Chlamydia cases in Buffalo County, Wisconsin run about 74% lower than the US average. Whether it's your first STI test or a routine screening in Nelson, Wisconsin, you'll have options between clinics that may bill insurance and private labs with flat self-pay fees. Browse the list below to find what suits you.
Available testing centers
6 testing options are listed for Nelson, WI. The nearest, Saint Elizabeths Hospital of Wabasha, is about 3.3 miles away. Compare 3 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 public safety-net rural health clinic about 3 miles from Nelson. Sliding-scale STD testing and care are typical here, call ahead to confirm the exact panel and pricing.
Tests offered
Buffalo County Public Health Department in Alma pairs gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, and HIV testing with same-visit treatment for bacterial infections: all on a sliding-scale fee, with walk-ins welcome and HPV and hepatitis B vaccines available.
Languages
English
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Apr 2026 · Source: CDC NPIN
Pepin County Health Department in Durand covers gonorrhea and chlamydia testing alongside same-visit bacterial STI treatment, TB screening, and family planning: all by appointment, all on a sliding scale, with free STI testing available and no charges at all for any service.
Title X federal funding underwrites every appointment at Pepin County Health Department, which means the sliding scale bottoms out at nothing: Medicaid is accepted, and for those without it, the fee structure still lands at zero. No session carries a residual charge.
Pepin County Health Department has interpretation services available for non-English languages, applied across the full scope of care: STI testing, TB screening, family planning, and treatment. That continuity means clinical decisions, follow-up instructions, and prevention education all move in the same language throughout.
Title X designation means family planning services for minors are legally confidential: a protection that exists independent of any parental insurance or billing, letting younger patients engage with contraception, STI testing, and related care on their own terms.
Languages
English, Interpretation Services Available for Non-English Languages
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Jan 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 3 miles away; if you'd rather skip the trip, an at-home kit ships to Nelson, 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 Buffalo 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.
700 Buffalo Street, Mondovi, WI 54755
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 Nelson. 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, 28 primary-care, OB-GYN, infectious-disease and other clinicians have a CMS practice record within 30 miles of Nelson. They may be able to evaluate symptoms or order a confidential STD panel during a regular visit, and 5 offer telehealth.
Laura Felley, MD Telehealth
Infectious disease · 1200 Grant Boulevard West, Wabasha
Michael Hirsh, MD
Urology · 1200 5th Grant Boulevard West, Wabasha
Jeremy Solberg, MD
Family medicine · 1200 Grant West Boulevard, Wabasha
Dennis Spano, MD
Family medicine · 204 South Main Street, Alma
Mark Wilbur, MD Telehealth
Family medicine · 507 West Doughty Street, Lake City
Kenneth Rucker, MD
Internal medicine · 1250 3rd Avenue West, Durand
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 Nelson, WI 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.
LC Edelbach Company
2.9 miWodele Enterprises
2.9 miKennedy Hallmark & Pharmacy
13 miSterling #38/ Kennedy Drug
13 miKennedy Drug
13 miHy-Vee
20 miShowing the 6 closest pharmacies to Nelson, WI.
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 Nelson, 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 Buffalo County, the county that includes Nelson, compare with Wisconsin and U.S. averages, based on the most recent 2023 surveillance data. An estimated ~22% of residents are aged 15–34 (ACS), the age group with the highest reported chlamydia and gonorrhea rates nationally.
#60 of 72 Wisconsin counties for chlamydia, a higher rate than 17% of the state
| Infection | Buffalo County | Wisconsin | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia | 126.7 17 cases ▼ 70% | 422.8 | 492.2 |
| Gonorrhea | 29.8 4 cases ▼ 75% | 118.5 | 179.5 |
| Syphilis (P&S) | 14.9 2 cases ▲ 64% | 9.1 | 15.8 |
| Syphilis (early) | — no data | 6.2 | 16 |
| Syphilis (late/unknown) | — no data | 14.7 | 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.
Between 2020 and 2023 in Buffalo County, chlamydia has fallen from 150.2 to 126.7 per 100,000 (16%), gonorrhea has risen from 22.5 to 29.8 per 100,000 (32%), and P&S syphilis has risen from 7.5 to 14.9 per 100,000 (99%).
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 Buffalo County.
Local HIV snapshot
Buffalo County HIV care continuum (2022)
Buffalo County recorded 0 new HIV diagnoses per 100,000 (2022), against 5.1 statewide and 13.7 nationally. Among Buffalo County residents living with HIV, 100% are in care · 83.3% 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 Buffalo County tests for syphilis.
Source: CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus, 2023 (county-level congenital syphilis is not published).
Local resources & officials
Data & references
Local context
People land in Nelson for work at the dairy operations that anchor the area, or to be closer to family with roots here, and suddenly questions about sexual health that felt abstract back home become real and practical. Testing facilities in and around Nelson are listed on this page, and the clinics serving the community understand that confidentiality isn't negotiable when you live somewhere where faces repeat. A young adult getting screened here isn't just protecting themselves; they're making a choice that stays private, even in a place where the same people show up at the grocery store, the post office, and the feed mill. The testing process moves quickly once you reach out, no waiting weeks, no elaborate intake. Providers in the area have worked with residents long enough to know what matters: direct answers, no judgment, and results that belong to you alone.
Whether you're newly sexually active or checking in after a relationship shift, screening is straightforward and accessible. Nelson's clinics recognize that people in their late teens through their thirties often have the most questions and the most reason to stay informed. If you've never been tested, or if it's been a while, the threshold to walk through a door here is genuinely low. What happens in that conversation stays between you and your provider: that's how it works, and that's what makes the difference.
Getting there
At 4.31/20 on the EPA walkability index, day-to-day errands in Nelson 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 54756 snapshot
ZIP-level Census figures for the wider 54756 area around Nelson: a single ZIP can span several communities, so they describe the area, not Nelson alone.
Nelson sits in Buffalo County, ZIP 54756. Local context that shapes where residents test:
Local landmarks
Major routes
Nearby cities & towns
Just outside Nelson? 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 Buffalo County: the CDC's screening guidelines, each infection's detection window, per-test reference prices, and your privacy rights under Wisconsin 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 Nelson-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 Nelson 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 Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin, a minor of any age can consent to confidential STI testing and treatment on their own, no parental permission is required.
Wisconsin 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 WisconsinSource: 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.
The closest is Saint Elizabeths Hospital of Wabasha (3.3 mi); 3 options are within 30 miles.
Public clinics are free; private labs ~$24–$139, at-home kits $49+.
Yes, Buffalo County Public Health Department (8.3 mi) offers free testing, and public clinics serve the uninsured.
Local options test for Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Syphilis, Herpes, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, Rapid HIV, a full panel covers the common ones.
About 127 cases per 100,000 residents (2023), below the Wisconsin average.
In Wisconsin, people under 18 can consent to confidential STD testing and treatment on their own.
Yes, at-home kits ship to 54756; you collect a sample, mail it back, and get results in about 2–5 days.
A clinic offers same-day answers and on-site treatment; an at-home kit trades that for privacy and convenience, both use real lab testing.
Yes, the CDC recommends STI screening early in pregnancy, since untreated infections can affect the baby.
Expedited partner therapy lets a provider treat a partner without an exam, where state law allows.
Have a different question? Browse the full STD & STI FAQ library, every question we answer, in one place.