The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (C.D.C.) recently released its latest Sexually Transmitted Disease Surveillance Report along with new data on the number of reported sexually transmitted disease (STD) cases across U.S. counties and metro areas.
Innerbody.com’s research team analyzed the latest statistics on a city-by-city basis and developed our list of the top 100 cities with the highest STD rates along with key trends. But before we get to the rankings, here are some findings and trends that we observed:
STD rates continue to run rampant in the South. Nearly half of the top 25 cities with the highest STD rates in the South.
California led all states with the most cities in the Top 100 with seven cities. Ohio and Texas tied for the second most cities, both of which had six each. For more information about how individual states stack up in terms of highest and lowest STD rates, check out our recently published State STD Rankings.
The cities with the biggest jump in rankings since last year include:
- Columbus, GA up 17 spots from 32nd → 15th
- Jackson, MS up 13 spots from 15th → 2nd
- San Francisco, CA up 12 spots from 16th → 4th
- Milwaukee, WI up 11 spots from 18th → 7th
- Baltimore, MD up 5 spots from 6th → 1st
In terms of total STD cases (again, including HIV, syphilis, chlamydia, and gonorrhea only), the top five cities are:

- Los Angeles, CA (92,401)
- Chicago, IL (58,322)
- Houston, TX (36,710)
- Phoenix, AZ (34,973)
- Philadelphia, PA (28,866)
We also noticed that three of the top 10 cities are relatively small (Augusta, GA, Killeen TX, and Shreveport, LA), but share one thing in common: they are home to relatively large military bases.
According to the CDC, over 2.4 million combined STD cases were reported across the U.S. in 2018 alone. However, many STDs are asymptomatic, which means they have no obvious symptoms (examples include chlamydia, gonorrhea, and HPV). And other STDs such as HIV and syphilis can be active inside your body before signs of the infection become apparent. Therefore, these statistics do not include the thousands of people who currently have an STD, but do not know it.
As an aside, the CDC stresses that: “If you are sexually active, getting tested for STDs is one of the most important things you can do to protect your health. Make sure you have an open and honest conversation about your sexual history and STD testing with your doctor…” If you are uncomfortable talking with your doctor or just can’t find the time to go get tested, an increasingly popular option is to take an at-home STD test.
Without further ado, here are the Top 100 cities with the highest STD rates:
Baltimore, MD

-
STD Cases / 100K
2,004
-
Metro Population
602,495
-
HIV Cases
207
-
Chlamydia Cases
7,636
-
Gonorrhea Cases
4,231
-
Syphilis Cases
210
Jackson, MS

-
STD Cases / 100K
1,872
-
Metro Population
237,085
-
HIV Cases
86
-
Chlamydia Cases
3,057
-
Gonorrhea Cases
1,330
-
Syphilis Cases
52
Philadelphia, PA

-
STD Cases / 100K
1,822
-
Metro Population
1,584,138
-
HIV Cases
499
-
Chlamydia Cases
21,119
-
Gonorrhea Cases
7,288
-
Syphilis Cases
459
San Francisco, CA

-
STD Cases / 100K
1,754
-
Metro Population
883,305
-
HIV Cases
246
-
Chlamydia Cases
9,137
-
Gonorrhea Cases
5,775
-
Syphilis Cases
584
Montgomery, AL

-
STD Cases / 100K
1,731
-
Metro Population
225,763
-
HIV Cases
71
-
Chlamydia Cases
2,828
-
Gonorrhea Cases
1,045
-
Syphilis Cases
36
Augusta, GA

-
STD Cases / 100K
1,675
-
Metro Population
201,554
-
HIV Cases
59
-
Chlamydia Cases
2,297
-
Gonorrhea Cases
1,045
-
Syphilis Cases
34
Milwaukee, WI

-
STD Cases / 100K
1,657
-
Metro Population
948,201
-
HIV Cases
134
-
Chlamydia Cases
10,928
-
Gonorrhea Cases
4,706
-
Syphilis Cases
77
Killeen, TX

-
STD Cases / 100K
1,644
-
Metro Population
355,642
-
HIV Cases
52
-
Chlamydia Cases
4,190
-
Gonorrhea Cases
1,630
-
Syphilis Cases
26
Shreveport, LA

-
STD Cases / 100K
1,615
-
Metro Population
242,922
-
HIV Cases
80
-
Chlamydia Cases
2,722
-
Gonorrhea Cases
1,145
-
Syphilis Cases
55
Indianapolis, IN

-
STD Cases / 100K
1,613
-
Metro Population
954,670
-
HIV Cases
228
-
Chlamydia Cases
10,536
-
Gonorrhea Cases
4,691
-
Syphilis Cases
168
New York (Bronx), NY

-
STD Cases / 100K
1,609
-
Metro Population
1,432,132
-
HIV Cases
498
-
Chlamydia Cases
17,711
-
Gonorrhea Cases
4,941
-
Syphilis Cases
388
Fayetteville, NC

-
STD Cases / 100K
1,559
-
Metro Population
332,330
-
HIV Cases
N/A
-
Chlamydia Cases
3,646
-
Gonorrhea Cases
1,486
-
Syphilis Cases
49
New York (Manhattan), NY

-
STD Cases / 100K
1,542
-
Metro Population
1,628,701
-
HIV Cases
393
-
Chlamydia Cases
16,670
-
Gonorrhea Cases
7,845
-
Syphilis Cases
596
Tallahassee, FL

-
STD Cases / 100K
1,502
-
Metro Population
292,502
-
HIV Cases
64
-
Chlamydia Cases
3,342
-
Gonorrhea Cases
1,031
-
Syphilis Cases
20
Columbus, GA

-
STD Cases / 100K
1,440
-
Metro Population
194,160
-
HIV Cases
81
-
Chlamydia Cases
1,820
-
Gonorrhea Cases
955
-
Syphilis Cases
20
Peoria, IL

-
STD Cases / 100K
1,421
-
Metro Population
180,621
-
HIV Cases
8
-
Chlamydia Cases
1,669
-
Gonorrhea Cases
891
-
Syphilis Cases
7
Washington DC

-
STD Cases / 100K
1,393
-
Metro Population
1,773,266
-
HIV Cases
630
-
Chlamydia Cases
17,480
-
Gonorrhea Cases
6,803
-
Syphilis Cases
426
Columbia, SC

-
STD Cases / 100K
1,390
-
Metro Population
414,576
-
HIV Cases
106
-
Chlamydia Cases
4,040
-
Gonorrhea Cases
1,669
-
Syphilis Cases
55
Denver, CO

-
STD Cases / 100K
1,379
-
Metro Population
716,492
-
HIV Cases
153
-
Chlamydia Cases
6,928
-
Gonorrhea Cases
2,821
-
Syphilis Cases
133
Birmingham, AL

-
STD Cases / 100K
1,372
-
Metro Population
659,300
-
HIV Cases
141
-
Chlamydia Cases
6,031
-
Gonorrhea Cases
2,920
-
Syphilis Cases
97
Rank | Metro Area | STD Cases / 100K | Metro Population | HIV Cases | Chlamydia Cases | Gonorrhea Cases | Syphilis Cases |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
21 | Memphis, TN | 1,371 | 935,764 | 244 | 9,003 | 3,694 | 135 |
22 | Little Rock, AR | 1,357 | 392,680 | 112 | 3,625 | 1,632 | 73 |
23 | Macon, GA | 1,353 | 153,095 | 43 | 1,525 | 526 | 21 |
24 | New Orleans, LA | 1,325 | 825,057 | 303 | 7,691 | 3,056 | 185 |
25 | Greensboro, NC | 1,313 | 533,670 | N/A | 4,985 | 1,907 | 113 |
26 | Cleveland, OH | 1,310 | 1,243,857 | 156 | 11,044 | 5,097 | 158 |
27 | Anchorage, AK | 1,308 | 291,538 | N/A | 2,523 | 1,282 | 9 |
28 | Kansas City, MO | 1,306 | 700,307 | 104 | 5,856 | 3,146 | 146 |
29 | Detroit, MI | 1,264 | 1,753,893 | 321 | 15,636 | 6,349 | 179 |
30 | Cincinnati, OH | 1,263 | 816,684 | 191 | 6,861 | 3,381 | 71 |
31 | Baton Rouge, LA | 1,251 | 440,956 | 170 | 4,057 | 1,387 | 73 |
32 | Richmond, VA | 1,231 | 558,044 | 103 | 4,790 | 2,000 | 77 |
33 | Waco, TX | 1,196 | 254,607 | 35 | 2,125 | 907 | 12 |
34 | Savannah, GA | 1,181 | 289,195 | 79 | 2,547 | 804 | 63 |
35 | Kalamazoo, MI | 1,178 | 264,870 | 19 | 2,254 | 859 | 8 |
36 | St. Louis, MO | 1,194 | 1,560,842 | 264 | 12,409 | 5,710 | 249 |
37 | Toledo, OH | 1,169 | 429,899 | 43 | 3,303 | 1,693 | 28 |
38 | Lubbock, TX | 1,129 | 307,412 | 35 | 2,429 | 991 | 51 |
39 | Grand Rapids, MI | 1,127 | 173,588 | N/A | 1,384 | 568 | 4 |
40 | Chicago, IL | 1,126 | 5,180,493 | 898 | 42,422 | 14,920 | 980 |
41 | Charlotte, NC | 1,122 | 1,093,901 | 270 | 8,828 | 3,181 | 265 |
42 | Lexington, KY | 1,107 | 323,780 | 41 | 2,446 | 1,088 | 51 |
43 | Atlanta, GA | 1,105 | 2,300,344 | 1,013 | 17,244 | 7,441 | 740 |
44 | New York (Brooklyn), NY | 1,103 | 2,582,830 | 637 | 21,137 | 6,824 | 519 |
45 | Jacksonville, FL | 1,088 | 950,181 | 304 | 6,925 | 3,239 | 170 |
46 | Louisville, KY | 1,086 | 770,517 | 128 | 5,445 | 2,790 | 129 |
47 | Columbus, OH | 1,082 | 1,310,300 | 238 | 9,409 | 4,444 | 321 |
48 | Oklahoma City, OK | 1,069 | 792,582 | 111 | 5,693 | 2,606 | 176 |
49 | Mobile, AL | 1,065 | 413,757 | 82 | 3,032 | 1,327 | 48 |
50 | Champaign, IL | 1,064 | 209,983 | 16 | 1,704 | 518 | 13 |
51 | Gainesville, FL | 1,057 | 269,956 | 53 | 2,191 | 618 | 44 |
52 | Albuquerque, NM | 1,049 | 678,701 | 31 | 4,932 | 2,079 | 107 |
53 | Bakersfield, CA | 1,046 | 896,764 | 149 | 6,866 | 2,264 | 251 |
54 | Norfolk, VA | 1,038 | 936,899 | 159 | 7,241 | 2,406 | 77 |
55 | Newark, NJ | 1,022 | 799,767 | 303 | 6,064 | 2,015 | 98 |
56 | Austin, TX | 1,006 | 1,248,743 | 221 | 8,946 | 3,306 | 310 |
57 | Tulsa, OK | 991 | 648,360 | 69 | 4,245 | 2,111 | 70 |
58 | Springfield, MO | 980 | 291,923 | 11 | 2,020 | 819 | 22 |
59 | Fresno, CA | 979 | 994,400 | 158 | 7,198 | 2,261 | 279 |
60 | Dallas, TX | 972 | 2,637,772 | 814 | 18,417 | 6,800 | 417 |
61 | Pensacola, FL | 950 | 315,534 | 61 | 2,124 | 827 | 45 |
62 | Rochester, NY | 934 | 742,474 | 64 | 4,988 | 1,891 | 59 |
63 | Rockford, IL | 932 | 284,081 | 26 | 1,980 | 659 | 9 |
64 | Orlando, FL | 932 | 1,380,645 | 507 | 9,523 | 3,100 | 243 |
65 | Omaha, NE | 928 | 566,880 | N/A | 3,670 | 1,575 | 13 |
66 | Flint, MI | 922 | 406,892 | 34 | 2,751 | 981 | 21 |
67 | Greenville, SC | 920 | 514,213 | 65 | 3,162 | 1,522 | 47 |
68 | Portland, OR | 917 | 811,880 | 82 | 5,198 | 2,086 | 159 |
69 | Los Angeles, CA | 914 | 10,105,518 | 1,527 | 64,302 | 26,103 | 1,996 |
70 | Nashville, TN | 914 | 692,587 | 127 | 4,567 | 1,656 | 109 |
71 | Columbia, MO | 912 | 180,005 | 18 | 1,328 | 310 | 4 |
72 | Evansville, IN | 901 | 180,974 | N/A | 1,174 | 449 | 8 |
73 | Minneapolis, MN | 900 | 1,259,428 | 131 | 8,156 | 3,028 | 152 |
74 | San Antonio, TX | 896 | 1,986,049 | 358 | 12,986 | 4,496 | 314 |
75 | South Bend, IN | 890 | 270,771 | 19 | 1,685 | 720 | 6 |
76 | Charleston, SC | 882 | 405,905 | 81 | 2,738 | 793 | 48 |
77 | Des Moines, IA | 876 | 487,204 | 30 | 3,109 | 1,119 | 41 |
78 | Sacramento, CA | 875 | 1,540,975 | 133 | 9,852 | 3,342 | 287 |
79 | Huntsville, AL | 871 | 366,519 | 43 | 2,258 | 880 | 54 |
80 | Wichita, KS | 857 | 513,607 | 24 | 3,049 | 1,310 | 42 |
81 | Knoxville, TN | 853 | 465,289 | 50 | 2,600 | 1,333 | 38 |
82 | Lansing, MI | 853 | 292,735 | 25 | 1,902 | 565 | 29 |
83 | Dayton, OH | 852 | 532,331 | 63 | 3,154 | 1,346 | 35 |
84 | Fort Wayne, IN | 847 | 375,351 | 24 | 2,238 | 939 | 3 |
85 | Yakima, WA | 836 | 251,446 | 24 | 1,658 | 429 | 15 |
86 | Buffalo, NY | 834 | 919,719 | 91 | 5,571 | 2,039 | 56 |
87 | Lafayette, IN | 825 | 193,048 | 8 | 1,181 | 401 | 10 |
88 | Worcester, MA | 819 | 470,406 | 44 | 2,740 | 1,060 | 54 |
89 | San Diego, CA | 819 | 3,343,364 | 404 | 20,832 | 5,973 | 585 |
90 | Lafayette, LA | 817 | 242,782 | 53 | 1,423 | 532 | 28 |
91 | Tacoma, WA | 815 | 891,299 | 49 | 5,421 | 1,774 | 66 |
92 | Myrtle Beach, SC | 814 | 344,147 | 70 | 1,832 | 944 | 26 |
93 | Tuscaloosa, AL | 804 | 653,786 | 46 | 4,085 | 1,136 | 34 |
94 | Akron, OH | 802 | 541,918 | 43 | 3,175 | 1,132 | 37 |
95 | Riverside, CA | 800 | 2,171,603 | 210 | 13,144 | 3,978 | 242 |
96 | New York (Queens), NY | 799 | 2,278,906 | 442 | 14,421 | 3,513 | 267 |
97 | Tucson, AZ | 798 | 1,039,073 | 115 | 6,625 | 1,570 | 100 |
98 | Albany, NY | 797 | 307,117 | 34 | 1,877 | 519 | 51 |
99 | Fort Lauderdale, FL | 797 | 1,951,260 | 681 | 11,283 | 3,933 | 328 |
100 | Chattanooga, TN | 794 | 364,286 | 37 | 1,922 | 928 | 42 |
All of the STD data found in this report, including case statistics for HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia, are from the C.D.C.’s latest data release from October 2019. Syphilis data includes only primary and secondary syphilis cases and does not include congenital and early latent syphilis cases. HIV cases are not reported for some cities. Statistics for other relatively common STDs, such as herpes, are not collected by the C.D.C. at this time and hence are left out of our analysis. For more information about which statistics the C.D.C. does and does not track, see its STD Data & Statistics page.
All estimated metro area and state population data is from the C.D.C. and the US Census Bureau. For our interactive map, our research team decided to use counties as visual proxies for most metro areas. The C.D.C. does not have STD data for all US counties.
For our “Top 100 Rankings,” we chose to only include city metro areas with an estimated population of 150,000 or more. Though Washington, DC is technically a district, we chose to include it as a city. Also, since New York City is relatively large in size and the C.D.C. breaks down STD cases there by borough, we made the editorial decision to treat each borough as its own metro area for ranking purposes. No statistical testing was used during the production of this research.
https://www.cdc.gov/std/stats18/default.htm
https://www.cdc.gov/std/chlamydia/default.htm
https://www.cdc.gov/std/gonorrhea/default.htm
https://www.cdc.gov/std/syphilis/default.htm
https://www.cdc.gov/std/hiv/default.htm
https://www.cdc.gov/std/stats17/appendix-c.htm
https://gis.cdc.gov/grasp/nchhstpatlas/tables.html
https://www.census.gov/data/datasets/time-series/demo/popest/2010s-counties-total.html
STD Information:
STD Symptoms & Causes from the Mayo Clinic
STD Guide from Planned Parenthood
STD Awareness for Teens from KidsHealth
STD Testing Resources:
Mayo Clinic: STD Testing Guide
Planned Parenthood: STD Testing
Innerbody: STD Testing At-Home Guide
STD Testing Companies:
LetsGetChecked Review | MyLAB Box Review
STDcheck Review | Everlywell Review
BlueChew Review | BlueChew Free Trial
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