 10k people	23 Allergy Partners of North Texas - Dallas	15.311 Children's Health, Dallas	14.7
100	Tucson, AZ 547,239	59.78	14 0.256 per 10k people	3.9 Allergy & Asthma Associates of Tucson	96.178 Banner Children's at Desert	92.3
101	Lakewood, CO 155,961	59.301	40 2.565 per 10k people	12.8 Colorado Allergy and Asthma Centers	10.943 Children's Hospital Colorado	22.6
102	Irvine, CA 314,621	59.215	33 1.049 per 10k people	32 Palos Verdes Medical Group	6.952 Children's Hospital of Orange County	58.2
103	Kansas City, MO 510,704	59.085	24 0.47 per 10k people	8.9 Prairie Allergy	1.122 Children's Mercy Hospital	18.5
104	Cleveland, OH 362,656	59.033	4 0.11 per 10k people	13.3 University Hospitals Allergy Practice	3.747 Cleveland Clinic Children's Hospital	79.7
105	Lexington, KY 320,154	59.003	3 0.094 per 10k people	76 Cincinnati Allergy and Asthma Center	1.241 University of Kentucky Children's Hospital	59.7
106	Joliet, IL 150,489	58.576	9 0.598 per 10k people	15.7 Oak Brook Allergists	22.715 Advocate Children's Hospital	78.3
107	Fontana, CA 215,465	58.496	4 0.186 per 10k people	40.4 Adult & Children Allergy Asthma Center	1.359 Kaiser Permanente Pediatric Care Center, Fontana	46.5
108	Houston, TX 2,314,157	58.491	11 0.048 per 10k people	6.6 Bellaire Allergy & Asthma	3.563 Children's Memorial Hermann Hospital	8.9
109	Fresno, CA 545,716	58.266	13 0.238 per 10k people	108.1 Central Coast Allergy and Asthma	4.307 Community Regional Medical Center	93.6
110	Cary, NC 180,010	58.074	22 1.222 per 10k people	17 Allergy Partners of Chapel Hill	17.106 North Carolina Children's Hospital	19.6
111	Arlington, TX 398,431	58.002	6 0.151 per 10k people	23 Family Allergy & Asthma Care - Flower Mound	13.87 Cook Children's Healthcare System	16.0
112	Richmond, VA 229,247	57.905	10 0.436 per 10k people	68.4 Charlottesville Allergy & Respiratory Enterprises (CARE)	2.416 Children's Hospital of Richmond at VCU	25.2
113	Shreveport, LA 177,959	57.83	5 0.281 per 10k people	176.9 Allergy Partners of North Texas - Dallas	2.879 Shriners Children's Shreveport	48.9
114	Corpus Christi, TX 316,595	57.52	4 0.126 per 10k people	133.4 Aspire Allergy and Sinus	3.233 Driscoll Children's Hospital	41.8
115	Indianapolis, IN 879,293	57.346	9 0.102 per 10k people	100.7 The Allergy and Asthma Center	1.349 Riley Hospital for Children	85.8
116	Knoxville, TN 198,162	57.258	4 0.202 per 10k people	132.3 Chacko Allergy Asthma and Sinus Center	1.031 East Tennessee Children's Hospital	23.8
117	Baltimore, MD 565,239	57.248	24 0.425 per 10k people	32.3 Whole Family Allergy and Immunotherapy	0.684 Kennedy Krieger Institute	40.2
118	Fort Wayne, IN 269,994	57.161	9 0.333 per 10k people	5.6 The Allergy and Asthma Center	71.217 Beacon Children's Hospital	56.1
119	Rancho Cucamonga, CA 174,405	57.112	10 0.573 per 10k people	32.4 Adult & Children Allergy Asthma Center	8.386 Kaiser Permanente Pediatric Care Center, Fontana	50.8
120	Ontario, CA 182,457	56.728	11 0.603 per 10k people	28.6 Adult & Children Allergy Asthma Center	12.317 Kaiser Permanente Pediatric Care Center, Fontana	53.0
121	San Diego, CA 1,388,320	56.673	20 0.144 per 10k people	12 Modena Allergy and Asthma	5.607 Rady Children's Hospital	28.3
122	Surprise, AZ 158,285	56.306	4 0.253 per 10k people	23.5 Allergy Partners of Phoenix	21.529 Phoenix Children's Hospital	82.5
123	Chula Vista, CA 274,333	55.523	13 0.474 per 10k people	18.7 Modena Allergy and Asthma	11.588 Rady Children's Hospital	31.0
124	Modesto, CA 218,915	55.205	9 0.411 per 10k people	29.7 Allergy, Immunology & Asthma Medical Group, INC	58.827 Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Santa Clara	86.0
125	Macon, GA 156,512	55.141	2 0.128 per 10k people	92.3 Chacko Allergy Asthma and Sinus Center	0.469 Atrium Health Levine Children's Beverly Knight Olson Children's Hospital	62.2
126	Mobile, AL 182,595	55.04	4 0.219 per 10k people	52.3 Allergy Asthma and Immunology	2.073 USA Children's and Women's Hospital	49.1
127	Albuquerque, NM 560,274	54.793	32 0.571 per 10k people	290.9 The Food Allergy Center for Excellence	1.507 Carrie Tingley Hospital	87.0
128	Santa Rosa, CA 175,845	54.465	18 1.024 per 10k people	47.5 Allergy & Asthma Medical Group of the Bay Area - Berkeley	48.251 UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland	84.7
129	Killeen, TX 159,643	54.436	2 0.125 per 10k people	53.5 Aspire Allergy & Sinus - Austin	21.072 McLane Children's Hospital	33.3
130	Huntsville, AL 225,564	54.405	5 0.222 per 10k people	87.3 Pediatric & Adult Asthma and Allergy P.C	0.905 Huntsville Hospital for Women and Children	48.4
131	Nashville, TN 687,788	54.215	14 0.204 per 10k people	182.1 The Tankersley Clinic	2.23 Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt	24.4
132	Baton Rouge, LA 219,573	54.01	5 0.228 per 10k people	71.1 Hoyt Institute of Food Allergy	6.177 Our Lady of the Lake Children's Hospital	10.8
133	Little Rock, AR 203,842	53.968	6 0.294 per 10k people	147.6 The Tankersley Clinic	0.267 Arkansas Children's Hospital	16.0
134	Oxnard, CA 198,488	53.923	6 0.302 per 10k people	54.8 Palos Verdes Medical Group	34.925 Cottage Children's Medical Center	86.6
135	Corona, CA 160,238	53.896	7 0.437 per 10k people	37.8 Adult & Children Allergy Asthma Center	15.621 Kaiser Permanente Pediatric Care Center, Fontana	49.8
136	Santa Clarita, CA 224,028	53.501	3 0.134 per 10k people	28.6 Adult & Children Allergy Asthma Center	23.122 Mattel Children's Hospital UCLA	68.9
137	Raleigh, NC 482,295	53.344	13 0.27 per 10k people	24 Allergy Partners of Chapel Hill	22.884 Duke Children's Hospital	15.3
138	Moreno Valley, CA 212,392	53.336	7 0.33 per 10k people	54 Adult & Children Allergy Asthma Center	7.943 Loma Linda University Children's Hospital	44.1
139	Oceanside, CA 170,020	53.277	7 0.412 per 10k people	23.4 Modena Allergy and Asthma	30.509 Rady Children's Hospital	47.3
140	Tallahassee, FL 202,221	52.62	15 0.742 per 10k people	173.9 Allergy Asthma and Immunology	128.385 UF Health Shands Children's Hospital	62.9
141	Virginia Beach, VA 453,649	52.244	2 0.044 per 10k people	3 Allergy & Asthma Specialists	17.946 Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters	17.5
142	Madison, WI 280,305	52.068	12 0.428 per 10k people	100.4 Consultants in Allergy & Asthma Care - Highland Park	57.434 American Family Children's Hospital	86.3
143	Riverside, CA 318,858	51.941	5 0.157 per 10k people	44.6 Adult & Children Allergy Asthma Center	8.512 Kaiser Permanente Pediatric Care Center, Fontana	42.9
144	Toledo, OH 265,304	51.896	8 0.302 per 10k people	52.6 The Food Allergy Clinic - Livonia	1.109 Mercy Health — Children's Hospital	27.1
145	Bakersfield, CA 413,381	51.386	2 0.048 per 10k people	98.4 Adult & Children Allergy Asthma Center	1.421 Lauren Small Children's Center at Bakersfield Memorial Hospital	87.0
146	Memphis, TN 618,639	51.326	2 0.032 per 10k people	20.5 The Tankersley Clinic	0.579 St. Jude Children's Research Hospital	19.2
147	Amarillo, TX 202,408	51.09	8 0.395 per 10k people	112.8 The Food Allergy Center for Excellence	112.966 Covenant Children's Hospital	54.6
148	Colorado Springs, CO 488,664	50.728	23 0.471 per 10k people	61.4 Colorado Allergy and Asthma Centers	10.058 Children's Hospital Colorado Colorado Springs	15.6
149	Des Moines, IA 210,381	49.914	17 0.808 per 10k people	188.5 Prairie Allergy	1.078 MercyOne Children's Hospital	14.6
150	Murfreesboro, TN 165,430	49.444	7 0.423 per 10k people	165.2 Pediatric & Adult Asthma and Allergy P.C	30.609 Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt	36.4
151	Laredo, TX 257,602	49.37	0 0 per 10k people	148.7 Certified Allergy & Asthma of San Antonio - Medical Center	118.174 Edinburg Children's Hospital	42.1
152	Springfield, MO 170,188	49.178	12 0.705 per 10k people	141.8 Prairie Allergy	2.77 Mercy Children's Hospital - Springfield	47.5
153	Lancaster, CA 166,236	49.145	2 0.12 per 10k people	38.1 Adult & Children Allergy Asthma Center	39.226 Shriners Children's Southern California	63.5
154	Chesapeake, VA 253,886	49.029	1 0.039 per 10k people	10.3 CHKD Allergy	10.423 Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters	26.4
155	Detroit, MI 633,218	48.931	3 0.047 per 10k people	18.9 Allergy & Asthma Institute of SE Michigan - Farmington Hills	1.448 Children's Hospital of Michigan	33.4
156	Fort Collins, CO 170,376	48.679	16 0.939 per 10k people	58.1 Colorado Allergy and Asthma Centers	55.905 Children's Hospital Colorado	37.9
157	Brownsville, TX 190,158	48.284	0 0 per 10k people	253.6 Aspire Allergy and Sinus	50.325 Edinburg Children's Hospital	29.7
158	Fayetteville, NC 209,749	47.996	5 0.238 per 10k people	62.1 Allergy Partners of Chapel Hill	59.692 North Carolina Children's Hospital	33.9
159	Clarksville, TN 180,716	47.805	4 0.221 per 10k people	166.8 The Tankersley Clinic	40.984 Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt	41.1
160	Sioux Falls, SD 206,410	47.25	6 0.291 per 10k people	187 Allergy, Asthma & Pulmonary Associates, P.A.	2.488 Sanford Health Children's Hospital	48.9
161	Salem, OR 177,432	47.159	3 0.169 per 10k people	37.3 Baker Allergy & Asthma Clinic	41.476 Providence St. Vincent Medical Center	40.1
162	Augusta, GA 200,884	47.149	2 0.1 per 10k people	128.7 Charleston Allergy & Asthma	0.745 Children's Hospital of Georgia	28.8
163	Oklahoma City, OK 702,767	46.998	12 0.171 per 10k people	157 North Texas Allergy and Asthma Center	1.231 The Children's Hospital of Oklahoma	8.1
164	Omaha, NE 483,335	46.868	12 0.248 per 10k people	172.1 Prairie Allergy	0.981 Boys Town National Research Hospital	15.2
165	Palmdale, CA 161,404	46.737	1 0.062 per 10k people	29.9 Adult & Children Allergy Asthma Center	31.069 Shriners Children's Southern California	64.1
166	San Bernardino, CA 223,728	44.44	0 0 per 10k people	126.1 Adult & Children Allergy Asthma Center	85.998 Loma Linda University Children's Hospital	55.1
167	El Paso, TX 678,958	44.294	3 0.044 per 10k people	263.5 Allergy & Asthma Associates of Tucson	1.82 El Paso Children's Hospital	17.6
168	Anchorage, AK 286,075	44.253	5 0.175 per 10k people	1 Bellingham Asthma Allergy & Immunology Clinic	3.253 Providence Alaska Children's Hospital	60.9
169	Las Vegas, NV 660,929	44.115	15 0.227 per 10k people	219.1 Adult & Children Allergy Asthma Center	2.525 Sunrise Children's Hospital	20.0
170	Eugene, OR 177,899	42.927	9 0.506 per 10k people	97.8 Baker Allergy & Asthma Clinic	101.996 Doernbecher Children's Hospital	48.3
171	Columbus, GA 201,877	41.946	6 0.297 per 10k people	118.5 Chacko Allergy Asthma and Sinus Center	82.741 The Children's Hospital at The Medical Center of Central Georgia	63.3
172	Tulsa, OK 411,894	41.33	7 0.17 per 10k people	207.9 Texas Allergy MD	7.035 The Children's Hospital at Saint Francis	10.2
173	Honolulu, HI 341,778	39.587	6 0.176 per 10k people	2 Latitude Food Allergy Care	1.333 Shriners Children's Hawaii	61.0
174	Henderson, NV 337,305	39.129	5 0.148 per 10k people	220.8 Adult & Children Allergy Asthma Center	11.106 Sunrise Children's Hospital	26.2
175	Lincoln, NE 294,757	38.855	12 0.407 per 10k people	167.7 Prairie Allergy	46.685 Children's Nebraska	33.8
176	Wichita, KS 396,119	36.596	15 0.379 per 10k people	171.5 Prairie Allergy	136.603 The Children's Hospital at Saint Francis	0.0
177	Montgomery, AL 195,287	33.019	1 0.051 per 10k people	82 Pediatric & Adult Asthma and Allergy P.C	83.938 Children's of Alabama	52.7

Download Data

Cities with the Most Allergy-Friendly Grocery Stores

Heatmap of Allergy-Friendly Grocery Stores

Loading map...

Download|Share

Top 10 Cities with the Most Allergy-Friendly Grocery Stores per Capita

City	ST	Allergy-Friendly Grocery Stores w/in 10 miles	Population	Grocery Stores per 10,000 people	Overall Allergy-friendliness Rank
Jersey City	NJ	120	291,657	4.1	24
Lakewood	CO	40	155,961	2.6	101
Glendale	CA	42	187,050	2.2	36
Alexandria	VA	33	155,230	2.1	42
Bellevue	WA	32	151,574	2.1	2
Sunnyvale	CA	30	151,967	2.0	33
Garden Grove	CA	33	168,234	2.0	84
Roseville	CA	31	159,135	1.9	69
Pembroke Pines	FL	32	171,119	1.9	9
Fort Lauderdale	FL	32	184,255	1.7	10

Download Data

Jersey City, NJ, sets a remarkable standard in providing allergy-friendly grocery options, with 120 stores serving a population of just under 300,000. This translates to an impressive density of 1 store per 2,430 residents - the highest in our study.

While New York City has the highest total number of allergy-friendly stores at 128, its much larger population of 8 million dilutes its grocery store density, putting it at 1 store per 64,516 residents.

Interestingly, despite Lakewood having the second highest grocery store density in our rankings, it falls short in other areas and ranks 113th out of our 177 cities in terms of overall allergy friendliness.

The state of California dominates the list with four cities—Glendale, Sunnyvale, Garden Grove, and Roseville. South Florida also makes a notable showing with Pembroke Pines and Fort Lauderdale in this list.

Cities with Quickest Access to Healthcare

Board-Certified OIT Specialists

Loading map...

Download|Share

Children's Hospitals

Loading map...

Download|Share

Download|Share

The map provides an overview of how each state scores on childcare food allergy initiatives. These initiatives vary widely across the U.S., with some states leading in protection while others lag behind - potentially putting children at risk. Published in Elijah's Law Report for U.S. States and Territories by AAFA, the 9-point score assigned to each state reflects how well they meet critical policy standards for managing food allergies in childcare settings. These standards include requirements like having food allergy action plans, providing epinephrine, training staff, and implementing preventative measures such as cross-contact guidelines and allergen labeling.

States like New York (9/9) set the benchmark for allergy-friendly childcare policies, excelling in all nine standards. Following closely are states like Florida (8/9) and Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire,Texas, and Washington (7/9), which exhibit strong frameworks but fall short in areas like cross-contact prevention or uniform policy implementation across childcare facilities.

Mid-scoring states such as Delaware, Louisiana, andTennessee (6/9) have foundational measures in place, like emergency protocols and allergen labeling, but lack more comprehensive training and preventative strategies.

On the other end of the spectrum, low-scoring states, such as Ohio, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota, South Carolina, South Dakota (1/9) and territories like American Samoa, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands (0/9) fail to meet even the most basic standards. These gaps leave children with food allergies vulnerable to preventable risks, such as cross-contact and delayed emergency responses.

GGM Food Allergy-Friendliness Rating

To help families navigate the best and worst locations for managing food allergies, we developed a clear rating system that classifies cities and states into four tiers: Good, Above Average, Below Average, and Bad.

Food Allergy-Friendly City Rating

From a city perspective, "Good" cities offer exceptional support for managing food allergies, while "Above Average" cities perform well but lack comprehensive resources. "Below Average" cities have one or more significant gaps in allergy-friendly resources, and "Bad" cities provide minimal support for managing food allergies.

Download|Share

Food-Allergy Friendly State Rating

Even though our statewide narrative is calculated slightly differently, it paints a similar picture. Higher-ranking states have more cities that are rated “Good” or “Above Average,” while lower-ranking states have a higher concentration of cities on the lower end of our city ranking.

CA	72.431	OAK FRE SF SV GLN SAC LB SJ HWD STO LA RSV SAL SA GG EG ANA HB IRV FON FRE RC ONT SD CV MOD SR OXN COR SC MV OCE RIV BAK LAN PAL SB
TX	62.059	LUB ATX FRI GRL PLN DEN IRV DAL MCK SAT FW GP HOU ARL CC KIL AMA LRD BRN ELP
FL	85.886	HWFL PPFL FLL ORL MIA STP HIA JAX TPA CC PSL TLH
AZ	46.534	SDL TMP MES GIL CHN PHX GLD PEO TUS SUR
NC	69.455	GBO CLT DUR WS CAR RAL FAY
TN	62.931	CHA KNX BNA MEM MB CLK
VA	66.331	ORF ALX NPN RIC VB CHK
CO	51.497	AUR DEN LW COS FC
OH	64.659	AKR CMH CIN CLE TOL
WA	62.859	BV SEA TAC VAN SPO
AL	38.238	BHM MOB HSV MGM
GA	47.386	ATL MAC AUG CSG
IL	66.693	NAP CHI AUR JOL
KS	34.041	OP KCK ICT
LA	51.828	NOLA SHV BR
MA	83.266	BOS SPF WOR
MO	47.459	STL KCMO SPR
NJ	79.928	PTR NWK JC
NV	35.028	RNO LV HND
NY	82.169	NYC BUF ROC
OR	50.083	PDX SLM EUG
IN	56.5	IND FW
KY	35.555	LOU LEX
MI	58.121	GR DET
MN	58.01	STP MPLS
NE	17.89	OMA LNK
OK	18.172	OKC TUL
PA	67.383	PHL PIT
WI	38.359	MKE MSN
AK	9.845	ANC
AR	17.955	LR
DC	-	DC
HI	30.259	HNL
IA	26.441	DSM
ID	35.959	BOI
MD	65.448	BAL
NM	23.366	ABQ
RI	46.69	PVD
SC	51.297	CHS
SD	6.993	SF
UT	53.014	SLC

Good

Above Average

Below Average

Bad

Download Data

Data and Methodology

In order to determine the best places for kids and families with food allergies, we sought to have a data-driven approach based specifically on quality-of-life factors that impact the children and families navigating living with food allergies. Our research and rankings are based on 5 key variables:

Local access to quality grocery stores that stock allergy-friendly options
Proximity to Emergency Healthcare (Access to Children's Hospitals in case of an emergency)
Allergy Treatment Options (Access to board-certified allergists that specialize in food allergies)
Statewide Childcare Policies that specifically address managing food allergies and anaphylaxis in a classroom or childcare setting.
Environmental factors that affect food allergy or complications with seasonal allergies in general

City Selection Criteria

Our study began with a directory of all 50 U.S. states and over 15,000 U.S. cities. To ensure meaningful comparisons, we focused on ranking 177 cities with populations exceeding 150,000.

We focused on cities with populations over 150,000 to ensure data reliability and fair comparisons. Larger cities tend to have more diverse populations, better infrastructure, and more actionable insights for families managing food allergies.

Data Sources and Key Metrics

We evaluated each city using five primary metrics, chosen for their relevance to food allergy management:

Allergy-Friendly Grocery Stores

We sought out some of the most well-known allergy-friendly food supply brands and got access to their store locators to determine more than 6,000 high-quality grocery stores across the U.S. where their product is sold.
We then cross-referenced this information with the geolocation of a city to find the number of grocery stores offering allergy-friendly products within a 10-mile radius of the city center.
Per Capita Metric: Grocery stores per 10,000 residents, adjusted to reflect population differences.

Proximity to Emergency Healthcare (Children's Hospital)

Food-allergy-related emergencies involving children (anaphylaxis or hypovolemic shock) can quickly become life-threatening and pediatric hospitals are uniquely equipped to handle these critical situations with expertise tailored to young patients. This is why proximity to Children's Hospital was chosen as a metric to assess access to emergency care.
We used Logarithmic distance for the final calculations to eliminate outliers.

Source: Children's Hospital Association

Allergy Treatment (Oral Immunotherapy Specialist)

Since Oral Immunotherapy (OIT) is one of the leading treatment options for food allergies, we identified board-certified OIT allergists nationwide to find allergists that specialize in food allergies in particular.
We used Logarithmic distance for the final calculations to eliminate outliers.

Source: Food Allergy Support Team

Statewide Childcare Policies

A score out of 9 evaluating state-level policies that address food allergies and anaphylactic procedures in childcare and school settings.

Source: Elijah's Law Report for U.S. States and Territories by AAFA

Hybrid Allergy City Score

A composite metric combining proximity to cities ranked as “Good” and “Bad” Allergy Capitals by the AAFA (Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America).
Cities closer to “Good” Allergy Capitals and farther from “Bad” Allergy Capitals scored higher.
The AAFA study focuses on asthma and seasonal allergies rather than food allergies. However, we included this data in our food allergy study because many children with food allergies either already experience or are more likely to develop asthma or seasonal allergies in the future.

Source: AAFA Allergy Capitals report

For the state ranking section, our methods differed slightly.

For the first metric, we used the total land area of a state and compared the total number of Allergy-Friendly Grocery Stores within the boundaries of a state. We calculated the density of Grocery Stores Per 100 square miles for each state

A count-based approach was chosen for metrics 2 and 3 (Proximity to Emergency Healthcare and Allergy Treatment Options). We looked at how many pediatric hospitals and OIT specialists were located within the boundaries of a state. Then, the density per 100 square miles was used for both metrics.

Since metric 4 (Statewide Childcare Policies) is already a statewide perspective, this did not need to be reconsidered.

Finally, we introduced a new fifth metric instead of the Hybrid Allergy City Score. To account for statewide environmental factors, we used Statewide Pollen Count (PPM) as the final statewide metric, as found in Wyndly's 2023 Pollen Allergy Report.

Scoring and Weighting

To create fair and meaningful rankings, we assigned weighted scores to each metric, normalizing all data on a 0–100 scale. Higher scores indicate better support for families managing food allergies.

Each category was assigned a weight based on its importance to families managing food allergies. Greater weight was given to healthcare access, particularly the distance to Oral Immunotherapy (OIT) specialists (34.48%), as access to specialized care is one of the most critical factors in managing food allergies. The final weights were distributed as follows:"

Category	Weight	Percentage of Total Weight
Allergy-friendly Grocery Options	10	17.24%
Proximity to Certified Oral Immunotherapy Specialists	20	34.48%
Proximity to Children's Hospitals	10	17.24%
Statewide Anaphylaxis Childcare Policy Rating	10	17.24%
Environmental Factors (Hybrid Allergy City Score or Statewide Pollen Count)	8	13.79%
Total	58	100%

Logarithmic transformations were applied to healthcare proximity metrics to minimize the impact of outliers, ensuring cities with extreme distances did not disproportionately affect rankings.

Final Ranking Calculation

Each city's Final Score was determined by combining its weighted scores across all five metrics. Based on their Final Scores, cities were classified into four descriptive rating categories: Good, Above Average, Below Average, and Bad.

Limitations

While our study aims to provide actionable insights, there are a few limitations to consider:

Cities with smaller populations (<150,000) were excluded, potentially overlooking exceptional smaller communities.
Grocery store and healthcare proximity metrics assume the city center as the reference point, which may not reflect the experience of all residents.

GGM Ratings for Allergy-Friendly Cities and States: Understanding the Metrics

The adjective ratings provide a straightforward way to understand how cities and states performed in terms of allergy-friendliness. These descriptors—Good, Above Average, Below Average, and Bad—were assigned based on overall performance across our ranking factors. Here's what each rating signifies:

Good: Cities that stand out with exceptional resources and infrastructure to support families managing food allergies. These cities performed significantly above average across most categories.
Above Average: Cities that exceed the average in key areas but may lack the comprehensive support seen in "Good" cities.
Below Average: Cities with noticeable gaps in allergy-friendly resources compared to the average, making allergy management more challenging.
Bad: Cities that fall short across most categories, failing to offer key support for managing food allergies.

Questions about our study? Contact us at questions@greatguysmoving.email