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STD Testing in Northwood, IA: Same-Day, Low-Cost & Confidential

Today, reported gonorrhea in Worth County runs 92% lower than the US average. If you're in Northwood, Iowa, planning to start a new relationship or managing ongoing care, you have choices. Some clinics offer same-day walk-ins, while labs and at-home kits let you schedule around your routine.

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  • Clinics, labs & at-home kits compared
  • Free & low-cost options included
  • Backed by CDC, CMS & Census data
  • Editorially reviewed

Available testing centers

STD testing near Northwood, IA

No STD testing centers are located in Northwood, IA. The nearest, OCC Service Mankato, is about 63.9 miles away. At-home STD kits and online lab tests ship to your ZIP; compare private labs and at-home kits below.

Premium Partner

OCC Service Mankato

Most popular Results in 1–2 days
No ratings yet
Address
1613 N. Riverfront Drive, Mankato, MN 63.9 miles away
  • Chlamydia
  • Gonorrhea
  • Syphilis
  • Herpes
  • Hepatitis A
  • Hepatitis B
  • Hepatitis C
  • Rapid HIV
  • Conventional HIV
See tests & prices

Today's offer: $10 off any test panel, applied automatically at checkout.

Premium Partner

Sanford Health Laboratories

Results in 1–2 days
No ratings yet
Address
308 North Eighth Street, Mountain Lake, MN 92.3 miles away
  • Chlamydia
  • Gonorrhea
  • Syphilis
  • Herpes
  • Hepatitis A
  • Hepatitis B
  • Hepatitis C
  • Rapid HIV
  • Conventional HIV
See tests & prices

Today's offer: $10 off any test panel, applied automatically at checkout.

Premium Partner

Labcorp

Results in 1–2 days
No ratings yet
Address
2716 East 82nd Street, Minneapolis, MN 97.5 miles away
Opening hours
  • Monday 7:00 AM – 4:00 PM
  • Tuesday 7:00 AM – 4:00 PM
  • Wednesday 7:00 AM – 4:00 PM
  • Thursday 7:00 AM – 4:00 PM
  • Friday 7:00 AM – 4:00 PM
  • Saturday Closed
  • Sunday Closed
  • Chlamydia
  • Gonorrhea
  • Syphilis
  • Herpes
  • Hepatitis A
  • Hepatitis B
  • Hepatitis C
  • Rapid HIV
  • Conventional HIV
See tests & prices

Today's offer: $10 off any test panel, applied automatically at checkout.

Free tool · not a clinic

When can I test? Exposure-window calculator

Testing too soon can miss an infection. Enter the date of possible exposure to see the earliest a test can reliably detect each STI.

Detection windows for every 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.

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What matters most to you?

What will it cost? Estimate your STD test

Typical out-of-pocket ranges by option, actual cost depends on which tests you need.

  • Public / community clinic

    Free HIV testing is common

    $0–$25

  • Private lab (self-pay)

    Never billed to insurance

    $24–$200

  • At-home kit

    Mailed to your door, private

    From $49

  • Doctor / urgent care

    Often $0 preventive with insurance

    $0–$50 copay

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Every other option

More ways to get tested in Northwood, IA

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

At-home STD testing in Northwood, IA

The nearest testing center is about 64 miles away; if you'd rather skip the trip, an at-home kit ships to Northwood, 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.

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.

Local clinicians

Clinicians near Northwood, IA who may help arrange STD testing

Beyond dedicated clinics, 136 primary-care, OB-GYN, infectious-disease and other clinicians have a CMS practice record within 30 miles of Northwood. They may be able to evaluate symptoms or order a confidential STD panel during a regular visit, and 37 offer telehealth.

  • Burt Bottjen, MD

    Family medicine · 803 9th Avenue North, Northwood

    Call Directions

  • Syed Haris Ali, MD

    Internal medicine · 404 West Fountain Street, Albert Lea

    Call Directions

  • Maryam Mahmood Telehealth

    Infectious disease · 1000 1st Drive Northwest, Austin

    Call Directions

  • Aileen Prabhakaran, MD Telehealth

    Family medicine · 910 North Eisenhower Avenue, Mason City

    Directions

  • David Daniels, MD

    Internal medicine · 600 1st Street Northwest, Mason City

    Directions

  • Charity Baker, DO

    Family medicine · 320 North Eisenhower Avenue, Mason City

    Call Directions

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 Northwood, IA

No pharmacy near Northwood, IA 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.

  • Mercyone Northwood Pharmacy

    0.1 mi
    Rx pickupCondoms / EC
    Directions

  • Brower Drug

    16 mi
    Rx pickupCondoms / EC
    Directions

  • Mitchell County Pharmacies

    16 mi
    Rx pickupCondoms / EC
    Directions
  • Walgreens 16 mi
    Rx pickupOTC HIV self-testAt-home STI kitsPrEP/PEP fillsHPV & Hep B vaccinesCondoms / EC
    Directions

  • Redinger Pharmacy

    16 mi
    Rx pickupCondoms / EC
    Directions

Showing the 5 closest pharmacies to Northwood, IA.

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 Northwood, 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.

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 Worth County: the local picture

How reported STI rates in Worth County, the county that includes Northwood, compare with Iowa and U.S. averages, based on the most recent 2023 surveillance data. An estimated ~24% of residents are aged 15–34 (ACS), the age group with the highest reported chlamydia and gonorrhea rates nationally.

#76 of 99 Iowa counties for chlamydia, a higher rate than 23% of the state

Reported STD rates per 100,000, Worth County vs Iowa vs U.S.

Worth County Iowa U.S. ▲▼ = Worth County vs the state average
Infection Worth County Iowa United States
Chlamydia
178.2 13 cases ▼ 58%
426.8 492.2
Gonorrhea
13.7 1 cases ▼ 88%
116.8 179.5
Syphilis (P&S) — no data 10.3 15.8
Syphilis (early) — no data 9.2 16
Syphilis (late/unknown)
13.7 1 cases ▲ 38%
9.9 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 Worth County over time (per 100,000)

Chlamydia ▼ 35% vs 2022
Chlamydia Gonorrhea Syphilis (P&S)
0 150 300 2020202120222023

Between 2020 and 2023 in Worth County, chlamydia has fallen from 241.8 to 178.2 per 100,000 (26%), and gonorrhea has fallen from 94 to 13.7 per 100,000 (85%).

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 Northwood, IA

Adults uninsured
7.1%
No routine checkup
21%
No transportation
6.6%
Binge drinking
18.9%
Frequent mental distress
16.1%
Depression
20.5%
Below poverty line
7.3%
Primary-care ratio
7,385 : 1
Worth County
  • Medically Underserved Area · IMU 57
  • Social Vulnerability Index · 2nd 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 Worth County.

Local HIV snapshot

HIV in Worth County (2024)

PrEP users / 100k
65

Worth County HIV care continuum (2022)

Worth County recorded 0 new HIV diagnoses per 100,000 (2022), against 5.1 statewide and 13.7 nationally. 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 Worth County tests for syphilis.

Source: CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus, 2023 (county-level congenital syphilis is not published).

Reviewed & Fact-Checked · Updated

Reviewed by EasySTD Editorial Team (opens in a new tab)

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 → (opens in a new tab)

13 Sources

Local resources & officials

Data & references

Local context

About Northwood, IA

Central Avenue cuts through the center of Northwood the way a main street should, anchoring a town where more than three in four residents own their homes and roughly half of households are headed by married couples. That stability shapes how health decisions get made here: care tends to be weighed carefully, discussed with a partner or family, and scheduled around work rather than walked into on impulse. That rhythm matters when you consider that roughly a quarter of the town falls within the years when STI transmission is most likely: people in their late teens and twenties, many still forming relationships and building habits around their own health.

With nearly two-thirds of adults in the workforce and unemployment running at a real clip, free hours on a weekday morning aren't a given. The options listed on this page serve Worth County residents across that range of circumstances. Worth County's STI figures reflect what happens in a predominantly stable, longer-tenured community: modest overall counts, but consistent enough that letting years pass between screenings carries quiet risk for anyone here whose relationship status or partners have shifted in the meantime.

Getting there

How residents reach STD testing in Northwood, IA

Walkability 5.71 / 20 · Least walkable

At 5.71/20 on the EPA walkability index, day-to-day errands in Northwood 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.

Map of 3 STD & STI testing locations in Northwood, Iowa, EasySTD

ZIP 50459 snapshot

Residents
3,027
Median age
41.4
Median income
$76,053

ZIP-level Census figures for the wider 50459 area around Northwood: a single ZIP can span several communities, so they describe the area, not Northwood alone.

Northwood sits in Worth County, ZIP 50459. Local context that shapes where residents test:

Local landmarks

  • Worth County Historical Museum
  • Swensrud School Museum
  • Central Park
  • Worth County Fairgrounds
  • Swensrud Park
  • Hurd Park

Major routes

  • US 65 (Central Avenue)
  • 8th Street North

Reference

STD testing in Northwood, IA: screening, costs & privacy

Everything to know before you test in Worth County: the CDC's screening guidelines, each infection's detection window, per-test reference prices, and your privacy rights under Iowa law. If you have symptoms right now, our confidential symptom checker maps them to the tests worth considering.

Who should test, and when

CDC screening schedule + each infection's detection window

Who should get tested, and how often

Based on current CDC screening recommendations.

GroupTestsHow 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 Northwood-area provider.

InfectionEarliest reliable testSample
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
Browse all STD & STI guides

What each STD test costs

Medicare 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 Northwood 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.

TestReference priceCPT / 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 Iowa

Minor consent and partner treatment (EPT) under state law, plus how to test privately

Two things that actually depend on Iowa 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 Iowa, a minor of any age can consent to confidential STI testing and treatment on their own; a parent may be notified only in the case of a positive HIV test result.

Can my partner be treated too? (EPT)

Iowa 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 Iowa

Source: Guttmacher Institute, Minors' Access to STI Services; CDC, Legal Status of Expedited Partner Therapy. General information, not legal advice.

Good to Know

STD testing FAQs for Northwood, IA

Answers to the questions people ask most before getting tested.

There's no clinic in Northwood, IA, what now?

Nearest is OCC Service Mankato, about 63.9 mi away. An at-home kit shipped to 50459 also works.

How much does STD testing cost near Northwood, IA?

Private labs run about $24 for one test and $139 for a full panel; at-home kits are $49+.

What's included in a full panel near Northwood, IA?

A full panel typically covers chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, HIV, and hepatitis B and C.

How common is chlamydia in Worth County?

Worth County reported ~178 chlamydia cases per 100,000 in 2023, below the Iowa average.

Can someone under 18 get tested in Iowa without a parent?

In Iowa, people under 18 can consent to confidential STD testing and treatment on their own.

How long do results take near Northwood, IA?

Most results are ready in about 1–2 days.

What happens after a positive result?

Get treated, notify partners, pause sex until cleared, and follow up, the infection is manageable.

Does the test site matter for gonorrhea?

Yes, site matters; oral/anal exposure needs a throat or rectal swab, which urine testing won't catch.

Does a negative test mean I'm safe?

Reassuring if you tested after the window, just retest if it was early, and screen again with new partners.

What should I do after sexual assault?

Go to an ER or call RAINN (800-656-4673); they provide testing, PEP, and support right away.

Have a different question? Browse the full STD & STI FAQ library, every question we answer, in one place.