In Gaston County, new HIV diagnoses run about 31% higher than the US average. If you are in Lowell, North Carolina, and considering testing before starting a new relationship or as part of ongoing care, clinics may bill insurance or offer sliding-scale fees, while many private labs let you pay a flat self-pay price. See the options below.
Available testing centers
9 testing options are listed for Lowell, NC. The nearest, Medscreen, is about 2.1 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.
Kintegra Family Medicine - X-Ray Drive, in Gastonia, earned its federal health center designation by committing to serve patients regardless of ability to pay: sliding-scale fees adjust to income, so anyone between providers or paying out of pocket can access syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia screening without delay.
Tests offered
Fees & payment
Kintegra Health in Gastonia tests for HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, hepatitis A, B, and C, and herpes on a sliding-scale fee open to everyone, with appointments required and same-visit treatment available for bacterial infections. With Spanish-language care built into the visit itself.
When a language gap goes unaddressed, a diagnosis lands without the context to act on it. Doses misunderstood, follow-up skipped, partners left untested. At Kintegra Health, Spanish is a native capacity of the clinic, so treatment instructions, counseling, and next steps reach patients with the same weight they carry in English.
Ryan White funding at Kintegra Health covers the infrastructure that keeps HIV care continuous: clinicians who prescribe and adjust antiretroviral regimens, labs that track viral load and CD4 counts, and adherence counseling that catches drift before it becomes treatment failure. All maintained without financial eligibility cliffs.
Kintegra Health prescribes both PrEP and PEP directly, which means the provider who initiates the medication also handles the follow-up labs and dosing decisions. Keeping prevention from fragmenting across multiple offices or systems.
Languages
English, Interpretation Services Available for Non-English Languages, Spanish
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Sep 2025 · Source: CDC NPIN + HRSA
Kintegra at CaroMont Womens Health - Summit in Gastonia earned federal qualification as a community health center, which ties its STI screening fees directly to each patient's income. Walk in for sliding-scale syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia testing. No appointment needed.
Tests offered
Fees & payment
Senior TLC - Gastonia welcomes walk-in patients without an appointment, making same-day STI screening straightforward. Federally qualified status anchors a sliding-scale fee structure tied to income, and a single visit can cover syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia testing without requiring prior scheduling.
Tests offered
Fees & payment
A public safety-net federally qualified health center about 2 miles from Lowell. Sliding-scale STD testing and care are typical here, call ahead to confirm the exact panel and pricing.
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 2 miles away; if you'd rather skip the trip, an at-home kit ships to Lowell, 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 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 Gaston 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.
2525 Court Drive, Gastonia, NC 28054
CMS-certified lab Accredited · College of American Pathologists
839 Majestic Ct. Suite 3, Gastonia, NC 28054
CMS-certified lab Accredited · COLA
1000 Caromont Parkway, Belmont, NC 28012
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 Lowell. 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, 1,639 primary-care, OB-GYN, infectious-disease and other clinicians have a CMS practice record within 30 miles of Lowell. They may be able to evaluate symptoms or order a confidential STD panel during a regular visit, and 623 offer telehealth.
Zuhair Abualrihy, MD
Family medicine · 2910 East Franklin Boulevard, Gastonia
Elizabeth Moran, MD
OB-GYN · 2675 Court Drive, Gastonia
Michael Mccartney, MD Telehealth
Family medicine · 924 Cox Road, Gastonia
Ramesh Krishnaraj, MD
Internal medicine · 969 Cox Road, Gastonia
Reggie Parlier, MD
Family medicine · 2311 Aberdeen Boulevard, Gastonia
Macie Champion, MD
OB-GYN · 2555 Court Drive, Gastonia
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 Lowell, 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.
Sams Pharmacy 10
1.2 mi
1.5 mi Centerwell Pharmacy
1.6 miAnderson Pharmacy
1.7 mi
1.8 mi 
1.9 mi Showing the 6 closest pharmacies to Lowell, 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 Lowell, 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
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
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 Gaston County, the county that includes Lowell, 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.
#32 of 100 North Carolina counties for chlamydia, a higher rate than 68% of the state
| Infection | Gaston County | North Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia | 592.2 1,405 cases ▼ 3% | 607.9 | 492.2 |
| Gonorrhea | 249.5 592 cases ▲ 3% | 243.2 | 179.5 |
| Syphilis (P&S) | 26.6 63 cases ▲ 34% | 19.9 | 15.8 |
| Syphilis (early) | 17.7 42 cases ▲ 12% | 15.8 | 16 |
| Syphilis (late/unknown) | 30.8 73 cases ▲ 28% | 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 Gaston County, chlamydia has fallen from 686.1 to 592.2 per 100,000 (14%), gonorrhea has fallen from 318.5 to 249.5 per 100,000 (22%), and P&S syphilis has risen from 12.7 to 26.6 per 100,000 (109%).
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 Gaston County.
Local HIV snapshot
Gaston County HIV care continuum (2023)
Gaston County recorded 18 new HIV diagnoses per 100,000 (2023), against 15.1 statewide and 13.7 nationally. Among Gaston County residents living with HIV, 84.7% are in care · 74.6% 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 Gaston County tests for syphilis.
Source: CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus, 2023 (county-level congenital syphilis is not published).
Local resources & officials
Data & references
Local context
The textile mills that once anchored Lowell's economy have given way to neighborhoods where families stay for decades (Westside, Country Village, Lakewood) and where three generations under one roof is ordinary rather than exceptional. In a town built on stability and modest living, routine STI screening fits naturally into the health checkups that working people fit into their schedules, without fanfare or disruption. Testing clinics and providers in and around Lowell understand that confidentiality here isn't performative; it's fundamental to how a close-knit place sustains trust. Young adults in Lowell, those in their late teens through early thirties, have access to straightforward testing without having to travel far or navigate systems designed elsewhere.
The clinics listed on this page offer the same range of screenings available in larger cities, staffed by people who know that a quick, private visit can mean the difference between catching something early and letting worry fester. What makes testing accessible in Lowell is less about choice and more about fit: appointments that don't demand half a day off, results that stay sealed, and the kind of matter-of-fact care that respects both your time and your privacy. In a town where people build lives they intend to keep, health decisions that feel straightforward and local matter.
Getting there
At 7.17/20 on the EPA walkability index, day-to-day errands in Lowell 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 28098 snapshot
ZIP-level Census figures for the wider 28098 area around Lowell: a single ZIP can span several communities, so they describe the area, not Lowell alone.
Lowell sits in Gaston County, ZIP 28098. Local context that shapes where residents test:
Local landmarks
Neighborhoods & communities
Major routes
Nearby cities & towns
Just outside Lowell? 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 Gaston 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 Lowell-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 Lowell 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.
Yes, several local labs offer same-day walk-in testing; best to call first.
Usually yes, it can be billed to insurance, or paid out of pocket at a flat rate.
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.
Gaston County reported ~592 chlamydia cases per 100,000 in 2023, below the North Carolina average.
At-home kits mail to 28098: self-collect, send to the lab, results in ~2–5 days.
In North Carolina, people under 18 can consent to confidential STD testing and treatment on their own.
A urine test or swab finds trichomoniasis, one of the most treatable STIs.
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.
Have a different question? Browse the full STD & STI FAQ library, every question we answer, in one place.