In Macon County, about 55 new HIV diagnoses per 100,000 residents are reported, well above the US average: if you've had a recent risk or test regularly in Cotton Valley, Alabama, your testing options vary by cost and speed: community and public clinics are often low-cost or free, while private labs tend to offer faster results and more flexible scheduling. Find your options listed below.
Available testing centers
7 testing options are listed for Cotton Valley, AL. The nearest, Community Hospital, is about 9.5 miles away. Compare community and public clinics, private labs, and at-home kits below.
Listings tagged Community health center are federally funded health centers and rural clinics that treat everyone regardless of insurance or ability to pay: required to bill on a sliding fee scale and provide confidential care, and in many states minors may consent to their own STI testing. A Title X tag flags centers funded for confidential family-planning services; confirm current participation when you call.
Source: CMS FQHC & Rural Health Clinic enrollment files (data.cms.gov), refreshed quarterly. Title X status reflects the latest OPA grantee list.
A community safety-net rural health clinic about 10 miles from Cotton Valley. Sliding-scale STD testing and care are typical here, call ahead to confirm the exact panel and pricing.
Tests offered
A public safety-net rural health clinic about 10 miles from Cotton Valley. Sliding-scale STD testing and care are typical here, call ahead to confirm the exact panel and pricing.
Tests offered
Quality of Life Health Services in Tuskegee runs STI care on an appointment basis, meaning scheduled visits that cover gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, herpes, and HIV testing alongside same-visit bacterial treatment, HPV and hepatitis A/B vaccines, and sliding-scale fees accepted alongside Medicaid, Medicare, and insurance.
Languages
English
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Mar 2026 · Source: CDC NPIN
Free tool · not a clinic
Testing too soon can miss an infection. Enter the date of possible exposure to see the earliest a test can reliably detect each STI.
| Infection | Earliest reliable test | Conclusive after |
|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia | 7 days after exposure | 14 days after exposure |
| Gonorrhea | 7 days after exposure | 14 days after exposure |
| Trichomoniasis | 7 days after exposure | 28 days after exposure |
| HIV (NAT / RNA) | 10 days after exposure | 33 days after exposure |
| HIV (4th-gen Ag/Ab) | 18 days after exposure | 45 days after exposure |
| HIV (antibody) | 21 days after exposure | 84 days after exposure |
| Syphilis | 21 days after exposure | 42 days after exposure |
| Hepatitis B | 21 days after exposure | 42 days after exposure |
| Hepatitis C | 56 days after exposure | 77 days after exposure |
| Herpes (HSV) | 28 days after exposure | 112 days after exposure |
Guidance only, confirm timing with a clinician. A negative result before the conclusive date may need a repeat test.
Typical out-of-pocket ranges by option, actual cost depends on which tests you need.
Public / community clinic
Free HIV testing is common
Private lab (self-pay)
Never billed to insurance
At-home kit
Mailed to your door, private
Doctor / urgent care
Often $0 preventive with insurance
No centers match those filters. Clear the service-type filter or the opening-hours filters to see every center.
Every other option
Beyond the dedicated testing centers above: at-home kits by mail, hospital labs certified for STI testing, local clinicians who can order a panel during a regular visit, pharmacies for self-test kits and prescriptions, and online PrEP & treatment.
Test from home
The nearest testing center is about 10 miles away; if you'd rather skip the trip, an at-home kit ships to Cotton Valley, you collect the sample privately, and mail it back to a CLIA-certified lab. Results come online in days, with a clinician available if anything is positive. Same labs as a clinic, no waiting room, and you can read how accurate at-home STD tests are before you order.
Want a free option first? The CDC-supported TakeMeHome (opens in a new tab) program mails free at-home HIV self-test kits, and, in many areas, free STI kits, to your door, with no insurance or payment needed. The paid kits below add broader panels and faster turnaround.
In-home collection
$79 & up
Best range: couples & full panels
$79 & up
Best value: single tests
$49 & up
Every kit uses CLIA-certified labs. At-home testing is for screening; a reactive result should be confirmed and treated by a clinician. Prices and panels shown are illustrative and change often, confirm current details on the provider's site.
Also in the area
Beyond the public testing sites above, these federally certified (CLIA) labs serve Macon County, each lab's town is shown on its card below. Many test through a doctor's order or by appointment rather than walk-in, so call ahead to confirm STD/STI testing and availability before visiting.
2400 Hospital Rd Building 4 Room 330, Tuskegee, AL 36083
CMS-certified lab Accredited · College of American Pathologists
Source: CMS CLIA registry (Provider of Services), Q1 2026. Federal public records: active CLIA-certified laboratories near Cotton Valley. A CLIA certificate records only that a laboratory is federally certified — it does not confirm the site performs STD testing, nor its hours, price or access. Inclusion is not an endorsement; always call to verify.
Local clinicians
Beyond dedicated clinics, 190 primary-care, OB-GYN, infectious-disease and other clinicians have a CMS practice record within 30 miles of Cotton Valley. They may be able to evaluate symptoms or order a confidential STD panel during a regular visit, and 26 offer telehealth.
Marguerite Barber-Owens, MD
Internal medicine · 3805 West Mlk Highway, Tuskegee
Tahir Siddiq
Internal medicine · 308 Prairie Street North, Union Springs
Jeffrey Allman, DO
Family medicine · 102 Conecuh Avenue West, Union Springs
John Porter, DO Telehealth
Internal medicine · 115 Herren Hill Road, Tallassee
Van Millin, DO
Family medicine · 805 Friendship Road, Tallassee
Vasant Temull, MD
Internal medicine · 80 Herren Hill Road, Tallassee
These are registry-listed clinicians, not dedicated STD-testing clinics. CMS records do not independently verify current licensure, testing services, availability, price, or new-patient status. Confirm each detail before booking. Source: CMS Doctors & Clinicians.
Nearby pharmacies
No pharmacy near Cotton Valley, AL publishes an STD-related service or holds a current CLIA testing certificate, so these are simply the closest. Contact a location directly to confirm counter hours, services, prices, and availability before visiting.
Hurtsboro Drugs
8.8 miTuskegee Quality Pharmacy
8.8 mi
9.0 mi Omega Drugs
9.0 miCentral Care Pharmacy
9.1 miMain Drug
10 miShowing the 6 closest pharmacies to Cotton Valley, AL.
Directory records identify nearby pharmacies. Service, stock, price, and hours information is shown only when supported by current location-specific evidence.
Prevention & treatment
Testing is one step. For residents of Cotton Valley, telehealth covers the rest: HIV-prevention medication (PrEP) and DoxyPEP to lower future risk, and discreet online treatment if a result comes back positive. All prescribed by licensed U.S. clinicians.
$0 with most insurance
Free online PrEP & DoxyPEP: HIV prevention, home lab kits, no in-person visit
Visit from $0 insured
Telehealth STI treatment and sexual-health care, delivered or to your pharmacy
Visit from $39
Online STI treatment & DoxyPEP: same-day prescriptions to your pharmacy
From $0 insured
Telehealth PrEP & DoxyPEP with at-home testing and ongoing monitoring
Pricing varies by insurance and changes often, confirm on the provider's site. These services are not a substitute for emergency care.
STD stats & rates
How reported STI rates in Macon County, the county that includes Cotton Valley, compare with Alabama and U.S. averages, based on the most recent 2023 surveillance data. An estimated ~38% of residents are aged 15–34 (ACS), the age group with the highest reported chlamydia and gonorrhea rates nationally.
#7 of 67 Alabama counties for chlamydia, a higher rate than 90% of the state
| Infection | Macon County | Alabama | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia | 1023.4 188 cases ▲ 57% | 651.1 | 492.2 |
| Gonorrhea | 304.8 56 cases ▲ 34% | 226.9 | 179.5 |
| Syphilis (P&S) | 32.7 6 cases ▲ 14% | 28.6 | 15.8 |
| Syphilis (early) | 59.9 11 cases ▲ 194% | 20.4 | 16 |
| Syphilis (late/unknown) | 49 9 cases ▲ 100% | 24.5 | 29.5 |
Rates per 100,000 population, 2023. Source: CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus (county, state & U.S., all-ages basis). Population figures: U.S. Census Bureau ACS. These figures are the latest available surveillance estimates. Bars are scaled to the highest rate shown.
Reading these numbers: reported case rates only count infections that were actually tested for and diagnosed, so they track local screening effort as much as true spread: a higher rate can reflect more testing, a lower one less. Either way, most STIs cause no symptoms, so treat the figures above as context rather than a verdict, and test on the CDC's schedule regardless of how your area looks.
Between 2020 and 2023 in Macon County, chlamydia has risen from 732.1 to 1023.4 per 100,000 (40%), gonorrhea has fallen from 435.2 to 304.8 per 100,000 (30%), and P&S syphilis has risen from 5.1 to 32.7 per 100,000 (541%).
The 2020 dip reflects reduced pandemic-era screening, not lower transmission. Source: CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus (county, state & U.S., all-ages basis).
Community health context
Sources: CDC PLACES (ZIP), County Health Rankings, CDC/ATSDR SVI, HRSA HPSA, HRSA MUA/P, Neighborhood Atlas ADI. Lower insurance coverage, fewer routine checkups, and a thin primary-care ratio all raise the value of low-cost public clinics and at-home testing in Macon County.
Local HIV snapshot
Federal priority area: Alabama is one of the U.S. jurisdictions prioritized under the Ending the HIV Epidemic initiative: targeted federal funding to expand local HIV testing, PrEP, and prevention.
Macon County HIV care continuum (2022)
Macon County recorded 55 new HIV diagnoses per 100,000 (2022), against 16.5 statewide and 13.7 nationally. Among Macon County residents living with HIV, 81.3% are in care · 68.1% are virally suppressed. Early, routine testing is what moves these numbers: it is the entry point to PrEP, treatment, and viral suppression.
Sources: AIDSVu (Emory/Gilead) · CDC AHEAD · CDC AtlasPlus · CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus (county care continuum). The CDC recommends everyone aged 13–64 test for HIV at least once: every lab and clinic listed above offers HIV testing, and free rapid HIV testing is available at a local health department.
Congenital syphilis, passed from parent to baby in pregnancy, is the fastest-rising STI in the country. U.S. cases climbed from 2,163 in 2020 to 3,882 in 2023. It is almost entirely preventable: the CDC recommends a syphilis test at the first prenatal visit, and every clinic and lab listed for Macon County tests for syphilis.
Source: CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus, 2023 (county-level congenital syphilis is not published).
Local resources & officials
Data & references
Local context
Cotton Valley's east-side streets carry the rhythm of a place where more than half of households own their homes outright yet a significant share still rent, often at rents well under the state average, while unemployment runs high enough that a substantial portion of working-age residents are between jobs or out of the labor market entirely. That economic pressure is real: when money is tight and schedules are unpredictable, a clinic visit competes with gas, groceries, and whatever shift might finally come through. That reality matters most for younger adults, people in their late teens and twenties who make up a disproportionately large slice of Cotton Valley's population and who account for the overwhelming majority of new STI diagnoses everywhere in Macon County.
With nearly half of households unmarried and average household size small, many of those younger residents are navigating sexual health decisions largely on their own, without a built-in support structure pushing them toward regular screening. The city's near-total car dependence means a testing visit requires deliberate planning: a working vehicle, a clear window in the week, and enough confidence that the trip is worth it. The options listed on this page include a range of hours and cost structures, so there's a reasonable chance one fits the financial and logistical realities of a $692-a-month budget in ways that don't require treating a routine test like a rare errand.
Getting there
At 5.27/20 on the EPA walkability index, day-to-day errands in Cotton Valley generally mean driving: plan on a car or rideshare to reach a clinic, and check each listing's hours and phone before you go.
Source: EPA National Walkability Index 2021.
ZIP 36083 snapshot
ZIP-level Census figures for the wider 36083 area around Cotton Valley: a single ZIP can span several communities, so they describe the area, not Cotton Valley alone.
Nearby cities & towns
Just outside Cotton Valley? These nearby communities have their own testing guides: clinics, at-home kits, and free screening close to home.
Reference
Everything to know before you test in Macon County: the CDC's screening guidelines, each infection's detection window, per-test reference prices, and your privacy rights under Alabama law. If you have symptoms right now, our confidential symptom checker maps them to the tests worth considering.
Based on current CDC screening recommendations.
| Group | Tests | How often |
|---|---|---|
| Everyone aged 13–64 | HIV | At least once |
| Sexually active women under 25 | Chlamydia, gonorrhea | Every year |
| Women 25+ with new or multiple partners | Chlamydia, gonorrhea | Every year |
| Pregnant people | HIV, syphilis, hepatitis B & C, chlamydia | Early in pregnancy |
| Gay & bisexual men (MSM) | Chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, HIV | Every 3–6 months |
| Anyone who shares injection equipment | HIV, hepatitis B & C | At least yearly |
| All adults at least once | Hepatitis C | At least once |
Testing too early can return a false negative, confirm timing with a Cotton Valley-area provider.
| Infection | Earliest reliable test | Sample |
|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia | 1–2 weeks | Urine or swab |
| Gonorrhea | 1–2 weeks | Urine or swab |
| Trichomoniasis | 1–4 weeks | Urine or swab |
| HIV (NAT / RNA) | 10–33 days | Blood |
| HIV (4th-gen Ag/Ab) | 18–45 days | Blood |
| HIV (antibody) | 3–12 weeks | Blood / oral |
| Syphilis | 3–6 weeks | Blood |
| Hepatitis B | 3–6 weeks | Blood |
| Hepatitis C | 8–11 weeks | Blood |
| Herpes (HSV) | 4–16 weeks (antibody); swab a sore | Blood / swab |
These are the federal Medicare reference prices for processing each lab test. Public clinics and the community health centers serving Cotton Valley often test free or on a sliding scale; private labs and at-home kits bundle several tests into one fee. Use this as a per-test benchmark before you pay out of pocket, or see the full guide to STD test costs for insurance, free, and at-home options.
| Test | Reference price | CPT / HCPCS |
|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia (NAAT) | $47.80 | 87491 |
| Gonorrhea (NAAT) | $47.80 | 87591 |
| Trichomoniasis (NAAT) | $47.76 | 87661 |
| HIV-1/2 antigen/antibody | $26.87 | 87389 |
| HIV-1/2 antibody | $22.44 | 86703 |
| Syphilis (RPR/VDRL) | $5.61 | 86592 |
| Syphilis (treponemal antibody) | $17.49 | 86780 |
| Herpes (HSV NAAT) | $47.76 | 87529 |
| Hepatitis B surface antigen | $15.33 | 87340 |
| Hepatitis C antibody | $29.16 | 86803 |
Source: Medicare Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule, CMS, 2025 rates (data.cms.gov). Reference rate for the lab assay only: a clinic visit, sample collection, or a bundled multi-test panel may cost more. Medicaid and most insurers cover STD screening at no out-of-pocket cost.
Two things that actually depend on Alabama law: who can consent, and whether partners can be treated without their own visit. Everything else about testing privately is the same nationwide (see below).
In Alabama, a minor aged 12 or older can consent to confidential STI testing and treatment on their own, no parental permission is required.
Alabama permits Expedited Partner Therapy (EPT): if you test positive for chlamydia or gonorrhea, your provider can give you medication (or a prescription) to pass to your partner, no separate exam or appointment needed for them.
Keeping a test private works the same in every state. Whether an STD test shows on insurance (the EOB), how to test anonymously, and self-pay options that leave no insurance trail don’t change by location.
Learn more about confidential STD testing in AlabamaSource: Guttmacher Institute, Minors' Access to STI Services; CDC, Legal Status of Expedited Partner Therapy. General information, not legal advice.
Good to Know
Answers to the questions people ask most before getting tested.
Tuskegee, AL is a nearby town with options, the listing shows each one's distance so you can pick the closest.
Yes, Medicaid typically covers it.
Public clinics serve people without insurance, often on a sliding scale.
A full panel typically covers chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, HIV, and hepatitis B and C.
Macon County reported ~1,023 chlamydia cases per 100,000 in 2023, above the Alabama average.
In Alabama, people under 18 can consent to confidential STD testing and treatment on their own.
No, standard bloodwork doesn't include STIs unless you ask, so request STD testing specifically.
Yes, syphilis is cured with antibiotics (usually penicillin), and earlier treatment prevents long-term damage.
Many STIs are fully cured with antibiotics; others, like HIV and herpes, are well managed with treatment.
Use condoms, test regularly, get the HPV and hep B vaccines, and ask about PrEP for HIV.
Have a different question? Browse the full STD & STI FAQ library, every question we answer, in one place.