These States Have the Highest and Lowest STD Rates

Our research team dives deep into the C.D.C.’s latest STD Surveillance Statistics and provides our analysis of current trends.

By: Tim Barclay, PhD and Eric Rodriguez

Last Updated: Jan 17, 2019

Innerbody.com created this interactive map depicting metro areas with the highest STD rates.
Data source: CDC

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 the United States. Innerbody.com’s research team analyzed and combined the latest statistics developed our annual state rankings by STD rate from highest to lowest along with key trends.

Before we get to the rankings, here are some findings and trends that we observed:

American southern states continue to dominate our state rankings with alarmingly high STD rates. In fact, 7 out of the Top 10 states are in the South.

What is going on in the South? According to Ronald Gray, MD, a professor of epidemiology at John Hopkins, the answer may simply come down to lack of access to affordable health care. “The South has more people living in poverty and in rural areas,” he says, “which may make it harder for them to get tested and treated for STDs.”

Unlike Chlamydia and Gonorrhea, Syphilis infection rates appeared to disproportionately affect western states:

State rankings by syphilis (primary and secondary) infection rate:

Nevada (22.7 cases per 100K population)
California (19.2 cases per 100K population)
Mississippi (15.5 cases per 100K population)
Georgia (15.4 cases per 100K population
Arizona (14.9 cases per 100K population)

California led all states with the largest number of cities with high STD rates with seven cities. Ohio and Texas tied for the second most cities, both of which had six each. For more information about how individual U.S. cities stack up, check out our recently published City STD Rankings.

In terms of total STD cases, as one might expect, the largest states have the most number of reported STD cases.

State rankings by total number of STDs reported:

California (318,214 total cases reported)
Texas (196,279 total cases reported)
New York (159,487 total cases reported)
Florida (140,282 total cases reported)
Illinois (104,155 total cases reported)

According to the CDC, over 2.4 million combined STD cases are reported across the U.S. each year. STD infections can persist for an extended period of time, and most people are not aware they are infected until advanced symptoms appear. Therefore, these statistics do not include millions of people who currently have an STD, but do not even 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 to speak with your doctor about your sexual history…” 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, below are our rankings of each U.S. state based on STD (highest to lowest):

Top 10 States with Highest STD Rates

Alaska

STD Cases / 100K
1,144
State Population
739,820
Total STD Cases
8,461
Chlamydia Cases
6,159
Gonorrhea Cases
2,247
Syphilis Cases
55

Mississippi

STD Cases / 100K
1,082
State Population
2,984,191
Total STD Cases
32,299
Chlamydia Cases
22,086
Gonorrhea Cases
9,749
Syphilis Cases
464

Louisiana

STD Cases / 100K
1,046
State Population
4,684,177
Total STD Cases
49,005
Chlamydia Cases
36,293
Gonorrhea Cases
12,043
Syphilis Cases
669

South Carolina

STD Cases / 100K
957
State Population
5,024,448
Total STD Cases
48,095
Chlamydia Cases
33,910
Gonorrhea Cases
13,801
Syphilis Cases
384

New Mexico

STD Cases / 100K
937
State Population
2,087,994
Total STD Cases
19,572
Chlamydia Cases
14,000
Gonorrhea Cases
5,268
Syphilis Cases
304

North Carolina

STD Cases / 100K
889
State Population
10,273,696
Total STD Cases
91,376
Chlamydia Cases
66,553
Gonorrhea Cases
23,725
Syphilis Cases
1,098

Alabama

STD Cases / 100K
855
State Population
4,874,357
Total STD Cases
41,656
Chlamydia Cases
28,437
Gonorrhea Cases
12,742
Syphilis Cases
477

Georgia

STD Cases / 100K
848
State Population
10,429,611
Total STD Cases
88,410
Chlamydia Cases
65,936
Gonorrhea Cases
20,867
Syphilis Cases
1,607

Arkansas

STD Cases / 100K
841
State Population
3,004,423
Total STD Cases
25,251
Chlamydia Cases
17,663
Gonorrhea Cases
7,300
Syphilis Cases
288

#10

Missouri

STD Cases / 100K
828
State Population
6,113,008
Total STD Cases
50,624
Chlamydia Cases
34,728
Gonorrhea Cases
15,090
Syphilis Cases
806

Top 10 States with Lowest STD Rates

Nebraska

STD Cases / 100K
565
State Population
1,920,096
Total STD Cases
10,841
Chlamydia Cases
8,026
Gonorrhea Cases
2,696
Syphilis Cases
119

Minnesota

STD Cases / 100K
563
State Population
5,577,142
Total STD Cases
31,403
Chlamydia Cases
23,569
Gonorrhea Cases
7,542
Syphilis Cases
292

New Jersey

STD Cases / 100K
513
State Population
9,004,686
Total STD Cases
46,151
Chlamydia Cases
36,514
Gonorrhea Cases
9,067
Syphilis Cases
570

Idaho

STD Cases / 100K
452
State Population
1,716,823
Total STD Cases
7,752
Chlamydia Cases
6,572
Gonorrhea Cases
1,134
Syphilis Cases
46

Utah

STD Cases / 100K
439
State Population
3,102,119
Total STD Cases
13,605
Chlamydia Cases
10,541
Gonorrhea Cases
2,895
Syphilis Cases
169

Wyoming

STD Cases / 100K
432
State Population
579,327
Total STD Cases
2,503
Chlamydia Cases
2,169
Gonorrhea Cases
311
Syphilis Cases
23

Maine

STD Cases / 100K
384
State Population
1,336,101
Total STD Cases
5,129
Chlamydia Cases
4,345
Gonorrhea Cases
710
Syphilis Cases
74

New Hampshire

STD Cases / 100K
327
State Population
1,342,682
Total STD Cases
4,392
Chlamydia Cases
3,734
Gonorrhea Cases
594
Syphilis Cases
64

Vermont

STD Cases / 100K
319
State Population
623,679
Total STD Cases
1,991
Chlamydia Cases
1,712
Gonorrhea Cases
268
Syphilis Cases
11

#10

West Virginia

STD Cases / 100K
265
State Population
1,815,843
Total STD Cases
4,807
Chlamydia Cases
3,599
Gonorrhea Cases
1,143
Syphilis Cases
65

All States Ranked by STD Rate (Highest to Lowest)

Rank	Metro Area	STD Cases / 100K	Metro Population	HIV Cases	Chlamydia Cases	Gonorrhea Cases	Syphilis Cases
1	Alaska	1,144	739,820	8,461	6,159	2,247	55
2	Mississippi	1,082	2,984,191	32,299	22,086	9,749	464
3	Louisiana	1,046	4,684,177	49,005	36,293	12,043	669
4	South Carolina	957	5,024,448	48,095	33,910	13,801	384
5	New Mexico	937	2,087,994	19,572	14,000	5,268	304
6	North Carolina	889	10,273,696	91,376	66,553	23,725	1,098
7	Alabama	855	4,874,357	41,656	28,437	12,742	477
8	Georgia	848	10,429,611	88,410	65,936	20,867	1,607
9	Arkansas	841	3,004,423	25,251	17,663	7,300	288
10	Missouri	828	6,113,008	50,624	34,728	15,090	806
11	Nevada	823	2,997,945	24,665	17,508	6,475	682
12	Illinois	814	12,802,152	104,155	77,325	25,422	1,408
13	Delaware	807	961,924	7,759	6,038	1,691	30
14	California	805	39,537,844	318,214	231,415	79,192	7,607
15	New York	804	19,849,104	159,487	119,571	37,262	2,654
16	Oklahoma	801	3,930,948	31,503	21,974	8,998	531
17	Tennessee	795	6,715,641	53,392	38,212	14,627	553
18	Arizona	780	7,016,334	54,724	40,807	12,870	1,047
19	Maryland	769	6,051,851	46,524	35,482	10,305	737
20	Ohio	764	11,657,754	89,106	63,220	25,146	740
21	Indiana	712	6,666,539	47,486	34,926	12,193	367
22	South Dakota	709	869,702	6,162	4,432	1,689	41
23	Texas	694	28,305,641	196,279	146,510	47,231	2,538
24	Colorado	684	5,607,239	38,355	29,124	8,894	337
25	Michigan	682	9,962,978	67,929	50,592	16,688	649
26	Kansas	674	2,913,204	19,639	14,231	5,256	152
27	Florida	669	20,985,176	140,282	104,758	32,644	2,880
28	Virginia	655	8,469,348	55,443	42,965	11,776	702
29	North Dakota	653	755,465	4,935	3,525	1,369	41
30	Rhode Island	653	1,059,676	6,919	5,487	1,336	96
31	Hawaii	653	1,427,649	9,322	7,735	1,495	92
32	Washington	627	7,405,202	46,458	34,449	11,207	802
33	Iowa	623	3,145,918	19,607	14,682	4,839	86
34	Wisconsin	622	5,795,492	36,061	28,027	7,882	152
35	Oregon	617	4,143,103	25,561	19,224	5,913	424
36	Kentucky	612	4,454,629	27,276	19,440	7,470	366
37	Connecticut	607	3,588,248	21,782	16,732	4,959	91
38	Pennsylvania	594	12,805,352	76,024	59,340	15,887	797
39	Montana	585	1,050,417	6,143	4,917	1,181	45
40	Massachusetts	570	6,860,360	39,088	30,460	8,076	552
41	Nebraska	565	1,920,096	10,841	8,026	2,696	119
42	Minnesota	563	5,577,142	31,403	23,569	7,542	292
43	New Jersey	513	9,004,686	46,151	36,514	9,067	570
44	Idaho	452	1,716,823	7,752	6,572	1,134	46
45	Utah	439	3,102,119	13,605	10,541	2,895	169
46	Wyoming	432	579,327	2,503	2,169	311	23
47	Maine	384	1,336,101	5,129	4,345	710	74
48	New Hampshire	327	1,342,682	4,392	3,734	594	64
49	Vermont	319	623,679	1,991	1,712	268	11
50	West Virginia	265	1,815,843	4,807	3,599	1,143	65

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How We Collected Data for This Report

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 (covering 2018). 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.

No statistical testing was used during the production of this research.

Sources

https://www.cdc.gov/std/stats18/default.htm
https://www.cdc.gov/STD/
https://www.cdc.gov/std/stats17/appendix-c.htm
https://www.cdc.gov/nchhstp/newsroom/2019/2018-STD-surveillance-report.html

Additional STD Resources

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
Finding the Best At Home STD Test
Syphilis Testing At Home Guide
STD Testing Companies:
Lets Get Checked Reviews | MyLAB Box Reviews
STDcheck Reviews | Everlywell Reviews

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