Skip to main content
I need a test

Ways to test

Plan it

Privacy

Your situation

I have symptoms

Check

Down there

Elsewhere

Is it an STI at all?

I was exposed

Act now

Timing

Your risk

I tested positive

Next steps

Partners

Living with it

Prevention

Daily defenses

Vaccines

Smarter sex

Conditions

Health areas

Bacterial

Viral

Hepatitis

Parasitic & skin

Related & look-alikes

CDC surveillance data

STD Rates by State: Compare Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Syphilis & HIV

Reported chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and HIV rates for every U.S. state and county: measured against the national average, with 4-year trends and national ranks. Pick your state, then find testing nearby.

Chlamydia
492.2
U.S. avg / 100k
Gonorrhea
179.5
U.S. avg / 100k
Syphilis (P&S)
15.8
U.S. avg / 100k

Key takeaways

The U.S. STI picture, in five points

  • In 2023 the U.S. averaged 492.2 chlamydia, 179.5 gonorrhea and 15.8 primary & secondary syphilis cases per 100,000 people (CDC).
  • Rates swing enormously by geography, chlamydia runs from about 1,228 per 100k in District of Columbia down to 196.6 in New Hampshire.
  • Syphilis is the fastest-rising of the three, and congenital syphilis hit 3,882 newborn cases nationally in 2023, the metric public-health officials are most alarmed by.
  • A high reported rate is not all bad news: it often reflects more testing and better reporting, not just more infection.
  • Pick your state for its full breakdown: chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, HIV, the 4-year trend, county detail and where to get tested.

States with the highest and lowest STD rates

Highest STD rates by state

Ranked by reported chlamydia rate per 100k

Lowest STD rates by state

The states reporting the fewest cases per capita

Selected state breakdown

South · pop. 678,990

District of Columbia

1st highest of 51 states

Chlamydia

1,228 per 100k

▲ 149% above U.S. avg

U.S. rank
1st of 51
reported cases (2023)
8,338
4-yr trend
+32%
Chlamydia testing Chlamydia four-year trend rose 32% from 2020 to 2023.

Gonorrhea

853.3 per 100k

▲ 375% above U.S. avg

U.S. rank
1st of 51
reported cases (2023)
5,794
4-yr trend
+52%
Gonorrhea testing Gonorrhea four-year trend rose 52% from 2020 to 2023.

Syphilis

39.9 per 100k

▲ 153% above U.S. avg

U.S. rank
2nd of 51
reported cases (2023)
271
4-yr trend
+11%
Syphilis testing Syphilis four-year trend rose 11% from 2020 to 2023.

HIV (new dx)

32.6 per 100k

▲ 138% above U.S. avg

U.S. rank
1st of 51
4-yr trend
-6%
HIV testing HIV (new dx) four-year trend fell 6% from 2020 to 2023.

Congenital syphilis: 5 District of Columbia newborn cases in 2023 (vs 12 in 2022), 43rd highest of 51, part of a national surge to 3,882 cases.

Find STD testing in District of Columbia

The ranking

All 51 states, ranked

Reported case rates per 100,000 (2023). Sort by any infection; pick a row to load its full breakdown above.

above U.S. average below U.S. average

U.S. states ranked by reported STI case rate per 100,000, 2023
# State
1 1,228 ▲149% 853.3 ▲375% 39.9 ▲153% 32.6 ▲138%
2 792.4 ▲61% 288.4 ▲61% 26.1 ▲65% 22.5 ▲64%
3 700.9 ▲42% 251.1 ▲40% 30.1 ▲91% 21.3 ▲55%
4 697.7 ▲42% 310.9 ▲73% 22.5 ▲42% 4.6 ▼66%
5 651.1 ▲32% 226.9 ▲26% 28.6 ▲81% 16.5 ▲20%
6 646.4 ▲31% 274.8 ▲53% 20 ▲27% 25.5 ▲86%
7 612.1 ▲24% 222.4 ▲24% 17.3 ▲9% 18.3 ▲34%
8 607.9 ▲24% 243.2 ▲35% 19.9 ▲26% 15.1 ▲10%
9 579.8 ▲18% 207.1 ▲15% 14.2 ▼10% 13.9 ▲1%
10 579.6 ▲18% 193.4 ▲8% 29.2 ▲85% 11.8 ▼14%
11 558.4 ▲13% 235.6 ▲31% 14.8 ▼6% 14.1 ▲3%
12 557.7 ▲13% 202.3 ▲13% 11.6 ▼27% 14.7 ▲7%
13 552.7 ▲12% 151.9 ▼15% 17.4 ▲10% 11.4 ▼17%
14 552.5 ▲12% 190.7 ▲6% 24.1 ▲53% 14.6 ▲7%
15 531.6 ▲8% 253.3 ▲41% 73.4 ▲365% 6.8 ▼50%
16 523.6 ▲6% 169 ▼6% 36.6 ▲132% 10.4 ▼24%
17 517.4 ▲5% 186.4 ▲4% 14.8 ▼6% 14.8 ▲8%
18 498.9 ▲1% 206.7 ▲15% 19.3 ▲22% 22.7 ▲66%
19 498.6 ▲1% 201.9 ▲12% 21.5 ▲36% 10.6 ▼23%
20 493.6 ≈ 204.7 ▲14% 22.7 ▲44% 21.1 ▲54%
21 491.9 ≈ 176.4 ▼2% 15 ▼5% 20.2 ▲47%
22 491.1 ≈ 190.2 ▲6% 16.3 ▲3% 14.9 ▲9%
23 491 ≈ 144 ▼20% 8.7 ▼45% 11.7 ▼15%
24 480.8 ▼2% 152.6 ▼15% 8.2 ▼48% 6.8 ▼50%
25 472.8 ▼4% 158.3 ▼12% 10.7 ▼32% 11.8 ▼14%
26 471.3 ▼4% 170.3 ▼5% 27.7 ▲75% 11.4 ▼17%
27 468.8 ▼5% 115.5 ▼36% 10.4 ▼34% 6 ▼56%
28 461.7 ▼6% 168 ▼6% 16.3 ▲3% 8.8 ▼36%
29 453.8 ▼8% 144 ▼20% 13.5 ▼15% 6.1 ▼55%
30 436.4 ▼11% 147.2 ▼18% 12.4 ▼22% 3.2 ▼77%
31 435.6 ▼11% 126.7 ▼29% 12.7 ▼20% 4.8 ▼65%
32 435.1 ▼12% 128.7 ▼28% 16 ▲1% 9.6 ▼30%
33 429.5 ▼13% 152.2 ▼15% 8.4 ▼47% 8.1 ▼41%
34 426.8 ▼13% 116.8 ▼35% 10.3 ▼35% 5.1 ▼63%
35 422.8 ▼14% 118.5 ▼34% 9.1 ▼42% 5.1 ▼63%
36 421.2 ▼14% 144.7 ▼19% 9.1 ▼42% 8.3 ▼39%
37 412.7 ▼16% 139.8 ▼22% 10.6 ▼33% 8.8 ▼36%
38 384.1 ▼22% 109.1 ▼39% 8.1 ▼49% 11.9 ▼13%
39 381.9 ▼22% 134.4 ▼25% 14.1 ▼11% 10.4 ▼24%
40 379.5 ▼23% 134.5 ▼25% 8.7 ▼45% 6.7 ▼51%
41 364.8 ▼26% 113.3 ▼37% 7.3 ▼54% 7.8 ▼43%
42 362.5 ▼26% 117.2 ▼35% 19.2 ▲22% 6.6 ▼52%
43 354.4 ▼28% 129.6 ▼28% 21.3 ▲35% 6.3 ▼54%
44 322.6 ▼34% 67.7 ▼62% 27.5 ▲74% 3 ▼78%
45 322 ▼35% 77.9 ▼57% 9.7 ▼39% 5.5 ▼60%
46 313.2 ▼36% 42.3 ▼76% 2.2 ▼86% 4.2 ▼69%
47 294.9 ▼40% 39.6 ▼78% 3.8 ▼76% 3 ▼78%
48 249 ▼49% 54.7 ▼70% 10.9 ▼31% 6.5 ▼53%
49 217.4 ▼56% 44.4 ▼75% 5.3 ▼66% 2.9 ▼79%
50 201.9 ▼59% 34 ▼81% 0.5 ▼97% 1.8 ▼87%
51 196.6 ▼60% 41.9 ▼77% 3.9 ▼75% 2.8 ▼80%

% is each state's rate vs the U.S. average. HIV = new diagnoses per 100k. Covers all 51 U.S. jurisdictions; county detail is available for 10 states (120 counties) and expanding. Search any covered county in the county lookup below.

County lookup

Find your county's STD rates

Type a county to see its chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis rates measured against its state and the U.S. average, plus where it ranks among U.S. counties with data. Currently searching 152 counties, and growing as more of the country is added.

County figures are reported case rates per 100,000 (CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus, 2023), the same all-ages basis as the state and U.S. values above. A percentile of "higher than 80%" means the county's rate exceeds 80% of the 152 counties currently in the lookup.

Understanding the numbers

What the STI data actually says

Chlamydia is by far the most reported STI in the United States, about 492.2 cases per 100,000 in 2023, followed by gonorrhea at roughly 179.5. Both are bacterial, frequently silent, and curable with a single course of antibiotics when caught early. Because so many infections cause no symptoms, the reported rate is a floor, not a ceiling: it only captures people who were tested and whose results were reported to a health department.

Primary & secondary syphilis is far rarer, around 15.8 per 100,000: but it is the infection public-health officials watch most closely, because it is climbing fast and is dangerous if untreated, progressing to organ and neurological damage. The clearest warning sign is congenital syphilis: when syphilis goes undiagnosed in pregnancy it can pass to the baby, causing stillbirth, infant death, or lifelong disability. U.S. congenital syphilis cases reached 3,882 in 2023, a more than tenfold rise over a decade, and nearly all of it is preventable with one timely test and treatment.

Why state and county rates differ so much

The map is not a map of behavior. A state's reported rate is shaped by how much testing it does, how completely labs and clinics report, the age mix of its population (young adults carry most chlamydia and gonorrhea), and access to care. Southern states and the District of Columbia sit at the top of the overall rankings year after year, while northern New England sits lowest: a pattern driven as much by health-care access, poverty, and the urban-rural divide as by transmission itself.

That is why this tool surfaces access context for each state: the uninsured share, the CDC/ATSDR Social Vulnerability Index percentile, and the number of public and community clinics. Where insurance is thin and clinics are sparse, infections are caught later and spread further, which is exactly where free and low-cost testing matters most. The honest read on a high number is "get screened," not "this is a dangerous place."

By infection

The four infections on this page

Chlamydia

Most common reportable STI (~492.2/100k). Usually symptomless; untreated it can cause infertility. A simple urine or swab NAAT detects it; one antibiotic course cures it.

Gonorrhea

Second most common (~179.5/100k) and increasingly drug-resistant, which is why prompt testing and the right treatment matter. Often silent, especially in the throat and rectum.

Syphilis

Rarer (~15.8/100k) but rising and serious, with a painless sore that's easy to miss. A blood test diagnoses it; antibiotics cure it. Screening in pregnancy prevents congenital syphilis.

HIV

New diagnoses are tracked separately from prevalence. Early detection plus modern treatment means an undetectable viral load and a normal lifespan, and PrEP prevents infection. Everyone 13–64 should test at least once.

By age & demographics

How common is it for someone like you?

State rates count the cases clinics report each year. They miss the fuller picture: how many people are carrying an infection right now, most of them undiagnosed. These national estimates from the CDC and NHANES sample the whole population, so they capture the silent majority. Pick an infection and your age to see how far from alone you are.

A statistic about groups, not a test for you. This runs on your device: nothing is sent or saved.

The single most important fact about STI prevalence is how much of it goes undiagnosed. An estimated 90% of people with genital herpes have never been told they have it, and most HPV and chlamydia infections cause no symptoms at all. So the people who test positive are only a fraction of the people who actually have an infection.

That cuts two ways. It is the reason these infections spread quietly, and the reason routine testing matters even when you feel fine. It is also why a positive result is so rarely a story about carelessness: it is usually just a common infection finally being seen.

Methodology

How we built this

Every figure is a reported case rate per 100,000 population for 2023, the most recent year CDC has finalized, pulled from CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus, which compiles notifiable-disease reports from state and territorial health departments. State, county, and U.S. values use the same all-ages basis so they're directly comparable. HIV figures are new diagnoses (not prevalence). National ranks are out of 50 states plus DC.

We show reported cases because that is what surveillance measures; true infection levels are higher, since asymptomatic infections often go untested. A state that tests and reports more thoroughly will show a higher rate for the same underlying transmission: so these numbers compare reported burden, not personal risk.

Medically Reviewed & Fact-Checked · Updated

Reviewed by EasySTD Editorial Team

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 →

3 Sources

Data & references

EasySTD is an information and comparison directory, not a healthcare provider. This tool is general information, not medical advice or a diagnosis. Always consult a qualified clinician about testing and treatment.

Good to Know

STD rates by state: FAQs

What these numbers mean, and what to do next.

Which state has the highest STD rate?

By reported chlamydia rate in this 2023 CDC dataset, District of Columbia is highest (1,228 per 100,000) and New Hampshire lowest (196.6). Southern states and the District of Columbia consistently top the overall rankings, while northern New England sits lowest: but reported rates reflect testing and reporting intensity, not only true infection levels.

Where does this STD-rate data come from?

Reported case rates per 100,000 people from the CDC's National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System, published in CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus (2023, the most recent finalized year). County rates come from the same AtlasPlus county tables. These count diagnosed, reported cases; true infection levels are higher because many STIs are asymptomatic and go untested.

Why is my state's STD rate higher than the national average?

A higher reported rate can mean more transmission, but it also reflects more testing, more complete reporting, a younger population, and screening intensity. States that test aggressively often post higher numbers precisely because they find more cases. Read it as a prompt to get screened, not a verdict on your personal risk.

Does a high state rate mean I'm likely to have an STD?

No. State and county rates are population averages and say nothing about your individual risk, which depends on your own activity and your partners' status. The only way to know your status is to test.

What is congenital syphilis and why is it on this page?

Congenital syphilis is syphilis passed from a pregnant person to their baby; it can cause stillbirth, infant death, and lifelong disability, and it is almost entirely preventable with timely testing and treatment. U.S. cases reached 3,882 in 2023, more than a tenfold rise over a decade, which is why it appears alongside the adult rates here.

How often should I get tested?

The CDC recommends at least annual chlamydia and gonorrhea screening for sexually active women under 25 and for older women with risk factors, an HIV test at least once for everyone aged 13–64, and testing every 3–6 months for people with new or multiple partners. Use the testing link for your state to find free and low-cost options nearby.

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