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STD Rates in Philadelphia: What the Latest Data Shows

Updated · Sources are cited in the text

STD Rates in Philadelphia: What the Latest Data Shows

This page is general health information, not medical advice. It cannot tell you whether you have an infection. A clinician can, and the testing options on this site are a good place to start.

If you live in Philadelphia, you may have seen headlines about rising STD rates and wondered what they mean for you, your partners or your neighborhood. This guide explains what the numbers measure, what the latest published figures say for Pennsylvania, and why a rate is not the same as personal risk. It also shows where free and low-cost testing is available in the city.

One note on scope. The most recent figures we could verify with a named source are the Pennsylvania statewide numbers for 2023 from the CDC's national STI surveillance report. We could not verify a current Philadelphia County rate for chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis or HIV, or a year-on-year change for the city. Rather than guess, this guide says so where it matters and points you to the places that publish those numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Pennsylvania's 2023 rates, per the CDC's STI Surveillance report, were 421.2 chlamydia cases, 144.7 gonorrhea cases and 9.1 primary and secondary syphilis cases per 100,000 people.
  • Rates count reported cases. They reflect both how much infection is present and how much testing is happening.
  • A current Philadelphia County rate and year-on-year change were not available to us in a form we could verify. The CDC's AtlasPlus tool and the Philadelphia Department of Public Health are the places to look.
  • Bacterial STIs such as chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis are curable with treatment from a clinician. HIV is treatable and manageable.
  • The City's STI clinic at Health Center 1 offers free walk-in testing and treatment for anyone over 13.

In this guide

  1. What STD rates measure, and what they do not
  2. The latest Pennsylvania numbers
  3. STD rates by state and by city: how to compare fairly
  4. What we can and cannot say about Philadelphia
  5. What drives STD rates up or down
  6. Reporting, privacy and your rights in Pennsylvania
  7. Free and low-cost testing in Philadelphia

What STD rates measure, and what they do not

An STD rate is a count of reported cases divided by the number of people living in an area, usually shown per 100,000 residents. Using a rate instead of a raw count lets a large place and a small place be compared on the same scale.

That sounds simple, but a few points matter when you read one.

A rate counts reported cases, not all infections

Many STIs cause no symptoms. A person who is never tested is never counted. So a reported rate is a floor, not a full picture. The CDC notes in its STI surveillance reporting that case counts understate the true burden for this reason.

Testing changes the numbers

When more people get tested, more infections are found and reported. A rise in a rate can mean more infection, more testing, or both. A drop can mean the reverse. This is why public health staff look at trends over several years and not at a single number.

A rate describes a population, not you

A statewide or citywide rate says nothing about whether any one person has an infection. Only a test can tell you that, and a clinician can explain the result. Rates are best used to understand patterns, plan services and decide how widely to offer testing.

Which infections are tracked

Under Pennsylvania's 28 Pa. Code 27.21a, HIV, chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis at all stages are reportable by health care practitioners and facilities within 5 work days after being identified. Chlamydia is reportable when it is confirmed by laboratory evidence. This is why these four infections have the most complete public numbers. Others, such as herpes and HPV, are not tracked the same way, so you will rarely see city or state rates for them.

The latest Pennsylvania numbers

The table below shows the Pennsylvania figures from the CDC's Sexually Transmitted Infections Surveillance report for 2023. These are state totals. They include Philadelphia but are not specific to it.

InfectionYearRate per 100,000 peopleReported casesSource
Chlamydia2023421.254,600CDC STI Surveillance 2023, Table 29
Gonorrhea2023144.718,758CDC STI Surveillance 2023, Table 20
Primary and secondary syphilis20239.11,179CDC STI Surveillance 2023, Table 10

Chlamydia

Chlamydia is the most commonly reported of the three. The CDC's 2023 surveillance report puts Pennsylvania at 421.2 cases per 100,000 people, or 54,600 reported cases. Chlamydia often causes no symptoms, which is one reason screening matters. It is curable with treatment prescribed by a clinician.

Gonorrhea

The same CDC report lists Pennsylvania's 2023 gonorrhea rate at 144.7 per 100,000, or 18,758 cases. Gonorrhea can affect the genitals, throat and rectum, so a clinician may suggest testing at more than one site depending on the kind of sex you have. It is also curable with treatment from a clinician.

Primary and secondary syphilis

For syphilis, the CDC tables count primary and secondary stages, the earlier stages that are most likely to spread. Pennsylvania's 2023 rate was 9.1 per 100,000, or 1,179 cases. Syphilis is curable, and earlier treatment from a clinician helps prevent long-term problems. Blood tests are how it is usually found.

HIV

We could not verify a current Pennsylvania or Philadelphia HIV rate with a year and a named source, so we are not quoting one here. The Philadelphia Department of Public Health and the CDC's AtlasPlus tool publish HIV surveillance data. HIV is not curable, but it is treatable and manageable, and a person on effective treatment can live a long and healthy life, according to the CDC.

STD rates by state and by city: how to compare fairly

People often search for STD rates by state or STD rates by city to find out where they fall on a list. Rankings can be useful, but they are easy to misread. Here is how to read them with care.

Comparing states

The CDC publishes state-level tables each year, which is where the Pennsylvania figures above come from. We are only quoting Pennsylvania here, so we cannot say how it ranks against other states. If you want to compare, use the CDC's own tables and make sure you are looking at the same year and the same infection for each state.

Comparing cities and counties

City and county rates are usually more variable than state rates. Philadelphia is a single county and a single city, so its numbers describe a dense urban area. Rural or suburban counties in the same state can look very different. A statewide rate can hide wide differences from one part of Pennsylvania to another.

Why rankings can mislead

  • Places that test more find more infections, so a higher rate can reflect better access to care.
  • Reporting practices and lab systems differ between places.
  • Population estimates affect the denominator, especially for cities with many students or people who move often.
  • A single year can jump because of a change in testing programs, not a change in behavior.

A fair comparison uses the same source, the same year, the same infection and the same age and sex breakdown. When any of those differ, treat the comparison as a rough guide.

What we can and cannot say about Philadelphia

Where to find current city numbers

The Philadelphia Department of Public Health runs the City's HIV and STD pages and an STD Control Program. For county-level rates and trends, the CDC's AtlasPlus tool lets you pick Philadelphia County, an infection and a range of years. We could not verify a current Philadelphia County figure for this guide, so we are not publishing one.

Year-on-year change

We also cannot give a verified year-on-year change for the county. If you look it up yourself, compare at least three or four years in a row. One year alone can mislead, particularly when testing programs have changed or when a year was affected by disruptions to clinic services.

What the City says it does

The STD Control Program says it offers partner services, which means referral, testing and treatment for the sex partners of people who have an STI. It also says gonorrhea and chlamydia urine screening is available in all Philadelphia public high schools. These programs are part of how the city finds infections early and gets people to treatment.

A note on Health Center 5

The City's page said the Health Center 5 satellite clinic was temporarily unavailable as of September 12, 2025, while the STD Control Program page still lists it. If you were planning to go there, call 311 or the STD Control Program at (215) 685-6740 first to confirm.

What drives STD rates up or down

No single cause explains a change in STD rates. Public health researchers point to several overlapping factors. Here is what is generally understood, in plain terms.

How much testing is happening

As noted above, more testing finds more infection. Programs that make testing easy, such as walk-in clinics, school screening and mailed kits, can raise reported numbers in the short term while lowering the number of people who carry an untreated infection over time.

Access to care

Cost, transportation, clinic hours, insurance and privacy concerns all affect whether someone gets tested and treated. When access shrinks, infections can go undetected and spread further. When access grows, they are found sooner.

Infections without symptoms

Chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis can all be present without obvious symptoms. People can pass them on without knowing. This is a main reason the CDC and the USPSTF recommend screening for some groups, even without symptoms. Your clinician can tell you which screening applies to you.

Partner treatment

When someone is treated but a partner is not, reinfection can follow. Pennsylvania's Expedited Partner Therapy Act (Act 147 of 2022) allows a practitioner to prescribe or furnish antibiotics for certain STIs to a patient's partner without examining that partner, following CDC guidance, according to the CDC's summary of the state's EPT law. Which infections it covers in practice is something to ask a clinician or the health department.

Prevention tools

Condoms, vaccines, PrEP for HIV prevention and, for some people, doxycycline after sex all play a role. The CDC issued guidance on doxy-PEP in 2024 for specific groups. We could not verify how doxy-PEP is offered in Philadelphia, so ask a clinician whether it applies to you. Treatment and prevention medicines are always prescribed by a clinician, who decides what suits you.

On PrEP specifically, the Pennsylvania Department of Health reported in a December 2024 release that federal rules require most insurers to cover HIV PrEP medication with no out-of-pocket cost for insured consumers. Health Center 1 offers PrEP counseling to people who test negative for HIV. The City's Philly, Keep On Loving program also offers online and phone access to HIV prevention medicine through TelePrEP. Cost and eligibility were not stated on the page we reviewed, so check with the program. Its helpline is 215-985-2437.

Congenital syphilis and prenatal care

Syphilis in pregnancy can affect a baby. Under 28 Pa. Code 27.89, a physician attending a pregnant woman must tell her that a blood sample will be taken for a syphilis test at the first exam or within 15 days, unless she objects. A second test in the third trimester, and testing at delivery, are required only in counties the state designates in the Pennsylvania Bulletin. We could not confirm whether Philadelphia is on the current list. The City also posted an amendment to its Board of Health regulations on syphilis blood tests in pregnancy, but we could not read its details. Ask your prenatal provider which tests you will be offered.

Reporting, privacy and your rights in Pennsylvania

What reporting means for you

When a lab or clinician confirms HIV, chlamydia, gonorrhea or syphilis, they report it to public health under 28 Pa. Code 27.21a. Reports go through an electronic disease surveillance system, according to 28 Pa. Code 27.4. This is how the rates above are built. Reporting is meant to track disease and connect people with care, not to judge anyone. If you have questions about how your information is handled, ask the clinic or the health department.

Minors and consent

The Guttmacher Institute's summary of state policy says Pennsylvania minors may consent to STI testing and treatment, lists no age qualifier and shows no parental-notification provision. This follows from the state's Minors' Consent Act of 1970. We could not open the statute text directly, so for a specific situation, ask the clinic about its policy. The City's STI clinic at Health Center 1 says anyone over 13 can get testing and treatment there.

Laws we could not confirm

We could not verify what Pennsylvania law says about HIV and criminal liability, so we are not summarizing it. If you have a legal question, a legal aid organization or an HIV service provider can help.

Free and low-cost testing in Philadelphia

The best response to a rate is a test, and in Philadelphia there are several no-cost and low-cost ways to get one. A test is also how anyone, whatever their gender or orientation, can find out their status and get care if they need it. For a fuller list with details, see our guide to where to get tested for STDs in Philadelphia. You can also search the CDC's GetTested directory. Hours and services change, so confirm with the clinic before you go.

STI clinic at Health Center 1 (Philadelphia Department of Public Health)

  • Address: 1930 S. Broad St., Fl. 2, Philadelphia, PA 19145
  • Phone: (215) 685-6570 or (215) 685-6575
  • Cost: free
  • Walk-in only, first come, first served. Anyone over 13 can get testing and treatment.
  • Hours: Monday and Wednesday 7:45 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 7:45 a.m. to 4 p.m. On the first Wednesday of each month it opens at 1 p.m. On very busy days the clinic may close earlier.
  • Services listed include STD and HIV testing, PrEP, PEP, HPV vaccine and treatment. It also offers hepatitis A and B, HPV and mpox vaccines.

You can read more on the City's Health Center 1 page.

Mazzoni Center

  • Address: 1201 Locust St., Philadelphia, PA 19107
  • Phone: (215) 985-9206
  • Hours listed by the City: Monday and Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Tuesday through Friday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
  • Services listed by the City: HIV rapid and lab testing, STI and hepatitis C testing, PrEP and PEP.
  • Cost: the City's page does not state one. A separate CDC GetTested listing for Mazzoni Center at 1348 Bainbridge St., Philadelphia, PA 19147, phone (215) 563-0652, lists free HIV and STI tests and shows that no appointment is required. Call to confirm which location and price apply.

Jonathan Lax Treatment Center (Philadelphia FIGHT Community Health Centers)

  • Address: 1233 Locust St., 4th Fl., Philadelphia, PA 19107
  • Phone: (215) 790-1788
  • The CDC GetTested listing says an appointment is required and lists free HIV and STI tests, with insurance, Medicaid and Medicare accepted. Hours are not published there.

Planned Parenthood Southeastern Pennsylvania

  • Elizabeth Blackwell Health Center: 1144 Locust St., Philadelphia, PA 19107, (215) 351-5560
  • Castor Avenue Health Center: 8210 Castor Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19152, (215) 745-5966
  • The CDC GetTested listings say appointments are required and list sliding-scale fees, plus insurance and Medicaid. Tests listed include HIV, herpes, chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis. Hours are not published there.

Bebashi - Transition to Hope

  • Bebashi West: 4101 Woodland Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19104. Bebashi North: 1237 Spring Garden St., Philadelphia, PA 19123. The City page lists 1235 Spring Garden St., so confirm the address.
  • Phone: (215) 769-3561
  • The City lists Bebashi as a community testing site for HIV, STI and hepatitis C testing, PrEP and PEP. Bebashi's own page does not state cost or walk-in policy, so call first.

Courage Medicine

  • Address: 3751 Island Ave., Suite 201, Philadelphia, PA 19153. The organization also lists other sites, including 7198 Castor Ave. and 3045 Kensington Ave.
  • Phone: 267-217-3217
  • The City page lists weekday hours of 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Island Ave. and services including STI, hepatitis C and HIV testing and PrEP. Mobile unit hours vary. Cost is not published.

Free home test kits

The City's Philly, Keep On Loving program says Philadelphia residents can order free HIV or STI test kits, condoms and lube online. The program's page does not list eligibility details. A City release from June 26, 2024 says free at-home HIV test kits are mailed discreetly to Philadelphia residents. The Pennsylvania statewide HIV self-test program excludes Philadelphia County and directs residents to the City's program, according to a 2021 Penn State Office of Rural Health post that may be out of date.

What to ask at your visit

  • Which tests are right for the kind of sex I have, and at which body sites?
  • When should I test again?
  • How will I get my results?
  • If a test is positive, what treatment can a clinician prescribe, and what about my partners?
  • Is PrEP or PEP a good fit for me?

About timing: the CDC publishes window periods, the time after an exposure before a test can reliably detect an infection, and they differ by infection and test type. A clinician can tell you whether to test now, test again later, or both.

The bottom line

Rates are useful for understanding patterns across Pennsylvania and for planning services. They cannot tell you about your own health. For that, a test is the answer, and in Philadelphia that can be free. Call a clinic above or use the CDC's GetTested tool to find one near you.

Sources