Reported chlamydia in Union County runs about 20% lower than the US average. Whether it's your first STI test or a routine screening, you'll find local clinics and private labs for STI testing in Houston, North Carolina. Clinics may bill insurance or offer sliding-scale fees, while many private labs let you pay a flat self-pay price — see your options below.
Available testing centers
7 testing options are listed for Houston, NC. The nearest, ARMS Union, is about 5.9 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.
ARMS Union, in Monroe, structures fees on a sliding scale tied to income, ensuring cost doesn't block care. Its federally qualified health center status backs that commitment. Walk-in STI screening covers syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia without an appointment required.
Tests offered
Fees & payment
Union County Health Department in Monroe grounds STI care in public health infrastructure, offering free HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, gonorrhea, chlamydia, and syphilis testing alongside same-visit bacterial treatment. All by appointment, all at no charge on a sliding scale.
Fee-waived clinics typically limit zero-cost access to a narrow set of tests, billing for anything beyond. At Union County Health Department, the no-fee structure extends across the entire visit (testing, treatment, and preventive services) without carving out exceptions.
Union County Health Department provides services directly in Spanish and through interpretation for other languages, meaning clinical conversations about testing decisions, treatment plans, and prevention options happen with full fluency. Not filtered through a secondary channel that slows or simplifies the exchange.
Union County Health Department prescribes DoxyPEP, the post-exposure antibiotic regimen that reduces bacterial STI transmission, directly at the clinic, so leaving with a prevention strategy in hand is part of a standard appointment rather than a separate errand.
Languages
English, Interpretation Services Available for Non-English Languages, Spanish
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Nov 2025 · Source: CDC NPIN
Kintegra at Atrium Women's Center - Monroe earns its federal health center designation by tying fees to what patients actually earn, nobody is turned away for inability to pay. Walk-ins are welcome for STI screening covering syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia.
Tests offered
Fees & payment
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 6 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 for simplicity & support
$89 & up
Best range: couples & full panels
$79 & 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 Union 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.
600 Hospital Drive, Monroe, NC 28112
CMS-certified lab Accredited · College of American Pathologists
1550 Faulk Street Suite 1500, Monroe, NC 28112
CMS-certified lab Accredited · College of American Pathologists
1106 Reynolds Street, Monroe, NC 28112
CMS-certified lab
1420 East Franklin Street, Monroe, NC 28112
CMS-certified lab
701 East Roosevelt Boulevard, Suite 200A, Monroe, NC 28112
CMS-certified lab
Showing the nearest 5 CLIA-certified labs.
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, 1,279 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 516 offer telehealth.
Michael Camp, MD Telehealth
Internal medicine · 1423 East Franklin Street, Monroe
Marvin Knight, MD Telehealth
Internal medicine · 1423 East Franklin Street, Monroe
Mukti Patel-Prineas, MD Telehealth
Family medicine · 1212 East Sunset Drive, Monroe
Benedict Okwara, MD
Internal medicine · 404 South Sutherland Avenue, Monroe
Jacquelyne Murray, MD Telehealth
Family medicine · 1480 Wesley Chapel Road, Indian Trail
Jay Singh, MD Telehealth
Internal medicine · 600 Hospital Drive, Monroe
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, NC 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.
Mineral Springs Pharmacy
2.7 miMonroe Family Pharmacy
4.6 mi
4.7 mi 
4.9 mi 
5.0 mi Showing the 5 closest pharmacies to Houston, NC.
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 $39
Online STI treatment & DoxyPEP: same-day prescriptions to your pharmacy
From $0 insured
Telehealth PrEP & DoxyPEP with at-home testing and ongoing monitoring
$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
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 Union County, the county that includes Houston, compare with North Carolina and U.S. averages, based on the most recent 2023 surveillance data. An estimated ~25% of residents are aged 15–34 (ACS), the age group with the highest reported chlamydia and gonorrhea rates nationally.
#57 of 100 North Carolina counties for chlamydia, a higher rate than 43% of the state
| Infection | Union County | North Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia | 392.7 1,007 cases ▼ 35% | 607.9 | 492.2 |
| Gonorrhea | 113.1 290 cases ▼ 53% | 243.2 | 179.5 |
| Syphilis (P&S) | 9 23 cases ▼ 55% | 19.9 | 15.8 |
| Syphilis (early) | 8.2 21 cases ▼ 48% | 15.8 | 16 |
| Syphilis (late/unknown) | 9.4 24 cases ▼ 61% | 24 | 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 Union County, chlamydia has fallen from 406.3 to 392.7 per 100,000 (3%), gonorrhea has fallen from 123.4 to 113.1 per 100,000 (8%), and P&S syphilis has risen from 4.6 to 9 per 100,000 (96%).
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 Union County.
Local HIV snapshot
Union County HIV care continuum (2023)
Union County recorded 7 new HIV diagnoses per 100,000 (2023), against 15.1 statewide and 13.7 nationally. Among Union County residents living with HIV, 83.4% are in care · 78.5% 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 Union County tests for syphilis.
Source: CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus, 2023 (county-level congenital syphilis is not published).
Local resources & officials
Data & references
Local context
Mineral Springs Park anchors a quieter corner of Houston where most households have owned their homes for years, a stability that shapes daily rhythms but doesn't automatically translate into routine preventive care. Union County's STI rates reflect a pattern seen across similarly sized communities: younger adults in their late teens and twenties account for a disproportionate share of new diagnoses, and in a town where getting anywhere means driving NC 75 or NC 200, a clinic that's inconvenient to reach on a weekday simply doesn't get visited. That driving reality matters more here than it might elsewhere.
Nearly two-thirds of residents are in the labor force, and for the roughly one-in-four households renting at rents that crowd a monthly budget, an out-of-pocket testing fee without insurance coverage can quietly become the reason a test gets postponed another month. The options listed on this page exist across a range of costs and hours precisely because no single slot works for everyone. Houston's mix of established homeowners, younger renters near Weddington Road, and households at every income tier means the right clinic is usually the one that fits Tuesday's actual calendar, and several of those options here do.
Getting there
At 5.66/20 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 28112 snapshot
ZIP-level Census figures for the wider 28112 area around Houston: a single ZIP can span several communities, so they describe the area, not Houston alone.
Houston sits in Union County, ZIP 28112. 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 Union County: the CDC's screening guidelines, each infection's detection window, per-test reference prices, and your privacy rights under North Carolina 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 North Carolina 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 North Carolina, a minor of any age can consent to confidential STI testing and treatment on their own, no parental permission is required.
North Carolina 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 North CarolinaSource: 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.
There are 7 options within a 30-mile drive.
Free at public clinics. Private labs run about $24 for one test and $139 for a full panel; at-home kits are $49+.
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.
Union County reported ~393 chlamydia cases per 100,000 in 2023, below the North Carolina average.
In North Carolina, people under 18 can consent to confidential STD testing and treatment on their own.
Chlamydia is checked with a simple urine sample or a swab; lab results usually come back in a day or two.
Reputable kits use the same lab methods as clinics; any positive should be confirmed and treated by a provider.
Get treated, notify partners, pause sex until cleared, and follow up, the infection is manageable.
Yes, site matters; oral/anal exposure needs a throat or rectal swab, which urine testing won't catch.
Have a different question? Browse the full STD & STI FAQ library, every question we answer, in one place.