In Hancock County, the rate of reported syphilis cases runs about 89% lower than the US average. If you're looking to get tested before starting a new relationship or as part of ongoing care in Waltham, Maine, you'll find that some clinics take walk-ins for same-day testing, while labs and at-home kits let you plan around your own time. A few local options are listed below.
Available testing centers
5 testing options are listed for Waltham, ME. The nearest, Bucksport Regional Health Center- Ellsworth Site, is about 9.8 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.
Bucksport Regional Health Center- Ellsworth Site, in Ellsworth, carries full federal FQHC standing, meaning its sliding-scale fees are tied directly to income: making syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia screening genuinely reachable for cash-paying patients, those between insurers, or anyone watching their costs.
Tests offered
Fees & payment
Maine Family Planning in Ellsworth runs by appointment, so visits move with purpose: one session covers the full STI panel, same-visit treatment for bacterial infections like gonorrhea and chlamydia, sliding-scale fees, and vaccines for HPV and hepatitis A and B.
Plenty of STI clinics test and treat but stop short of prescribing HIV prevention, PrEP and PEP get handed off elsewhere. Maine Family Planning in Ellsworth prescribes both on-site, keeping prevention and testing with the same clinical team rather than splitting care across separate providers.
The panel at Maine Family Planning goes beyond the four-infection baseline to include herpes, hepatitis B, and both conventional and rapid hepatitis C testing, which means a single appointment can surface infections that a shorter panel would simply miss.
Languages
English
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Feb 2026 · Source: CDC NPIN
MMHP Ellsworth, in Ellsworth, ties STI screening fees to income. Federally qualified status means no one is turned away for inability to pay. Walk-ins are welcome for syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia screening, with costs scaled to what patients actually earn.
Tests offered
Fees & payment
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 10 miles away; if you'd rather skip the trip, an at-home kit ships to Waltham, 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 range: couples & full panels
$79 & 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 Hancock 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.
50 Union Street, Ellsworth, ME 04605
CMS-certified lab Accredited · Joint Commission
150 High Street, Ellsworth, ME 04605
CMS-certified lab
10 Wayman Lane, Bar Harbor, ME 04609
CMS-certified lab
Source: CMS CLIA registry (Provider of Services), Q1 2026. Federal public records: active CLIA-certified laboratories near Waltham. 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, 228 primary-care, OB-GYN, infectious-disease and other clinicians have a CMS practice record within 30 miles of Waltham. They may be able to evaluate symptoms or order a confidential STD panel during a regular visit, and 61 offer telehealth.
Stephen Nightingale, MD
Internal medicine · 37 Commerce Park, Ellsworth
Vanessa Little, DO Telehealth
Family medicine · 50 Union Street, Ellsworth
Barbara Mercado-Stallard, MD
OB-GYN · 50 Union Street, Ellsworth
Shahin Tabatabaei, MD Telehealth
Urology · 50 Union Street, Ellsworth
Adebolanle Ayinde, MD
Internal medicine · 50 Union Street, Ellsworth
Ayesha Zahid, MD
Internal medicine · 50 Union Street, Ellsworth
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 Waltham, ME 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.
Raven Hill Integrated Therapies
10 miNorthern Light Pharmacy Downeast
11 miHannaford Supermarket & Pharmacy
11 miShaws Osco Pharmacy
11 miShaws Pharmacy
11 mi
11 mi Showing the 6 closest pharmacies to Waltham, ME.
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 Waltham, 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
$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
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 Hancock County, the county that includes Waltham, compare with Maine 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.
#14 of 16 Maine counties for chlamydia, among the lowest in the state
| Infection | Hancock County | Maine | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia | 134.5 76 cases ▼ 38% | 217.4 | 492.2 |
| Gonorrhea | 17.7 10 cases ▼ 60% | 44.4 | 179.5 |
| Syphilis (P&S) | 1.8 1 cases ▼ 66% | 5.3 | 15.8 |
| Syphilis (early) | — no data | 2.1 | 16 |
| Syphilis (late/unknown) | 1.8 1 cases ▼ 60% | 4.5 | 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 Hancock County, chlamydia has fallen from 192.9 to 134.5 per 100,000 (30%), gonorrhea has risen from 14.4 to 17.7 per 100,000 (23%), and P&S syphilis has fallen from 8.8 to 1.8 per 100,000 (80%).
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 Hancock County.
Local HIV snapshot
Hancock County HIV care continuum (2020)
Hancock County recorded 0 new HIV diagnoses per 100,000 (2020), against 2.9 statewide and 13.7 nationally. Among Hancock County residents living with HIV, 80.6% are in care · 79.1% 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 Hancock County tests for syphilis.
Source: CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus, 2023 (county-level congenital syphilis is not published).
Local resources & officials
Data & references
Local context
Cave Hill and Beech Hill frame a town where most households have put down roots: the homeownership rate here is among the higher you'll find in Maine, and the majority of adults are married, living in mid-sized households. That drive matters most for younger adults (people in their late teens and twenties, the group that accounts for the bulk of new STI diagnoses in any given year) who may be working, sharing a car, or juggling schedules that don't bend easily. With labor-force participation hovering just above three-fifths of adults and unemployment low, most working-age residents are employed, which makes mid-week clinic hours a real constraint rather than a theoretical one.
Scheduling ahead, rather than walking in, is the practical move from a town like Waltham. Cost is its own layer. With only about one in eight households clearing six figures, a sliding-scale fee structure or no-cost county option isn't a minor perk, for a renter paying close to the area's typical monthly rent, it can determine whether a test gets booked at all.
Getting there
At 6.44/20 on the EPA walkability index, day-to-day errands in Waltham 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 04605 snapshot
ZIP-level Census figures for the wider 04605 area around Waltham: a single ZIP can span several communities, so they describe the area, not Waltham alone.
Waltham sits in Hancock County, ZIP 04605. Local context that shapes where residents test:
Local landmarks
Nearby cities & towns
Just outside Waltham? 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 Hancock County: the CDC's screening guidelines, each infection's detection window, per-test reference prices, and your privacy rights under Maine 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 Waltham-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 Waltham 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 Maine 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 Maine, a minor of any age can consent to confidential STI testing and treatment on their own, no parental permission is required.
Maine 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 MaineSource: 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.
Free at public clinics. Private labs run about $24 for one test and $139 for a full panel; at-home kits are $49+.
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.
Hancock County reported ~135 chlamydia cases per 100,000 in 2023, below the Maine average.
Yes, PrEP, a daily pill that helps prevent HIV in HIV-negative people, is available in the area.
In Maine, people under 18 can consent to confidential STD testing and treatment on their own.
A kit ships to your address; you collect a urine, swab, or finger-stick sample, mail it to the lab, and get results online in a few days.
Untreated chlamydia can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease and fertility problems, caught early, it's cured with antibiotics.
Herpes isn't in standard panels unless you have symptoms, a sore can be swabbed, or a blood test discussed with a provider.
Have a different question? Browse the full STD & STI FAQ library, every question we answer, in one place.