STD Testing in Melrose, MA: Free, Same-Day & Confidential
Syphilis cases in Middlesex County are 46% lower than the national rate. If you are looking for an STI test in Melrose Massachusetts, whether it's your first test or a routine screening, you can weigh public clinics for affordability, private labs for quicker results, or at-home kits for convenience.
12 testing options are listed for Melrose, 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.
Today's offer: $10 off any test panel, applied automatically at checkout.
Best for free testing 2.0 miles
Cambridge Health Alliance
3.1(232)?
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Rated 3.1 out of 5 from 232 reviews
Cambridge Health Alliance in Malden runs its full STI panel (HIV (rapid and conventional), syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, and herpes) at no charge, with sliding-scale fees for other services and insurance accepted. Walk-ins welcome; same-visit treatment is available for bacterial infections.
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HIV, Syphilis, and the Full Panel: No Fee
The free-testing designation at Cambridge Health Alliance covers every test on the panel (rapid HIV, conventional HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, and herpes) not a selected subset. That zero-cost structure applies regardless of insurance status, and sliding-scale fees extend to any remaining services beyond the tests themselves.
Interpretation Services Span the Appointment
Cambridge Health Alliance has interpretation services available for non-English languages across its services, meaning clinical conversations (test counseling, STI prevention education, treatment discussions) proceed in a language other than English when needed. That coverage spans the full visit rather than isolated intake moments.
Herpes Testing Staffed Alongside the Core Panel
Herpes testing at Cambridge Health Alliance is ordered and processed through the same clinical staff handling gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, and HIV. No separate referral pathway. Because herpes serology requires a blood draw interpreted in clinical context, having it staffed within the same encounter allows counseling on what IgG and IgM results actually mean for a patient's situation.
English, Interpretation Services Available for Non-English Languages
Tests offered
TB
Gonorrhea
Syphilis
Herpes
Chlamydia
Rapid HIV
Conventional HIV
Serves
Adolescents/Youth/Teens
At Risk Youth
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
Fee
Insurance Accepted
Free STI Test
Free HIV Test
Listing verified Jul 2025 · Source: CDC NPIN
Community health center 2.7 miles
South Cove Community Health Center
2.1(52)?
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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
Community health center 2.7 miles
801 Broadway
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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.
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.
Lynn Community Health Center schedules appointments for STI care that covers HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, and hepatitis B and C testing in a single visit, with same-visit treatment for bacterial infections, sliding-scale fees accepted across all income levels, and Spanish spoken on staff.
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Spanish Spoken by Clinical Staff, Not Routed Around
Spanish-language care at Lynn Community Health Center runs through clinicians and staff who conduct exams, document histories, and deliver results directly in Spanish: meaning the clinical conversation itself, including treatment instructions and follow-up planning, happens in the patient's language without relay.
Hepatitis B and C Testing Alongside the Standard Panel
The testing panel at Lynn Community Health Center is staffed to include hepatitis B and hepatitis C alongside HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia. All drawn and processed within the same appointment, so hepatitis screening isn't a separate referral but a built-in step of the visit.
Demakes Family YMCA in Lynn welcomes walk-ins for STI screening without an appointment. Federally qualified health center standing ties fees to a sliding income scale, so cost adjusts to what each patient earns. A single visit can cover syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia testing in one stop.
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.
English, Interpretation Services Available for Non-English Languages, Spanish
Tests offered
TB
Gonorrhea
Syphilis
Chlamydia
Conventional HIV
Serves
Adolescents/Youth/Teens
Low Income Persons
Persons with STI
Care services
Family Planning
TB Treatment
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
Fees & payment
Medicaid Accepted
Medicare Accepted
Fee
Insurance Accepted
Listing verified Aug 2025 · Source: CDC NPIN + HRSA
Community health center 5.7 miles
Health Innovations
3.1(54)?
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Rated 3.1 out of 5 from 54 reviews
Health Innovations in Lynn runs rapid and conventional HIV testing alongside gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, and hepatitis C. All at no fee, no appointment required. Same-visit treatment is available for bacterial infections, and sliding-scale fees apply to the full range of services.
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Every Test and Service Costs Zero Dollars
Health Innovations carries a blanket no-fee structure across its full menu: HIV testing, hepatitis C screening, STI panel, counseling, needle exchange, and condom distribution alike. That single policy means the cost of one service never pressures someone to skip another.
Spanish-Speaking Staff Embedded in Clinical Care
Spanish-language capacity at Health Innovations in Lynn is staffed directly into the clinical team, so counseling, medication adherence education, and test results are communicated by the provider conducting the care. Not routed through a separate channel.
Hepatitis C Screening Runs Alongside the Core Panel
Beyond gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, and HIV, Health Innovations tests for hepatitis C as a standard part of screening. The antibody test is performed on-site, and reactive results move into medication adherence counseling and care coordination for treatment.
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 Melrose, 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 Melrose, 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.
Pediatricians
955 Main Street, Suite 103/106, Winchester, MA 01890
Source: CMS CLIA registry (Provider of Services), Q1 2026. Federal public records: active CLIA-certified laboratories near Melrose. 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 Melrose, MA who may help arrange STD testing
Beyond dedicated clinics, 4,799 primary-care, OB-GYN, infectious-disease and other clinicians have a CMS practice record within 30 miles of Melrose. They may be able to evaluate symptoms or order a confidential STD panel during a regular visit, and 2,352 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 Melrose, MA
Compare the pharmacies closest to Melrose, MA. Contact a location directly to confirm pharmacy-counter hours, services, prices, and product availability before visiting.
2.7 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 Melrose, 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.
PrEP & DoxyPEP
Mistr
$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
STDs & HIV in Middlesex County: the local picture
How reported STI rates in Middlesex County, the county that includes Melrose, compare with Massachusetts and U.S. averages, based on the most recent 2023 surveillance data. An estimated ~19% 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 Melrose, MA
Adults uninsured
2.4%
Middlesex County
No routine checkup
21.1%
Middlesex County
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 →
Main Street through Melrose carries a quietly prosperous feel, lined with owner-occupied homes that reflect values well north of half a million dollars, and that ownership culture shapes how residents think about costs. Over half of all households here clear six figures annually, which sounds reassuring until you factor in what a $568,000 median home demands each month, or the rent that the roughly one-in-three households who lease are paying. When housing absorbs that much of a budget, discretionary health spending, including STI screening, can slide.
The city's younger adults, people still forming relationships through their twenties and into their early thirties, are the group where chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis concentrate nationally, and Middlesex County's own rate tables bear that out. With most working-age residents in the labor force and unemployment low, the practical problem is not money alone but time: a weekday appointment somewhere off Lynn Fells Parkway or a drive out along MA 99 toward Malden means carving an hour from a schedule that's already full. For a city where households are large, married adults are the majority, and financial stakes are real, knowing exactly which nearby option fits your calendar and your coverage before you need it removes the one barrier that otherwise stretches a simple test into a months-long postponement.
Getting there
How residents reach STD testing in Melrose, MA
Walkability12 / 20 · Above average
Melrose scores 12/20 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.
Melrose sits in Middlesex County, ZIP 2176. Local context that shapes where residents test:
Local landmarks
Old Burying Ground
Bell Rock Cemetery
Wakefield History Museum
Temple Israel Cemetery
Bellingham-Cary House
Neighborhoods & communities
Bowdoin Apartments
Bryant Terrace Apartments
Malden
Malden Gaming District
Saugus
Stoneham
Central Square Historic District
Nobility Hill Historic District
Major routes
Main Street
Lynn Fells Parkway
Franklin Street
MA 99 (Broadway)
US 1 (Broadway)
Nearby cities & towns
STD testing near Melrose, MA
Just outside Melrose? These nearby communities have their own testing guides: clinics, at-home kits, and free screening close to home.
STD testing in Melrose, 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 Melrose-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 Melrose 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.
