Mercer's new HIV diagnoses run about 31% lower than the US average. Whether you have symptoms or just want peace of mind in Mercer County, Pennsylvania, options include public clinics with low costs, private labs with quick results, and at-home kits for convenience. See the list below for more.
Available testing centers
7 testing options are listed for Mercer, PA. The nearest, Primary Health Network, is about 1.6 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.
Primary Health Network in Mercer is a community health center, meaning STI care sits alongside primary care infrastructure: hepatitis C and TB testing expand a panel that covers gonorrhea, syphilis, chlamydia, and HIV, with treatment, HPV and hepatitis vaccines, and sliding-scale fees. Appointments required.
Languages
English
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Feb 2026 · Source: CDC NPIN + HRSA
Pennsylvania Department of Health in Jackson Center tests for gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, rapid and conventional HIV, hepatitis B, and TB. The full panel at no fee, with an appointment required to be seen.
All services at this clinic carry no charge, which means the decision of whether to get tested or treated is never shaped by what's in your wallet. You book an appointment and show up, cost isn't part of the equation.
Interpretation services are available for non-English languages, so the clinical conversation (symptoms, results, treatment instructions) happens in full rather than abbreviated by a language gap.
The hepatitis B test is included in the panel alongside gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, and HIV, and it's free, meaning a single appointment surfaces a broader picture of bloodborne and sexually transmitted exposure than the basic four-test screen alone.
Languages
English, Interpretation Services Available for Non-English Languages
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Feb 2026 · Source: CDC NPIN
Dayton Way Health Center in Sharon earns its federal qualification partly by tying STI screening fees to each patient's income, no one is turned away for inability to pay. Walk in for syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia testing without an appointment.
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 Mercer, 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 range: couples & full panels
$79 & 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 Mercer 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.
2500 Highland Road, Suite 101, Hermitage, PA 16148
CMS-certified lab
110 North Main Street, Greenville, PA 16125
CMS-certified lab Accredited · College of American Pathologists
631 North Broad Street Ext Room 1074, Grove City, PA 16127
CMS-certified lab Accredited · Joint Commission
Source: CMS CLIA registry (Provider of Services), Q1 2026. Federal public records: active CLIA-certified laboratories near Mercer. 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, 639 primary-care, OB-GYN, infectious-disease and other clinicians have a CMS practice record within 30 miles of Mercer. They may be able to evaluate symptoms or order a confidential STD panel during a regular visit, and 237 offer telehealth.
Sarah Shinn, MD Telehealth
Internal medicine · 400 West Butler Street, Mercer
Douglas Mackay, MD
OB-GYN · 315 South Erie Street, Mercer
Scott Morgan, MD
Family medicine · 551 Greenville Road, Mercer
Timothy Lilly, DO
Internal medicine · 675 North Broad St Ext, Grove City
Ronald Cypher, MD Telehealth
OB-GYN · 647 North Broad St Ext, Grove City
Meghana Amit, MD
Internal medicine · 631 North Broad St Ext, Grove City
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 Mercer, PA 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.
Medicine Shoppe
0.3 miMercer Pharmacy
0.3 mi
0.3 mi The Medicine Shoppe
0.6 miEckerd
0.6 miThe Hometown Pharmacy
7.2 miShowing the 6 closest pharmacies to Mercer, PA.
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 Mercer, 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
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
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 Mercer County, the county that includes Mercer, compare with Pennsylvania and U.S. averages, based on the most recent 2023 surveillance data. An estimated ~21% of residents are aged 15–34 (ACS), the age group with the highest reported chlamydia and gonorrhea rates nationally.
#15 of 67 Pennsylvania counties for chlamydia, a higher rate than 78% of the state
| Infection | Mercer County | Pennsylvania | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia | 326.3 354 cases ▼ 23% | 421.2 | 492.2 |
| Gonorrhea | 124.4 135 cases ▼ 14% | 144.7 | 179.5 |
| Syphilis (P&S) | 2.8 3 cases ▼ 69% | 9.1 | 15.8 |
| Syphilis (early) | 0.9 1 cases ▼ 91% | 10.3 | 16 |
| Syphilis (late/unknown) | 5.5 6 cases ▼ 52% | 11.4 | 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 Mercer County, chlamydia has fallen from 376.9 to 326.3 per 100,000 (13%), gonorrhea has risen from 109.4 to 124.4 per 100,000 (14%), and P&S syphilis has risen from 1.8 to 2.8 per 100,000 (56%).
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 Mercer County.
Local HIV snapshot
Mercer County HIV care continuum (2022)
Mercer County recorded 9.5 new HIV diagnoses per 100,000 (2022), against 8.3 statewide and 13.7 nationally. Among Mercer County residents living with HIV, 74.7% are in care · 63.2% 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.
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 Mercer County tests for syphilis.
Source: CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus, 2023 (county-level congenital syphilis is not published).
Local resources & officials
Data & references
Local context
Many young adults land in Mercer because the cost of living lets them breathe: rent stays manageable, and paychecks stretch further than they would elsewhere. That stability attracts people in their late teens and thirties who are building lives here, whether they've returned after time away or chosen the town for its affordability. Routine STI screening fits naturally into health care that doesn't feel like a financial strain. Testing in and around Mercer is available through clinics and providers listed on this page, with options that respect the discretion anyone seeking a test deserves.
The town's modest scale means knowing where to go matters, and confidentiality is straightforward: results remain between you and the clinic, without the weight of a larger city's bureaucracy or the awkwardness some worry about in very small communities. Getting tested early and regularly protects your health and your partners'. Mercer's clinics make it simple to schedule an appointment, ask questions without judgment, and move forward with peace of mind. Whether you're new to the area or have roots here, sexual health care is part of staying well.
Getting there
At 5.31/20 on the EPA walkability index, day-to-day errands in Mercer 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 16137 snapshot
ZIP-level Census figures for the wider 16137 area around Mercer: a single ZIP can span several communities, so they describe the area, not Mercer alone.
Mercer sits in Mercer County, ZIP 16137. Local context that shapes where residents test:
Local landmarks
Major routes
Nearby cities & towns
Just outside Mercer? 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 Mercer County: the CDC's screening guidelines, each infection's detection window, per-test reference prices, and your privacy rights under Pennsylvania 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 Mercer-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 Mercer 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 Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania, a minor of any age can consent to confidential STI testing and treatment on their own, no parental permission is required.
Pennsylvania 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 PennsylvaniaSource: 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.
There are 7 options within a 30-mile drive.
Yes, Medicaid typically covers it, and public clinics are free either way.
Pennsylvania Department of Health, about 4.7 mi away, provides free testing.
A full panel typically covers chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, HIV, and hepatitis B and C.
Mercer County reported ~326 chlamydia cases per 100,000 in 2023, below the Pennsylvania average.
Most results are ready in about 1–2 days.
In Pennsylvania, people under 18 can consent to confidential STD testing and treatment on their own.
Use condoms, test regularly, get the HPV and hep B vaccines, and ask about PrEP for HIV.
Yes, test even without symptoms, and tell the provider which infection so they can treat or retest appropriately.
Sexually active people, especially under 25 or with new/multiple partners; everyone 13–64 should test for HIV at least once.
Have a different question? Browse the full STD & STI FAQ library, every question we answer, in one place.