STD Testing in Medford, MA: Free, Same-Day & Confidential
Middlesex County has about 59% fewer new HIV diagnoses than the US average. In Medford, Massachusetts, if you've had a recent risk or simply test on a regular schedule, you can talk with a provider at a clinic or collect a sample on your own schedule with an at-home kit. You can weigh these options and find them listed below.
12 testing options are listed for Medford, MA. The nearest, Labcorp, is about 0.2 miles away. Compare community and public clinics, private labs, and at-home kits below.
How to read these listings
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.
Premium Partner
Labcorp
Most popular Results in 1–2 days
2.7(18)?
Review sources
Google16
EasySTD2
Rated 2.7 out of 5 from 18 reviews
Address
170 Governors Avenue, Medford, MA 02155 0.2 miles away
Today's offer: $10 off any test panel, applied automatically at checkout.
Community health center 1.7 miles
South Cove Community Health Center
2.1(52)?
Review sources
Google47
EasySTD5
Rated 2.1 out of 5 from 52 reviews
South Cove Community Health Center in Malden runs by appointment, so scheduling ahead is the move, and a single visit covers rapid HIV testing, the full bacterial panel, hepatitis B and C, TB, same-visit treatment for bacterial STIs, and HPV and hepatitis A vaccines, on a sliding-scale fee.
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Hepatitis B and C Tested Here, Same Appointment
Leaving hepatitis B or C undetected means the infection advances quietly while you arrange another visit elsewhere, another co-pay, another wait, another round of paperwork. South Cove tests both at the same appointment where you screen for gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, and HIV, closing that gap before it opens.
Clinical Chinese, Japanese, and Vietnamese on Staff
A missed detail in an exposure history or a misunderstood treatment instruction isn't a minor inconvenience, it's an untreated infection or a regimen followed wrong. South Cove delivers care directly in Chinese, Japanese, and Vietnamese, with interpretation available for other languages, so nothing critical gets lost in translation.
Chinese, English, Interpretation Services Available for Non-English Languages, Japanese, Vietnamese
Tests offered
Hepatitis C
Hepatitis B
TB
Gonorrhea
Syphilis
Chlamydia
Rapid HIV
Serves
Asian or Pacific Islander persons
Care services
Family Planning
STI Treatment
Human Papillomavirus Vaccine (HPV)
Hepatitis A Vaccine
Adult Hepatitis B Vaccine
Prevention services
TB Prevention/Education
STI Prevention/Education
HIV/AIDS Prevention/Education
HIV Test Counseling
Hepatitis Prevention/Education
Condom Distribution
Fees & payment
Donations Accepted
Medicaid Accepted
Medicare Accepted
Fee
Insurance Accepted
Listing verified Apr 2025 · Source: CDC NPIN
1.9 miles
Cambridge Health Alliance
No ratings yet
Cambridge Health Alliance in Malden requires an appointment, so scheduling ahead is the move: once you're in, a single visit covers gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, HIV, herpes, hepatitis A/B/C, and TB, with same-visit treatment for bacterial infections and fees on a sliding scale.
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Portuguese and Spanish, Staffed Into Every Appointment
Cambridge Health Alliance carries Portuguese and Spanish through its clinical staff directly: meaning the provider conducting your exam, explaining your results, and walking through any treatment plan does so in those languages as a built-in function of how the clinic is staffed, not a supplemental add-on.
Herpes and Hepatitis Sit Alongside the Core Panel
The testing menu at Cambridge Health Alliance runs to nine infections: gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, HIV, herpes, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and TB. Hepatitis C antibody detection and herpes testing are both on-site, and hepatitis A and B vaccines are available at the same appointment.
801 Broadway in Everett carries federal qualification as a community health center, which translates directly into a sliding-scale fee structure tied to household income. Walk-ins are welcome for STI screening covering syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia, with costs adjusted so the fee fits the patient.
Y2y Harvard Square, in Cambridge, draws its STI care from federal community health center funding, which translates directly into sliding-scale fees tied to income. Walk-ins are welcome for syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia screening, with no set price keeping anyone from the door.
Massachusetts Alliance of Portuguese Speakers in Cambridge requires an appointment for STI care and folds syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, and HIV testing into that single scheduled visit. All priced on a sliding scale tied to income, so cost adjusts to what each patient can pay.
Massachusetts General Hospital's Chelsea clinic covers HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, herpes, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C testing at no fee, with free HIV and hepatitis C tests specifically, and accepts Medicaid, Medicare, and most insurance. Bacterial infections treated the same visit, by appointment.
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Free Services, No Exceptions for Anyone
Whether you're paying cash, between insurance plans, or simply don't have a regular provider, Massachusetts General Hospital Chelsea absorbs the full cost of care: testing, treatment, and prevention services alike. No bill arrives later, and no service sits behind a fee that others are exempt from.
Portuguese Speakers Get Full Clinical Care
Plenty of clinics route non-English speakers through workarounds that filter nuance out of every exchange. Massachusetts General Hospital Chelsea delivers care directly in Portuguese, the full clinical conversation, not a filtered version of it.
PrEP, PEP, and DoxyPEP Prescribed On-Site
Massachusetts General Hospital Chelsea prescribes PrEP, PEP, and DoxyPEP from the same location, which means prevention decisions, including the less commonly available DoxyPEP, get made and acted on during the same appointment rather than deferred.
Fenway Health in Cambridge covers the full bacterial and viral panel (gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, hepatitis C, and rapid or conventional HIV) treating bacterial infections the same day and providing PrEP, with every service at no fee and no appointment required.
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Zero Fees Across Every Service Offered
Sliding-scale models still produce a bill for many people, discounted, but real. Fenway Health charges nothing for any service on its menu: testing, treatment, PrEP, counseling, needle exchange. The cost of care at this clinic is zero, across the board, with no exceptions buried in the fine print.
Spanish-Language Care Without the Transfer Gap
When a clinic can't deliver care in Spanish, the practical result is delayed treatment. A follow-up that doesn't happen, a prescription that goes unfilled, a question that never gets asked. Fenway Health in Cambridge provides STI care directly in Spanish, keeping the entire care relationship intact rather than fragmenting it across appointments.
Ryan White Funds HIV Care From First Test Forward
Ryan White Program funding at Fenway Health means HIV care doesn't stop at a positive result, it extends through ongoing treatment, with the program absorbing costs that would otherwise interrupt continuity. That federal backing is what keeps a person moving from diagnosis into sustained viral management without a financial break in the chain.
Needle Cleaning, Needle Exchange or Needle Distribution
HIV/AIDS Prevention/Education
HIV Test Counseling
Condom Distribution
Fees & payment
No Fee
Free STI Test
Free HIV Test
Free Hepatitis C Test
Listing verified May 2026 · Source: CDC NPIN
Community health center 4.1 miles
New Health
3.5(38)?
Review sources
Google33
EasySTD5
Rated 3.5 out of 5 from 38 reviews
New Health in Charlestown functions as a community health center where STI testing (gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, and HIV) runs on a sliding-scale fee alongside family planning, by appointment. Same-visit treatment is available for bacterial infections, and vaccines for HPV and hepatitis A and B are on hand.
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Spanish Speakers and Interpretation on Staff
New Health conducts appointments in Spanish and provides interpretation for other languages, which means a patient navigating test results, a PrEP prescription, or treatment decisions can do so in the language they reason and negotiate in. Without routing the clinical conversation through a third party after the fact.
PrEP and PEP Prescribed and Monitored Here
New Health prescribes both daily oral PrEP and PEP directly, with the follow-up monitoring (periodic HIV testing, kidney function checks, and adherence support) handled within the same practice. That continuity means the prescribing provider sees the lab trends over time rather than managing prevention in isolation from primary care.
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.
The nearest testing center is less than a mile away, if you'd rather skip the trip, an at-home kit ships to Medford, 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 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
Quest Diagnostics
$79 & up
Panel:
8-infection panel incl. chlamydia, gonorrhea, HIV, syphilis, hepatitis & herpes: single tests too
Sample:
Quest Mobile: a phlebotomist collects your sample at home
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
Other CLIA-certified labs near Medford, MA
Beyond the public testing sites above, these federally certified (CLIA) labs serve Middlesex 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.
Atrius Health Medford
26 City Hall Mall, Medford, MA 02155
CMS-certified labAccredited · College of American Pathologists
Source: CMS CLIA registry (Provider of Services), Q1 2026. Federal public records: active CLIA-certified laboratories near Medford. 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
Clinicians near Medford, MA who may help arrange STD testing
Beyond dedicated clinics, 4,881 primary-care, OB-GYN, infectious-disease and other clinicians have a CMS practice record within 30 miles of Medford. They may be able to evaluate symptoms or order a confidential STD panel during a regular visit, and 2,392 offer telehealth.
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
Pharmacies near Medford, MA
Compare the pharmacies closest to Medford, MA. Contact a location directly to confirm pharmacy-counter hours, services, prices, and product availability before visiting.
0.4 mi
Rx pickupOTC HIV self-testAt-home STI kitsMinuteClinic STI careHPV & Hep B vaccinesCondoms / EC
Directory records identify nearby pharmacies. Service, stock, price, and hours information is shown only when supported by current location-specific evidence.
Prevention & treatment
PrEP, prevention & online treatment
Testing is one step. For residents of Medford, 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.
Online treatment
Nurx
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
STDs & HIV in Middlesex County: the local picture
How reported STI rates in Middlesex County, the county that includes Medford, compare with Massachusetts and U.S. averages, based on the most recent 2023 surveillance data. An estimated ~37% of residents are aged 15–34 (ACS), the age group with the highest reported chlamydia and gonorrhea rates nationally.
#9
#9 of 14 Massachusetts counties for chlamydia, a higher rate than 36% of the state
Reported STD rates per 100,000, Middlesex County vs Massachusetts vs U.S.
Middlesex CountyMassachusettsU.S.▲▼ = Middlesex County vs the state average
Infection
Middlesex County
Massachusetts
United States
Chlamydia
317.65,158 cases▼ 23%
412.7
492.2
Gonorrhea
1141,852 cases▼ 18%
139.8
179.5
Syphilis (P&S)
8.6139 cases▼ 19%
10.6
15.8
Syphilis (early)
10.8175 cases▲ 5%
10.3
16
Syphilis (late/unknown)
11.6188 cases▼ 15%
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.
Reported STD rates in Middlesex County over time (per 100,000)
Chlamydia ▲ 3% vs 2022
Chlamydia Gonorrhea Syphilis (P&S)
Between 2020 and 2023 in Middlesex County, chlamydia has risen from 258.8 to 317.6 per 100,000 (23%), gonorrhea has risen from 74.8 to 114 per 100,000 (52%), and P&S syphilis has risen from 6.9 to 8.6 per 100,000 (25%).
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
What shapes testing access in and around Medford, MA
Adults uninsured
4.2%
No routine checkup
21.9%
No transportation
7.6%
Binge drinking
17.8%
Frequent mental distress
16.6%
Depression
25.5%
Below poverty line
8.2%
Primary-care ratio
803 : 1
Middlesex County
Primary-care shortage score 17 / 26
Medically Underserved Area · IMU 59.9
Social Vulnerability Index · 29th percentile nationally
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 Middlesex County.
Local HIV snapshot
HIV in Middlesex County (2023)
People living with HIV
294 / 100k
New diagnoses (2023)
79cases countywide
On PrEP (coverage)
42.4%
Middlesex County HIV care continuum (2023)
Middlesex County recorded 5.6 new HIV diagnoses per 100,000 (2023), against 8.8 statewide and 13.7 nationally. Among Middlesex County residents living with HIV, 71.2% are in care · 64.2% 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.
Pregnant or planning to be?Congenital syphilis is the fastest-rising STI: what to test, and when
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 Middlesex County tests for syphilis.
Source: CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus, 2023 (county-level congenital syphilis is not published).
Compiled and checked by EasySTD's editorial team against CDC and public-health sources. This is educational information, not a substitute for advice from a licensed clinician. Our editorial guidelines →
Salem Street runs through a Medford that is younger and more transient than its colonial streetscape suggests, with a substantial share of residents renting at prices that leave real money questions at the end of every month. That cost pressure matters for health decisions: when rent clears $1,800 and nearly half of households fall below the six-figure threshold, an out-of-pocket clinic visit can feel like a line item worth skipping. For the large slice of Medford's population in their late teens and twenties, people often between relationships, switching providers, or still building a routine, that hesitation has consequences. The county STI figures on this page show why Middlesex is not a low-risk backdrop, and Medford's age profile means a good portion of residents sit squarely in the years when infections circulate most.
The tenure picture adds texture. Just over half of residents own their homes, which means a sizable renting population, many of them concentrated around Medford Square and along the corridors feeding Fellsway West, who may not stay long enough to establish a local doctor. Average household size of three suggests plenty of shared living, the kind of arrangement where a diagnosis in one person can ripple quickly. Getting tested here is genuinely manageable.
Getting there
How residents reach STD testing in Medford, MA
Walkability14.77 / 20 · Above average
Medford scores 14.77/20 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.
ZIP 02155 snapshot
Residents
61,276
Median age
35
Median income
$118,403
ZIP-level Census figures for the wider 02155 area around Medford: a single ZIP can span several communities, so they describe the area, not Medford alone.
Medford sits in Middlesex County, ZIP 02155. Local context that shapes where residents test:
Local landmarks
Bell Rock Cemetery
Cyrus Dallin Art Museum
Dallin's Menotomy Indian Hunter statue
Wildwood Cemetery
Arlington Gaslight Company
Neighborhoods & communities
Hillside Avenue Historic District
Medford Square
Old Ship Street Historic District
South Medford
West Somerville
Ball Square
Teele Square
Magoun Square
Major routes
MA 60 (Salem Street Circle)
MA 28 (Fellsway West)
Nearby cities & towns
STD testing near Medford, MA
Just outside Medford? These nearby communities have their own testing guides: clinics, at-home kits, and free screening close to home.
STD testing in Medford, MA: screening, costs & privacy
Everything to know before you test in Middlesex 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.
Who should test, and whenCDC screening schedule + each infection's detection window
Who should get tested, and how often
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
When to test: STD detection windows
Testing too early can return a false negative, confirm timing with a Medford-area provider.
What each STD test costsMedicare reference prices per lab test, a benchmark before you pay out of pocket
These are the federal Medicare reference prices for processing each lab test. Public clinics and the community health centers serving Medford 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.
Confidentiality & consent in MassachusettsMinor consent and partner treatment (EPT) under state law, plus how to test privately
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).
Can a minor consent on their own?
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.
Can my partner be treated too? (EPT)
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.
