Nolan County reports about 49 syphilis cases per 100,000 residents. Whether it's your first STI test or a routine screening in Sweetwater, Texas, consider options like public clinics, private labs, and at-home kits. Public clinics keep costs down, while private labs prioritize speed, and at-home kits trade a clinic visit for convenience.
Available testing centers
6 testing options are listed for Sweetwater, TX. The nearest, Sweetwater Nolan County Health Department, is about 0.7 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.
Sweetwater Nolan County Health Department brings STI testing into public health infrastructure, pairing gonorrhea, syphilis, chlamydia, HIV, and herpes testing with same-visit bacterial treatment on a sliding-scale fee. Appointments are required, and Title X family planning, including legally confidential services for minors, is available.
Title X designation makes family planning services for minors legally confidential here, not at the discretion of staff, but by federal statute. That means a minor can schedule, test, and receive care without the visit appearing on a parent's insurance or records.
The testing panel at Sweetwater Nolan County Health Department includes herpes alongside gonorrhea, syphilis, chlamydia, and HIV. Collected and processed through the department's own clinical workflow rather than sent as an add-on order. One appointment covers the full range without scheduling a separate draw.
Languages
English
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Jul 2025 · Source: CDC NPIN
Resource Care Community Health Center in Merkel runs on a fee schedule that accepts Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurance, covering a panel that spans HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and TB. Appointments required, with services available in Spanish.
Spanish is a working clinical language at Resource Care, which means the exchange between patient and provider (weighing symptoms, interpreting results, deciding on treatment) happens directly, without relay. That directness shapes what a patient actually understands and acts on leaving the visit.
The panel at Resource Care includes antibody testing for both hepatitis B and hepatitis C alongside the bacterial and viral STI workup. Hepatitis C reactive results move into on-site clinical management rather than a separate referral pathway, keeping monitoring and next steps within the same provider relationship.
Languages
English, Spanish
Tests offered
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Jan 2026 · Source: CDC NPIN
Scurry County Health Unit in Snyder operates within the county public health system, anchoring STI care alongside TB management and family planning. Appointments are required; fees follow a sliding scale and Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurance are all accepted. The standard bacterial STIs are treated same-visit, with HPV and hepatitis A and B vaccines on hand.
Scurry County Health Unit delivers care in Spanish, not routed through an add-on service but as a named operational language of the clinic. For patients whose medical reasoning, symptom description, and follow-up questions run in Spanish, that means no compression of clinical detail at the critical moments of a visit.
Beyond gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, and HIV, the Unit tests for herpes and hepatitis C. Meaning a single appointment can surface infections that a narrower panel would miss entirely and that would otherwise require a separate clinical encounter to diagnose.
Languages
English, Spanish
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Apr 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 less than a mile away; if you'd rather skip the trip, an at-home kit ships to Sweetwater, 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 Nolan 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.
200 East Arizona, Sweetwater, TX 79556
CMS-certified lab Accredited · COLA
Source: CMS CLIA registry (Provider of Services), Q1 2026. Federal public records: active CLIA-certified laboratories near Sweetwater. 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, 15 primary-care, OB-GYN, infectious-disease and other clinicians have a CMS practice record within 30 miles of Sweetwater. They may be able to evaluate symptoms or order a confidential STD panel during a regular visit.
Rebecca Burson, MD
Family medicine · 201 East Arizona Avenue, Sweetwater
Charles Anderson, MD
OB-GYN · 301 Jenny George Lane, Sweetwater
Robert Eaker, MD
Family medicine · 301 Jenny George Lane, Sweetwater
Chad White, MD
Family medicine · 774 State Hwy 70 North, Rotan
Henry Fosah, MD
Family medicine · 774 State Hwy 70 North, Rotan
Joseph Scott, MD
Family medicine · 997 West Interstate 20, Colorado 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 Sweetwater, TX 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.
Brookshires Pharmacy
0.4 mi
0.4 mi Maloney Prescription Pharmacy
1.0 miRolling Plains Pharmacy
1.1 miThe Medicine Place
1.1 mi
1.5 mi Showing the 6 closest pharmacies to Sweetwater, TX.
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 Sweetwater, 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
$0 with most insurance
Free online PrEP & DoxyPEP: HIV prevention, home lab kits, no in-person visit
Visit from $0 insured
Telehealth STI treatment and sexual-health care, delivered or to your pharmacy
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 Nolan County, the county that includes Sweetwater, compare with Texas and U.S. averages, based on the most recent 2023 surveillance data. An estimated ~26% of residents are aged 15–34 (ACS), the age group with the highest reported chlamydia and gonorrhea rates nationally.
#56 of 254 Texas counties for chlamydia, a higher rate than 78% of the state
| Infection | Nolan County | Texas | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia | 433.4 62 cases ▼ 12% | 491.9 | 492.2 |
| Gonorrhea | 111.8 16 cases ▼ 37% | 176.4 | 179.5 |
| Syphilis (P&S) | 48.9 7 cases ▲ 226% | 15 | 15.8 |
| Syphilis (early) | 21 3 cases ▼ 20% | 26.4 | 16 |
| Syphilis (late/unknown) | 55.9 8 cases ▲ 26% | 44.3 | 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 Nolan County, chlamydia has fallen from 542.8 to 433.4 per 100,000 (20%), gonorrhea has fallen from 264.6 to 111.8 per 100,000 (58%), and P&S syphilis has risen from 13.6 to 48.9 per 100,000 (260%).
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 Nolan County.
Local HIV snapshot
Nolan County HIV care continuum (2021)
Nolan County recorded 0 new HIV diagnoses per 100,000 (2021), against 20.2 statewide and 13.7 nationally. Among Nolan County residents living with HIV, 82.6% are in care · 78.3% 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 Nolan County tests for syphilis.
Source: CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus, 2023 (county-level congenital syphilis is not published).
Local resources & officials
Data & references
Local context
Sweetwater households tend to run large and lean married: homes where health decisions often involve a partner's schedule, a shared budget, and kids underfoot. That family-centered structure shapes how and when adults actually follow through on something like STI screening: it's not just about personal motivation but coordinating around work shifts, childcare, and a household income that, for most families here, leaves little room for unexpected costs. With typical rents sitting well under $700 a month and home values among the lowest in West Texas, the financial calculus is tight enough that a fee at the door can genuinely determine whether a visit happens. Getting around Sweetwater without a car adds its own layer.
Younger adults in their late teens and twenties, the years when STIs circulate most, are disproportionately navigating both of those realities at once. The testing options listed here vary in hours, cost, and distance precisely because no single setup fits every Sweetwater household. Finding one that aligns with a split shift on East Broadway or a Tuesday when childcare falls through is the practical starting point.
Getting there
At 7.82/20 on the EPA walkability index, day-to-day errands in Sweetwater 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 79556 snapshot
ZIP-level Census figures for the wider 79556 area around Sweetwater: a single ZIP can span several communities, so they describe the area, not Sweetwater alone.
Sweetwater sits in Nolan County, ZIP 79556. Local context that shapes where residents test:
Local landmarks
Major routes
Nearby cities & towns
Just outside Sweetwater? 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 Nolan County: the CDC's screening guidelines, each infection's detection window, per-test reference prices, and your privacy rights under Texas 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 Sweetwater-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 Sweetwater 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 Texas 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 Texas, a minor of any age can consent to confidential STI testing and treatment on their own, no parental permission is required.
Texas 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 TexasSource: 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.
Yes, several local labs offer same-day walk-in testing; best to call first.
Yes, Medicaid typically covers it, and public clinics are free either way.
Public clinics serve people without insurance, often on a sliding scale.
A full panel typically covers chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, HIV, and hepatitis B and C.
Nolan County reported ~433 chlamydia cases per 100,000 in 2023, below the Texas average.
At-home kits mail to 79556: self-collect, send to the lab, results in ~2–5 days.
Most results are ready in about 1–2 days.
In Texas, people under 18 can consent to confidential STD testing and treatment on their own.
Untreated chlamydia can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease and fertility problems, caught early, it's cured with antibiotics.
Get treated, notify partners, pause sex until cleared, and follow up, the infection is manageable.
Have a different question? Browse the full STD & STI FAQ library, every question we answer, in one place.