It’s Harder to Catch a Cold in New Haven Than You Might Think

When you think of places where you’re most likely to catch a cold, you might picture crowded areas or college dorms, right? But it turns out, your city could actually be a big factor too.

Get our free mobile app

Thanks to some fun analysis by the Leighton School of Nursing at Marian University, we’ve got a list of cities that might have you reaching for the tissues more than others.

They looked at a bunch of things like cold weather, dry air, and the number of kids running around (because, let’s face it, kids are gross, mobile Petri dishes). This ranking comes from several data sources, and it’s all for fun—no medical professionals were consulted. In fairness, neither was I, the least they could do is pick up the phone.

The study ranked 100 cities across the U.S. based on 15 different factors that could influence your chances of getting sick. So, here’s what they found about the cities where you’re most likely (and least likely) to catch a cold.

Top 5 Cities Where You're Most Likely to Catch a Cold

1. Bakersfield, CA
2. McAllen, TX
3. El Paso, TX
4. Philadelphia, PA
5. Las Vegas, NV

And believe it or not, New Haven, CT landed on the list of cities where you're least likely to catch a cold. In fact, here are the cities where you're least likely to get sick:

Top 6 Cities Where You're Least Likely to Catch a Cold

1. Wilmington, NC
2. Madison, WI
3. Honolulu, HI
4. Raleigh, NC
5. San Jose, CA
6. New Haven, CT

So, if you're looking for the best place to avoid the sniffles, you might want to consider one of those top cities. But no matter where you are, remember that good hygiene can go a long way AKA Wash Dat Ass.

Check out the full list of cities here. 

P.S. The next time someone sneezes, just say “God bless you” — that’s the real cure! What ever happened to God Bless You? If you don't say God Bless, You when someone sneezes you should be shipped to Siberia forever. Whether you believe in God or not, it's just the polite thing to do.