In Essex County, new HIV diagnoses run about 40% lower than the US average. If you're in Howe, Massachusetts and it's your first STI test or a routine screening, you can weigh public clinics, private labs, and at-home kits. Find your options below.
Available testing centers
7 testing options are listed for Howe, MA. The nearest, Labcorp, is about 3.1 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.
Beth Israel Lahey Health in Danvers requires an appointment, and that scheduled visit covers the full panel (HIV (rapid and conventional), syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, hepatitis A, B, and C, and TB) on a sliding-scale fee, with same-visit treatment for bacterial infections and vaccines for HPV, hepatitis A, and hepatitis B.
Missing a hepatitis diagnosis means a second appointment at a separate facility, a second round of intake paperwork, and an untreated infection adding weeks to the clock. Beth Israel Lahey Health in Danvers runs hepatitis A, B, and C alongside the standard bacterial and HIV tests in a single draw, closing that gap before it opens.
Many facilities test for hepatitis C and stop there, leaving patients to locate a specialist who handles the treatment side. Beth Israel Lahey Health in Danvers manages hepatitis C treatment on-site, so a confirmed result moves directly into a care plan without sending patients elsewhere.
Both PrEP and PEP are prescribed directly at Beth Israel Lahey Health in Danvers, and the clinic specifically extends PrEP access to uninsured patients. Meaning the drug name on that prescription isn't contingent on having a plan card in your wallet.
Languages
English
Tests offered
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Aug 2025 · Source: CDC NPIN
North Shore Physicians Group in Peabody covers HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, herpes, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C. With same-visit treatment for bacterial infections confirmed on the spot. Fees run on a sliding scale, and insurance including Medicaid is accepted. Appointments are required.
Sexual health clinics that test routinely stop short of writing prevention prescriptions, leaving PrEP and PEP to a separate prescriber. North Shore Physicians Group closes that gap: both medications are prescribed on-site, so prevention and testing share the same clinical relationship.
Hepatitis C treatment at North Shore Physicians Group is managed in-house alongside testing, meaning a reactive result doesn't hand off care elsewhere. Direct-acting antivirals, the current standard for hepatitis C, can be initiated and monitored within the same practice, rather than requiring a separate specialist relationship.
North Shore Physicians Group tests for herpes and both hepatitis B and hepatitis C alongside the core bacterial and HIV panel. Herpes testing in particular is absent from many standard STI panels, making its inclusion here meaningful for anyone whose exposure history warrants it.
Languages
English
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Apr 2026 · Source: CDC NPIN
North Shore Community Health in Peabody delivers gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, and HIV testing alongside same-visit treatment for bacterial STIs, all on a sliding-scale fee that covers every income level: with interpretation in Portuguese, Spanish, and additional languages available at every appointment.
Without fluent, in-person language support, a positive result can leave a patient unable to ask the questions that drive their next step: doses get missed, follow-ups don't happen, and treatment gaps open. North Shore Community Health carries Portuguese and Spanish on staff, plus broader interpretation services, so that conversation around diagnosis, treatment, and prevention unfolds completely, every time.
North Shore Community Health prescribes both PrEP and PEP directly, meaning prevention doesn't stop at a conversation. It moves immediately into an active prescription and ongoing HIV care management for those who need it.
Many STI clinics identify a hepatitis C antibody and leave patients to find treatment elsewhere, a gap that routinely goes unfilled. North Shore Community Health carries treatment on-site, so a diagnosis moves forward into a cure without requiring a separate specialist or a second system to navigate.
Languages
English, Interpretation Services Available for Non-English Languages, Portuguese, Spanish
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 3 miles away; if you'd rather skip the trip, an at-home kit ships to Howe, 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 value: single tests
$49 & up
Best for simplicity & support
$89 & 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 Essex 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.
77 Herrick Street, Suite 201, Beverly, MA 01915
CMS-certified lab Accredited · COLA
225 Boston Street, Lynn, MA 01904
CMS-certified lab
100 Cummings Center, Suite 323-A, Beverly, MA 01915
CMS-certified lab
Source: CMS CLIA registry (Provider of Services), Q1 2026. Federal public records: active CLIA-certified laboratories near Howe. 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, 4,641 primary-care, OB-GYN, infectious-disease and other clinicians have a CMS practice record within 30 miles of Howe. They may be able to evaluate symptoms or order a confidential STD panel during a regular visit, and 2,247 offer telehealth.
Nancy Otovic, MD
Family medicine · 147 South Main Street, Middleton
Jenny Mamtora, DO Telehealth
Family medicine · 480 Maple Street, Danvers
Laurel Bauer, MD Telehealth
OB-GYN · 480 Maple Street, Danvers
Daniel Blander, MD Telehealth
Urology · 480 Maple Street, Danvers
Michael Gordon, MD Telehealth
Internal medicine · 480 Maple Street, Danvers
Michael Yoon, MD Telehealth
Family medicine · 99 Conifer Hill Drive, Danvers
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 Howe, MA 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.
3.0 mi Hannaford Supermarket & Pharmacy
3.0 mi
4.2 mi Home Care Pharmacy
4.3 miShowing the 4 closest pharmacies to Howe, MA.
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 Howe, 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
$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
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 Essex County, the county that includes Howe, compare with Massachusetts and U.S. averages, based on the most recent 2023 surveillance data.
#4 of 14 Massachusetts counties for chlamydia, a higher rate than 71% of the state
| Infection | Essex County | Massachusetts | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia | 419 3,394 cases ▲ 2% | 412.7 | 492.2 |
| Gonorrhea | 109.5 887 cases ▼ 22% | 139.8 | 179.5 |
| Syphilis (P&S) | 9.9 80 cases ▼ 7% | 10.6 | 15.8 |
| Syphilis (early) | 9 73 cases ▼ 13% | 10.3 | 16 |
| Syphilis (late/unknown) | 13.8 112 cases ▲ 1% | 13.7 | 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 Essex County, chlamydia has risen from 359.1 to 419 per 100,000 (17%), gonorrhea has risen from 81.9 to 109.5 per 100,000 (34%), and P&S syphilis has risen from 5.1 to 9.9 per 100,000 (94%).
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 Essex County.
Local HIV snapshot
Essex County HIV care continuum (2023)
Essex County recorded 8.2 new HIV diagnoses per 100,000 (2023), against 8.8 statewide and 13.7 nationally. Among Essex County residents living with HIV, 76.5% are in care · 66.1% 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 Essex County tests for syphilis.
Source: CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus, 2023 (county-level congenital syphilis is not published).
Local resources & officials
Data & references
Local context
Winter fog rolls thick off the marshlands near Connors Farm, and when it clears, Howe's brick homes and tree-lined streets return to view: a town where people settle in, build lives, and expect their health matters to stay private. Young adults moving into neighborhoods like Middleton or staying rooted here often find themselves at a point where routine STI screening becomes straightforward self-care rather than crisis response. Testing clinics and providers in and around Howe, listed on this page, understand that confidentiality isn't theater; it's how residents actually use the services available to them. The work of getting tested happens quietly in most people's lives: between a job shift, a school semester, or simply because someone decided it was time.
Howe residents who want screening can access it without announcement or delay. Results remain sealed, and the person who sought the test decides who, if anyone, learns about it. If you're seeking STI testing in and around Howe, the clinics and providers listed on this page can answer questions about timing, what to expect, and how information is handled. Most offer straightforward scheduling and clear explanations of next steps, whether results come back clear or require follow-up care.
Getting there
Howe scores 11.77/20 on the EPA walkability index, so many trips are walkable or a short ride, though a car still gives you the widest choice of testing centers.
Source: EPA National Walkability Index 2021.
Howe sits in Essex County, ZIP 1949. Local context that shapes where residents test:
Local landmarks
Neighborhoods & communities
Major routes
Nearby cities & towns
Just outside Howe? 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 Essex County: the CDC's screening guidelines, each infection's detection window, per-test reference prices, and your privacy rights under Massachusetts 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 Howe-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 Howe 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 Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts, a minor may consent to confidential STI testing and treatment on their own; a provider may inform a parent only if they judge the minor's health to be in serious danger.
Massachusetts 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 MassachusettsSource: 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.
The closest is Labcorp (3.1 mi); 7 options are within 30 miles.
Most plans cover STD screening; a clinic or lab can bill insurance, or you can pay a flat self-pay price.
Public clinics nearby offer free HIV testing.
Local options test for Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Syphilis, Herpes, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, Rapid HIV, a full panel covers the common ones.
About 419 cases per 100,000 residents (2023), above the Massachusetts average.
Lab results typically come back in 1–2 days.
In Massachusetts, people under 18 can consent to confidential STD testing and treatment on their own.
PrEP (HIV-prevention medicine for HIV-negative people) is available locally, any provider can prescribe it.
Checking for sexually transmitted infections with a urine sample, a swab, or a blood draw, often before any symptoms appear.
The sore can disappear on its own even though the infection remains; only testing confirms it's gone.
Have a different question? Browse the full STD & STI FAQ library, every question we answer, in one place.