STD Testing in New Bedford, MA: Free, Same-Day & Confidential
New HIV diagnoses in Bristol County run about 26% lower than the US average. Whether you need testing after a possible exposure or as part of routine care, you'll find public clinics, private labs, and at-home kits for STI testing in New Bedford, Massachusetts. Public clinics keep costs down, private labs prioritize speed, and at-home kits trade a clinic visit for convenience. See your options below.
12 testing options are listed for New Bedford, MA. The nearest, Seven Hills Foundation, is about 1.2 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
Quest Diagnostics
Most popular Results in 1–2 days
3.1(62)?
Review sources
Google57
EasySTD5
Rated 3.1 out of 5 from 62 reviews
Address
237 State Road, North Dartmouth, MA 02747 2.9 miles away
Today's offer: $10 off any test panel, applied automatically at checkout.
Highest rated 1.2 miles
Seven Hills Foundation
4.6(31)?
Review sources
Google29
EasySTD2
Rated 4.6 out of 5 from 31 reviews
Seven Hills Foundation in New Bedford charges nothing for STI screening, fees are waived entirely, with no one turned away regardless of ability to pay. Appointments are required to access testing for syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, and HIV.
Listing verified Aug 2025 · Source: CDC NPIN + HRSA
Community health center 2.5 miles
Greater New Bedford Community Health Center BH Site
2.8(137)?
Review sources
Google132
EasySTD5
Rated 2.8 out of 5 from 137 reviews
Greater New Bedford Community Health Center BH Site, in New Bedford, adjusts fees to each patient's income. No one is turned away for inability to pay. Walk-ins are welcome for STI screening covering syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia, backed by the center's federally qualified health center standing.
Acushnet Ave in New Bedford earns its federally qualified standing by anchoring care for patients paying cash, between providers, or stretching limited income. Sliding-scale fees adjust to what people actually earn, making syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia screening reachable without an appointment.
Health Imperatives in New Bedford weaves STI care into broader community health services, so gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, herpes, and HIV testing sit alongside hepatitis C screening and family planning. All by appointment, on a sliding scale, with bacterial infections treated the same visit, at no cost.
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Every Test and Treatment Runs Without a Bill
Health Imperatives charges nothing for STI testing, HIV testing, or hepatitis C testing, and that zero-cost structure extends through treatment, not just the visit. Whether it's same-visit bacterial treatment or ongoing hepatitis C management, no point in the care cycle carries a charge.
Clinical Staff Work Directly in Four Languages
Health Imperatives delivers care in French, Haitian Creole, Portuguese, and Spanish through staff, not as a workaround, which means nuanced conversations about symptoms, treatment, and prevention happen at full fluency, shaping decisions more accurately.
PrEP, PEP, and DoxyPEP Without a Second Stop
Chasing down DoxyPEP at a separate prescriber, often a specialist with a wait, is the gap that leaves bacterial exposure unaddressed. Health Imperatives holds PrEP, PEP, and DoxyPEP together, so every prevention tool is on the table at a single appointment in New Bedford.
Tests & treatsSliding-scalePrEPDoxyPEP
Address
651 Orchard Street, Suite 100 New Bedford, MA 02744
HealthFirst Family Care Center in Fall River requires an appointment and covers gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, hepatitis C, and HIV testing in a single visit, with bacterial STIs treated the same day, HPV and hepatitis A vaccines available, and fees on a sliding scale accepted alongside Medicaid, Medicare, and insurance.
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Staffed Interpretation Woven Into Clinical Appointments
HealthFirst maintains interpretation services for non-English languages as a scheduled, staffed component of care: meaning clinicians can take a full exposure and treatment history, review lab results, and explain a medication regimen through a dedicated interpreter rather than relying on ad hoc solutions during the visit.
Hepatitis C Treatment Happens Here, Start to Finish
HealthFirst treats hepatitis C on-site, which means a positive result moves directly into a managed treatment plan at the same facility. No gap between diagnosis and the provider who will actually prescribe antivirals and monitor the course.
Substance-Use Treatment Shares Space With STI Care
Substance-use treatment is available at HealthFirst alongside STI services, so patients managing both conditions can coordinate appointments within one practice. Reducing the number of separate providers needed to keep two interconnected health concerns on track.
Sstar, in Fall River, requires an appointment, and that single scheduled visit covers rapid HIV testing, gonorrhea, chlamydia, and syphilis screening, same-visit treatment for bacterial infections, and PrEP initiation, on a sliding-scale fee accepted alongside Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurance.
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Portuguese and Spanish, Not Routed Through Workarounds
Many STI clinics that serve multilingual communities rely on ad-hoc solutions that put distance between a patient and a clinician. At Sstar, Portuguese and Spanish are working languages of care itself: history-taking, counseling, and treatment planning happen directly in both, without intermediaries flattening the conversation.
PrEP and PEP Prescribed and Monitored Here
PrEP at Sstar means an ongoing clinical relationship: the prescribing clinician tracks adherence, orders the required HIV and kidney-function labs on schedule, and adjusts the regimen as needed. PEP is similarly managed in-house, with the full course prescribed and follow-up built into the same care team.
Hepatitis C Treatment, Not Just a Positive Result
Clinics that screen for hepatitis C frequently stop there, leaving patients to navigate a separate specialty referral for actual antivirals. Sstar carries treatment on-site: once hepatitis C is identified, the curative course is managed within the same practice, in Portuguese or Spanish.
Listing verified Aug 2025 · Source: CDC NPIN + HRSA
Community health center 17.2 miles
Community Health Center of Cape Cod - North Falmouth
No ratings yet
Community Health Center of Cape Cod - North Falmouth earns its federal designation by keeping STI screening (syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia) within reach for anyone paying out of pocket, between insurance plans, or managing a tight budget. Fees slide with income, and no appointment is needed to get tested.
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 about 1 mile away, if you'd rather skip the trip, an at-home kit ships to New Bedford, 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 New Bedford, MA
Beyond the public testing sites above, these federally certified (CLIA) labs serve Bristol 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.
Showing 6 of the CLIA-certified labs in Bristol County.
Source: CMS CLIA registry (Provider of Services), Q1 2026. Federal public records: active CLIA-certified laboratories near New Bedford. 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 New Bedford, MA who may help arrange STD testing
Beyond dedicated clinics, 1,426 primary-care, OB-GYN, infectious-disease and other clinicians have a CMS practice record within 30 miles of New Bedford. They may be able to evaluate symptoms or order a confidential STD panel during a regular visit, and 534 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 New Bedford, MA
Compare the pharmacies closest to New Bedford, MA. Contact a location directly to confirm pharmacy-counter hours, services, prices, and product availability before visiting.
0.7 mi
Rx pickupOTC HIV self-testAt-home STI kitsPrEP/PEP fillsHPV & Hep B vaccinesCondoms / EC
Showing the 4 closest pharmacies to New Bedford, MA.
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 New Bedford, 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
Q Care Plus
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
STDs & HIV in Bristol County: the local picture
How reported STI rates in Bristol County, the county that includes New Bedford, compare with Massachusetts and U.S. averages, based on the most recent 2023 surveillance data. An estimated ~28% of residents are aged 15–34 (ACS), the age group with the highest reported chlamydia and gonorrhea rates nationally.
#6
#6 of 14 Massachusetts counties for chlamydia, a higher rate than 57% of the state
Reported STD rates per 100,000, Bristol County vs Massachusetts vs U.S.
Bristol CountyMassachusettsU.S.▲▼ = Bristol County vs the state average
Infection
Bristol County
Massachusetts
United States
Chlamydia
348.52,028 cases▼ 16%
412.7
492.2
Gonorrhea
113.6661 cases▼ 19%
139.8
179.5
Syphilis (P&S)
7.644 cases▼ 28%
10.6
15.8
Syphilis (early)
5.230 cases▼ 50%
10.3
16
Syphilis (late/unknown)
11.969 cases▼ 13%
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 Bristol County over time (per 100,000)
Chlamydia ▲ 3% vs 2022
Chlamydia Gonorrhea Syphilis (P&S)
Between 2020 and 2023 in Bristol County, chlamydia has risen from 337.4 to 348.5 per 100,000 (3%), gonorrhea has risen from 78.2 to 113.6 per 100,000 (45%), and P&S syphilis has fallen from 12.3 to 7.6 per 100,000 (38%).
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 New Bedford, MA
Adults uninsured
10.6%
No routine checkup
19.3%
No transportation
14.6%
Binge drinking
15.4%
Frequent mental distress
22.1%
Depression
25.5%
Below poverty line
19.6%
Primary-care ratio
1,980 : 1
Bristol County
Primary-care shortage score 21 / 26
Medically Underserved Area · IMU 55.2
Social Vulnerability Index · 62nd 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 Bristol County.
Local HIV snapshot
HIV in Bristol County (2023)
People living with HIV
280 / 100k
New diagnoses (2023)
51cases countywide
PrEP users / 100k
184 · PnR 18.06
Bristol County HIV care continuum (2023)
Bristol County recorded 10.2 new HIV diagnoses per 100,000 (2023), against 8.8 statewide and 13.7 nationally. Among Bristol County residents living with HIV, 79.3% are in care · 74.3% 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.
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 Bristol 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 →
Kempton Street cuts through the heart of New Bedford's working neighborhoods, past triple-deckers and corner stores where most households rent rather than own, and where an average home holds just over three people. That density shapes how health decisions get made: they rarely happen in isolation. With a little over a third of adults married and many more living in shared or multigenerational arrangements, a conversation about STI screening often involves a partner, a roommate, or a family member's schedule as much as one's own. The economic picture adds another layer.
Nearly four in ten residents aren't currently in the workforce, and among those who are, unemployment runs higher than the state average, which means time and money both carry real weight. Rent at under nine hundred dollars a month sounds modest until a missed shift or an unexpected bill reshapes the month. When roughly one in five households reaches six-figure income, the majority navigates health care decisions on tighter margins, making the cost structures and extended hours listed on this page genuinely relevant rather than incidental. Young adults in their late teens and twenties make up a substantial share of New Bedford's population, and Bristol County's STI figures reflect the rates typical for this stage of life.
Getting there
How residents reach STD testing in New Bedford, MA
Walkability15.08 / 20 · Above average
New Bedford scores 15.08/20 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 02740 snapshot
Residents
46,336
Median age
37
Median income
$54,563
ZIP-level Census figures for the wider 02740 area around New Bedford: a single ZIP can span several communities, so they describe the area, not New Bedford alone.
New Bedford sits in Bristol County, ZIP 02740. Local context that shapes where residents test:
Local landmarks
Riverside Cemetery
Seamen's Bethel
New Bedford Fire Museum
Central New Bedford Historic District
New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park Visitor Center
New Bedford Whaling Museum
Neighborhoods & communities
Acushnet
Satellite Village
Fairhaven
Pine Hill Acres
Dartmouth
Major routes
MA 140 (Alfred Bessette Memorial Highway)
MA 18 (John F. Kennedy Highway)
US 6 (Mill Street)
Nearby cities & towns
STD testing near New Bedford, MA
Just outside New Bedford? These nearby communities have their own testing guides: clinics, at-home kits, and free screening close to home.
STD testing in New Bedford, MA: screening, costs & privacy
Everything to know before you test in Bristol 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 New Bedford-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 New Bedford 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.
