Chlamydia reports are about 54% lower than the US average in Houston County, Minnesota. Whether you have symptoms or just want peace of mind, you can choose between clinics which may bill insurance or offer sliding-scale fees, and private labs that charge a flat self-pay price. You'll find options to weigh below.
Available testing centers
No STD testing centers are located in Houston, MN. The nearest, Labcorp, is about 111.8 miles away. At-home STD kits and online lab tests ship to your ZIP; compare private labs and at-home kits below.
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 112 miles away; if you'd rather skip the trip, an at-home kit ships to Houston, 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 Houston 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.
226 North Second Street, La Crescent, MN 55947
CMS-certified lab
Source: CMS CLIA registry (Provider of Services), Q1 2026. Federal public records: active CLIA-certified laboratories near Houston. 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, 202 primary-care, OB-GYN, infectious-disease and other clinicians have a CMS practice record within 30 miles of Houston. They may be able to evaluate symptoms or order a confidential STD panel during a regular visit, and 107 offer telehealth.
Randi Berg, MD Telehealth
Family medicine · 511 East Maple Street, Houston
Kamel Gharaibeh, MD Telehealth
Internal medicine · 123 Southeast 5th Avenue, Spring Grove
David Baumann, MD Telehealth
Family medicine · 226 2nd Street North, Lacrescent
Kimberly Hardy, MD Telehealth
Family medicine · 2575 South 7th Street, La Crosse
Michael Witcik, MD
Internal medicine · 710 Denton Street, La Crosse
Cheng Her, MD
Family medicine · 230 Pine Street, La Crosse
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 Houston, MN 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.
Rushford Drug
0.4 miSterling 26
8.9 miCaledonia Drugs
9.4 miSterling 24
9.7 miWitts Pharmacy
9.8 miShowing the 5 closest pharmacies to Houston, MN.
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 Houston, 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.
Visit from $0 insured
Telehealth STI treatment and sexual-health care, delivered or to your pharmacy
$0 with most insurance
Free online PrEP & DoxyPEP: HIV prevention, home lab kits, no in-person visit
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 Houston County, the county that includes Houston, compare with Minnesota and U.S. averages, based on the most recent 2023 surveillance data. An estimated ~28% of residents are aged 15–34 (ACS), the age group with the highest reported chlamydia and gonorrhea rates nationally.
#39 of 87 Minnesota counties for chlamydia, a higher rate than 55% of the state
| Infection | Houston County | Minnesota | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia | 226 42 cases ▼ 40% | 379.5 | 492.2 |
| Gonorrhea | 16.1 3 cases ▼ 88% | 134.5 | 179.5 |
| Syphilis (P&S) | — no data | 8.7 | 15.8 |
| Syphilis (early) | — no data | 6.7 | 16 |
| Syphilis (late/unknown) | — no data | 14.7 | 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 Houston County, chlamydia has risen from 201.7 to 226 per 100,000 (12%), and gonorrhea has fallen from 100.8 to 16.1 per 100,000 (84%).
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 Houston County.
Local HIV snapshot
Houston County HIV care continuum (2023)
Houston County recorded 0 new HIV diagnoses per 100,000 (2023), against 6.7 statewide and 13.7 nationally. Among Houston County residents living with HIV, 100% are in care · 100% 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 Houston County tests for syphilis.
Source: CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus, 2023 (county-level congenital syphilis is not published).
Local resources & officials
Data & references
Local context
Along West Cedar Street, where a meaningful share of households rent rather than own, often at some of the most affordable monthly rates in the region, younger adults navigating early careers or shifting relationships tend to stay close to home rather than commute far for routine care. That life stage, the late-teens-through-late-twenties stretch when people are forming new partnerships and often moving between living situations, is also when STI rates run highest, and when scheduling anything that requires driving out of town feels like a genuine obstacle. Houston's household picture is more settled than many comparably sized towns: nearly half of adults are married, and average households run larger than the state norm.
But that snapshot coexists with a sizable renter population and a labor-force participation rate that puts most working-age residents on the clock during standard clinic hours. When a meaningful portion of the workforce is already stretched, and unemployment here runs above what you'd find in metro corridors, an afternoon off for a screening appointment carries a real cost. Knowing that ahead of time, rather than assuming a clinic is a short walk away, is what actually determines whether someone books the appointment at all.
Getting there
At 5.77/20 on the EPA walkability index, day-to-day errands in Houston 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 55943 snapshot
ZIP-level Census figures for the wider 55943 area around Houston: a single ZIP can span several communities, so they describe the area, not Houston alone.
Houston sits in Houston County, ZIP 55943. Local context that shapes where residents test:
Local landmarks
Major routes
Nearby cities & towns
Just outside Houston? 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 Houston County: the CDC's screening guidelines, each infection's detection window, per-test reference prices, and your privacy rights under Minnesota 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 Houston-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 Houston 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 Minnesota 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 Minnesota, a minor of any age can consent to confidential STI testing and treatment on their own, no parental permission is required.
Minnesota 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 MinnesotaSource: 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.
Nearest is Labcorp, about 111.8 mi away. An at-home kit shipped to 55943 also works.
Yes, Medicaid typically covers it.
A full panel typically covers chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, HIV, and hepatitis B and C.
Houston County reported ~226 chlamydia cases per 100,000 in 2023, below the Minnesota average.
In Minnesota, people under 18 can consent to confidential STD testing and treatment on their own.
A kit ships to your address; you collect a urine, swab, or finger-stick sample, mail it to the lab, and get results online in a few days.
Chlamydia is checked with a simple urine sample or a swab; lab results usually come back in a day or two.
Herpes isn't curable, but daily or as-needed antiviral medicine controls outbreaks and lowers the chance of passing it on.
Usually urine or a swab for chlamydia/gonorrhea, and blood for HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis.
Most HIV tests detect infection about 2–6 weeks out depending on the test type; a later retest confirms a negative.
Have a different question? Browse the full STD & STI FAQ library, every question we answer, in one place.