Despite the advancements in medical technology in the US, STDs are on the rise in many areas. While the rates of certain STDs, or sexually transmitted diseases, have gone down in recent years, the rates of other STDs have gone up.
According to the CDC, there were 2.5 million cases of syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia in the US in 2022. While the rates of STDs like gonorrhea went down from 2021 to 2022, the rates of syphilis and chlamydia went up.
Most STDs are preventable, but one challenge is that many of these infections are asymptomatic. Individuals who have an infection may not realize it right away. There has been a rise in STDs in older populations, but according to the CDC, nearly half of all cases involve individuals between the ages of 15 and 24.
Out of the states with the highest STD rates, the three states with the worst infection rates are in the South. The three states currently with the highest rates are Louisiana, Georgia, and Mississippi.
There are more than 25 STDs that can be transmitted from one person to another, but chlamydia is the most commonly reported one in the US. Out of those infected with chlamydia, the majority do not show any symptoms. According to the CDC, over 1.6 million cases of chlamydia were reported in 2022. Knowing the cities with the highest STD rates can help identify issues with education and access to preventative measures. ( After this article, check out The City with the Unhealthiest Residents in Each State .)
Methodology
To determine the cities with the most STDs, 24/7 Tempo reviewed data on chlamydia incidence from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Metropolitan statistical areas were ranked based on the number of diagnosed cases of chlamydia – the most common STI, and an indicator of overall STI prevalence – per 100,000 residents. Data on population came from the U.S. Census Bureau’s Population and Housing Unit Estimates program. Data was aggregated from the county level to the metropolitan statistical area level using boundary definitions from the Census Bureau. Supplemental data on the percentage of adults 25 years and over with at least a high school diploma came from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2022 American Community Survey and are one-year estimates. Data on the percentage of adults 18 and over who report binge or heavy drinking came from the County Health Rankings & Roadmaps program and is based on data for 2021.
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- Chlamydia cases: 683.2 per 100,000 residents (2,736 cases)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 19.9%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 93.6%
- Total population: 400,455
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- Chlamydia cases: 688.7 per 100,000 residents (1,911 cases)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 15.8%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 90.6%
- Total population: 277,490
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- Chlamydia cases: 691.5 per 100,000 residents (2,577 cases)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 15.9%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 88.5%
- Total population: 372,687
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- Chlamydia cases: 697.8 per 100,000 residents (4,354 cases)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 15.6%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 89.4%
- Total population: 623,985
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- Chlamydia cases: 702.5 per 100,000 residents (847 cases)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 12.8%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 85.3%
- Total population: 120,569
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- Chlamydia cases: 704.3 per 100,000 residents (5,337 cases)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 15.0%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 92.7%
- Total population: 757,768
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- Chlamydia cases: 705.0 per 100,000 residents (1,067 cases)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 17.1%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 82.1%
- Total population: 151,347
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- Chlamydia cases: 713.8 per 100,000 residents (1,253 cases)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 17.8%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 92.4%
- Total population: 175,539
Hinesville city hall (
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Michael Rivera - Chlamydia cases: 728.7 per 100,000 residents (629 cases)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 16.9%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 91.5%
- Total population: 86,314
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Clem - Chlamydia cases: 730.6 per 100,000 residents (1,464 cases)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 18.7%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 83.2%
- Total population: 200,383
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- Chlamydia cases: 733.6 per 100,000 residents (11,438 cases)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 23.8%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 93.2%
- Total population: 1,559,128
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Ed Schipul - Chlamydia cases: 737.2 per 100,000 residents (3,645 cases)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 18.1%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 89.5%
- Total population: 494,449
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- Chlamydia cases: 739.5 per 100,000 residents (1,081 cases)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 16.2%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 90.1%
- Total population: 146,185
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- Chlamydia cases: 743.7 per 100,000 residents (992 cases)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 22.1%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 95.1%
- Total population: 133,384
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- Chlamydia cases: 745.9 per 100,000 residents (1,157 cases)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 16.0%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 91.6%
- Total population: 155,120
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- Chlamydia cases: 746.5 per 100,000 residents (1,480 cases)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 17.6%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 92.5%
- Total population: 198,261
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- Chlamydia cases: 748.9 per 100,000 residents (713 cases)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 22.0%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 93.6%
- Total population: 95,202
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- Chlamydia cases: 753.3 per 100,000 residents (1,936 cases)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 16.0%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 80.3%
- Total population: 257,019
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- Chlamydia cases: 758.1 per 100,000 residents (3,119 cases)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 15.2%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 89.4%
- Total population: 411,398
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- Chlamydia cases: 771.5 per 100,000 residents (985 cases)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 15.9%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 91.2%
- Total population: 127,674
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- Chlamydia cases: 775.2 per 100,000 residents (13,840 cases)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 17.3%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 92.4%
- Total population: 1,785,390
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- Chlamydia cases: 778.2 per 100,000 residents (1,225 cases)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 14.4%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 86.2%
- Total population: 157,418
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- Chlamydia cases: 786.7 per 100,000 residents (2,807 cases)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 19.5%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 89.2%
- Total population: 356,789
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- Chlamydia cases: 787.0 per 100,000 residents (1,065 cases)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 14.2%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 90.1%
- Total population: 135,316
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- Chlamydia cases: 790.5 per 100,000 residents (3,043 cases)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 16.7%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 89.1%
- Total population: 384,943
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- Chlamydia cases: 794.2 per 100,000 residents (3,322 cases)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 17.1%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 90.8%
- Total population: 418,277
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- Chlamydia cases: 795.8 per 100,000 residents (2,670 cases)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 16.6%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 93.1%
- Total population: 335,527
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- Chlamydia cases: 813.1 per 100,000 residents (955 cases)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 15.5%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 84.6%
- Total population: 117,449
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- Chlamydia cases: 819.6 per 100,000 residents (2,654 cases)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 15.4%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 88.9%
- Total population: 323,826
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- Chlamydia cases: 824.3 per 100,000 residents (6,991 cases)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 18.4%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 92.2%
- Total population: 848,112
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- Chlamydia cases: 833.2 per 100,000 residents (2,902 cases)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 17.9%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 92.4%
- Total population: 348,296
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- Chlamydia cases: 870.1 per 100,000 residents (7,590 cases)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 18.1%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 89.1%
- Total population: 872,347
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- Chlamydia cases: 874.1 per 100,000 residents (1,946 cases)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 16.2%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 86.1%
- Total population: 222,631
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- Chlamydia cases: 875.4 per 100,000 residents (8,521 cases)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 19.3%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 89.1%
- Total population: 973,385
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- Chlamydia cases: 875.5 per 100,000 residents (1,830 cases)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 20.4%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 92.2%
- Total population: 209,031
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- Chlamydia cases: 887.5 per 100,000 residents (1,323 cases)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 16.8%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 86.5%
- Total population: 149,068
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- Chlamydia cases: 893.7 per 100,000 residents (5,458 cases)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 13.9%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 89.1%
- Total population: 610,703
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- Chlamydia cases: 899.3 per 100,000 residents (3,466 cases)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 14.7%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 89.8%
- Total population: 385,410
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- Chlamydia cases: 906.1 per 100,000 residents (1,356 cases)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 15.7%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 88.5%
- Total population: 149,646
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- Chlamydia cases: 926.3 per 100,000 residents (1,845 cases)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 15.1%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 88.3%
- Total population: 199,176
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- Chlamydia cases: 933.6 per 100,000 residents (946 cases)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 15.9%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 95.2%
- Total population: 101,333
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Z28scrambler - Chlamydia cases: 948.1 per 100,000 residents (1,297 cases)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 18.6%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 85.0%
- Total population: 136,799
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- Chlamydia cases: 961.7 per 100,000 residents (2,250 cases)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 14.4%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 87.3%
- Total population: 233,952
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- Chlamydia cases: 980.2 per 100,000 residents (13,122 cases)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 15.2%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 90.4%
- Total population: 1,338,667
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- Chlamydia cases: 991.8 per 100,000 residents (1,446 cases)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 14.5%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 89.0%
- Total population: 145,796
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Michael A. Richardson - Chlamydia cases: 1,024.9 per 100,000 residents (1,478 cases)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 15.2%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 83.1%
- Total population: 144,209
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- Chlamydia cases: 1,029.6 per 100,000 residents (4,025 cases)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 18.8%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 92.8%
- Total population: 390,913
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- Chlamydia cases: 1,109.9 per 100,000 residents (4,334 cases)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 18.6%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 91.0%
- Total population: 390,472
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- Chlamydia cases: 1,117.0 per 100,000 residents (1,161 cases)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 15.9%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 88.2%
- Total population: 103,936
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- Chlamydia cases: 1,199.8 per 100,000 residents (2,083 cases)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 15.9%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 92.4%
- Total population: 173,610
The post This Is the City With the Highest Rate of STDs in the US Right Now appeared first on 24/7 Tempo .
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