Gonorrhea rates in Tuscaloosa County run 89% higher than the national average. In Howton, Alabama, whether you need testing after a possible exposure or as part of routine care, you can choose between visiting a clinic or using an at-home kit. Decide whether you want to consult a provider or prefer the flexibility of collecting a sample at home.
Available testing centers
7 testing options are listed for Howton, AL. The nearest, Labcorp at Walgreens, is about 9.0 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 safety-net federally qualified health center about 11 miles from Howton. Sliding-scale STD testing and care are typical here, call ahead to confirm the exact panel and pricing.
Tests offered
Fees & payment
Whatley Health Services, Inc. Annex in Tuscaloosa welcomes walk-ins for STI screening, no appointment needed. Backed by federal FQHC standing, the clinic ties fees to income on a sliding scale. A single visit can cover syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia testing in one stop.
Tests offered
Fees & payment
Whatley Health Services in Tuscaloosa covers gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, herpes, rapid and conventional HIV, and hepatitis A, B, and C testing, with same-visit treatment for bacterial STIs: all on a sliding scale, appointments required, and HIV and hepatitis C tests at no charge.
Fee-free STI care usually means one or two tests covered, with treatment billed separately. At Whatley Health Services, the no-cost structure extends across the full visit (testing, treatment, PrEP, and hepatitis care alike) so nothing is carved out once you're through the door.
When a clinic lacks on-site language support, the missed nuance isn't abstract. A misunderstood dosing instruction or an uncommunicated symptom can leave treatment incomplete. Whatley Health Services provides Spanish-language care and interpretation for other languages directly within the clinical encounter, not as an afterthought.
Whatley Health Services manages PrEP in-clinic: providers prescribe the medication, schedule the required follow-up labs (HIV testing every three months, kidney function and STI screening as indicated) and adjust the regimen based on results. PEP is also available for prevention, with coverage extended to uninsured patients.
Languages
English, Interpretation Services Available for Non-English Languages, Spanish
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified May 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 9 miles away; if you'd rather skip the trip, an at-home kit ships to Howton, 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 Tuscaloosa 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.
5005 Oscar Baxter Drive, Tuscaloosa, AL 35405
CMS-certified lab
4410 Watermelon Road, Northport, AL 35473
CMS-certified lab
4280 Watermelon Road, Suite 112, Northport, AL 35473
CMS-certified lab
Source: CMS CLIA registry (Provider of Services), Q1 2026. Federal public records: active CLIA-certified laboratories near Howton. 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, 299 primary-care, OB-GYN, infectious-disease and other clinicians have a CMS practice record within 30 miles of Howton. They may be able to evaluate symptoms or order a confidential STD panel during a regular visit, and 30 offer telehealth.
Jasper Kennedy, MD
Family medicine · 535 Jack Warner Parkway Northeast, Tuscaloosa
Christopher Mcgee, MD
Family medicine · 4960 Rice Mine Road Northeast, Tuscaloosa
Arti Pandey, MD
Internal medicine · 4810 Harkey Lane, Tuscaloosa
August Tournay, MD
Internal medicine · 3611 Windy Ridge, Tuscaloosa
Steven Coppock, MD
Family medicine · 2231 Trenton Drive, Tuscaloosa
Mark Woods, MD
Family medicine · 1651 Ruby Tyler Parkway, Tuscaloosa
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 Howton, 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.
Mills Pharmacy at Brookwood
1.5 mi
9.0 mi Food World Pharmacy
9.0 mi
9.1 mi 
9.2 mi Tuscaloosa Drug 5 Points
9.4 miShowing the 6 closest pharmacies to Howton, 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 Howton, 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 Tuscaloosa County, the county that includes Howton, compare with Alabama and U.S. averages, based on the most recent 2023 surveillance data. An estimated ~33% of residents are aged 15–34 (ACS), the age group with the highest reported chlamydia and gonorrhea rates nationally.
#17 of 67 Alabama counties for chlamydia, a higher rate than 75% of the state
| Infection | Tuscaloosa County | Alabama | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia | 794.5 1,886 cases ▲ 22% | 651.1 | 492.2 |
| Gonorrhea | 339.1 805 cases ▲ 49% | 226.9 | 179.5 |
| Syphilis (P&S) | 25.3 60 cases ▼ 12% | 28.6 | 15.8 |
| Syphilis (early) | 35.8 85 cases ▲ 75% | 20.4 | 16 |
| Syphilis (late/unknown) | 24 57 cases ▼ 2% | 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 Tuscaloosa County, chlamydia has risen from 654.1 to 794.5 per 100,000 (21%), gonorrhea has fallen from 368.2 to 339.1 per 100,000 (8%), and P&S syphilis has risen from 15.9 to 25.3 per 100,000 (59%).
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 Tuscaloosa 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.
Tuscaloosa County HIV care continuum (2023)
Tuscaloosa County recorded 30.5 new HIV diagnoses per 100,000 (2023), against 16.5 statewide and 13.7 nationally. Among Tuscaloosa County residents living with HIV, 74.6% are in care · 60% 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 Tuscaloosa County tests for syphilis.
Source: CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus, 2023 (county-level congenital syphilis is not published).
Local resources & officials
Data & references
Local context
Rocky Branch Road's quiet, established feel matches the ownership profile of Howton itself: a town where the overwhelming majority of residents own their homes, many have lived here long enough to watch children grow up, and a married majority anchors most households. That stability is real, but it can create a subtle assumption that routine preventive care, including sexual health screening, is someone else's concern. It isn't.
The town's low unemployment and solid labor-force participation suggest most working adults keep full schedules, which makes the hours and appointment availability of that nearest clinic worth checking before assuming any given weekday works. Howton's high homeownership and relatively affordable housing give many residents more financial stability than renters in surrounding areas, but that doesn't make a testing visit happen on its own. Knowing Old Lock 14 is a shorter detour than the clinic might be is exactly the kind of local geography worth keeping in mind when you're scheduling.
Getting there
At 5/20 on the EPA walkability index, day-to-day errands in Howton 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 35444 snapshot
ZIP-level Census figures for the wider 35444 area around Howton: a single ZIP can span several communities, so they describe the area, not Howton alone.
Howton sits in Tuscaloosa County, ZIP 35444. Local context that shapes where residents test:
Local landmarks
Nearby cities & towns
Just outside Howton? 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 Tuscaloosa 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 Howton-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 Howton 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.
Closest is Labcorp at Walgreens (9 mi), or order an at-home kit to 35444.
Medicaid generally covers STD testing, and public clinics test for free regardless of coverage.
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 795 cases per 100,000 residents (2023), above the Alabama average.
Lab results typically come back in 1–2 days.
In Alabama, 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.
Yes, from a reputable lab, confirm any positive with a clinician for treatment.
Yes, most chlamydia infections cause no symptoms, so screening is the only reliable way to catch it.
Have a different question? Browse the full STD & STI FAQ library, every question we answer, in one place.