Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are nothing new. They have been around since the dawn of man, with historical documentation dating back to at least 1550 BCE and epidemics mentioned in the Old Testament, around the 7th century BCE. Before modern medicine, there was little to no understanding of what they were, and a lack of awareness and almost no treatment didn’t bode well. Yet, even today, with major advances in modern medicine and more insight, they continue to be a major health concern and certain STDs are on the rise in these U.S. cities.
According to the World Health Organization, more than one million curable STIs, or sexually transmitted infections, are transmitted every day worldwide. In the US alone, there are millions of new infections each year. Although modern medical professionals know more about STDs than previous generations did, the spread of these diseases is still prominent. One concerning trend is the rise of STDs among older generations. Most STDs are preventable, but those who are past their child-bearing years may not be as concerned about the risks of infection or how to protect themselves.
For those who are younger and still plan on having children, STDs can be incredibly harmful to their future health. Certain STDs, such as chlamydia, can even impact a person’s fertility when left untreated. In women, chlamydia can cause pelvic inflammatory disease if the STD spreads to the womb. Pelvic inflammatory disease can make it difficult for a woman to get pregnant and increase her chances of having an ectopic pregnancy. (After this article, check out The 25 Unhealthiest Cities in America.)
Methodology:
To compile a list of where STDs are on the rise in these U.S. cities, 24/7 Tempo reviewed data on chlamydia incidence from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Metropolitan statistical areas were ranked based on the change in the number of diagnosed cases of chlamydia – the most common STI, and an indicator of overall STI prevalence – per 100,000 residents from 2017 to 2022. 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 came from the County Health Rankings & Roadmaps program and is based on data for 2021.
50. York-Hanover, PA
- Chlamydia cases, 2022: 381.3 per 100,000 residents (+56.0 from 2017)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 17.5%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 92.0%
- Total population: 461,049
49. Columbus, GA-AL
- Chlamydia cases, 2022: 819.6 per 100,000 residents (+57.7 from 2017)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 15.4%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 88.9%
- Total population: 323,826
48. Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN
- Chlamydia cases, 2022: 530.9 per 100,000 residents (+60.8 from 2017)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 17.2%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 92.4%
- Total population: 2,071,019
47. Fayetteville, NC
- Chlamydia cases, 2022: 1,109.9 per 100,000 residents (+62.8 from 2017)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 18.6%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 91.0%
- Total population: 390,472
46. Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA
- Chlamydia cases, 2022: 648.0 per 100,000 residents (+67.8 from 2017)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 16.1%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 91.5%
- Total population: 6,238,676
45. Lancaster, PA
- Chlamydia cases, 2022: 257.6 per 100,000 residents (+70.5 from 2017)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 17.2%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 87.9%
- Total population: 556,660
44. Merced, CA
- Chlamydia cases, 2022: 457.6 per 100,000 residents (+71.0 from 2017)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 17.4%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 74.3%
- Total population: 290,210
43. Victoria, TX
- Chlamydia cases, 2022: 571.3 per 100,000 residents (+72.3 from 2017)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 17.5%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 83.1%
- Total population: 98,194
42. Texarkana, TX-AR
- Chlamydia cases, 2022: 739.5 per 100,000 residents (+74.9 from 2017)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 16.2%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 90.1%
- Total population: 146,185
41. Evansville, IN
- Chlamydia cases, 2022: 586.5 per 100,000 residents (+76.0 from 2017)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 17.3%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 92.0%
- Total population: 269,892
40. Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA
- Chlamydia cases, 2022: 730.6 per 100,000 residents (+77.1 from 2017)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 18.7%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 83.2%
- Total population: 200,383
39. Omaha, NE-IA
- Chlamydia cases, 2022: 621.4 per 100,000 residents (+78.0 from 2017)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 21.5%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 93.2%
- Total population: 976,309
38. Odessa, TX
- Chlamydia cases, 2022: 660.6 per 100,000 residents (+78.3 from 2017)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 18.4%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 75.6%
- Total population: 161,057
37. Terre Haute, IN
- Chlamydia cases, 2022: 514.2 per 100,000 residents (+78.8 from 2017)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 16.3%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 90.8%
- Total population: 168,596
36. Dothan, AL
- Chlamydia cases, 2022: 630.9 per 100,000 residents (+79.8 from 2017)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 13.8%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 86.4%
- Total population: 152,477
35. Gainesville, FL
- Chlamydia cases, 2022: 833.2 per 100,000 residents (+80.0 from 2017)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 17.9%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 92.4%
- Total population: 348,296
34. Walla Walla, WA
- Chlamydia cases, 2022: 412.3 per 100,000 residents (+81.8 from 2017)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 18.2%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 91.1%
- Total population: 61,853
33. Columbia, SC
- Chlamydia cases, 2022: 824.3 per 100,000 residents (+83.2 from 2017)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 18.4%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 92.2%
- Total population: 848,112
32. Topeka, KS
- Chlamydia cases, 2022: 660.6 per 100,000 residents (+83.4 from 2017)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 17.1%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 93.2%
- Total population: 231,897
31. Charleston-North Charleston, SC
- Chlamydia cases, 2022: 669.7 per 100,000 residents (+88.3 from 2017)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 21.9%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 92.8%
- Total population: 830,352
30. Yakima, WA
- Chlamydia cases, 2022: 753.3 per 100,000 residents (+89.8 from 2017)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 16.0%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 80.3%
- Total population: 257,019
29. Harrisonburg, VA
- Chlamydia cases, 2022: 555.8 per 100,000 residents (+91.7 from 2017)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 17.8%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 86.7%
- Total population: 136,564
28. Gainesville, GA
- Chlamydia cases, 2022: 443.0 per 100,000 residents (+97.2 from 2017)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 16.8%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 80.8%
- Total population: 212,621
27. Spartanburg, SC
- Chlamydia cases, 2022: 691.5 per 100,000 residents (+100.4 from 2017)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 15.9%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 88.5%
- Total population: 372,687
26. Fargo, ND-MN
- Chlamydia cases, 2022: 549.9 per 100,000 residents (+100.7 from 2017)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 22.0%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 96.0%
- Total population: 258,573
25. Valdosta, GA
- Chlamydia cases, 2022: 906.1 per 100,000 residents (+102.6 from 2017)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 15.7%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 88.5%
- Total population: 149,646
24. Erie, PA
- Chlamydia cases, 2022: 465.0 per 100,000 residents (+108.2 from 2017)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 18.2%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 93.2%
- Total population: 268,840
23. Lafayette, LA
- Chlamydia cases, 2022: 674.0 per 100,000 residents (+109.3 from 2017)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 20.0%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 85.4%
- Total population: 412,641
22. Memphis, TN-MS-AR
- Chlamydia cases, 2022: 980.2 per 100,000 residents (+110.2 from 2017)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 15.2%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 90.4%
- Total population: 1,338,667
21. Grand Island, NE
- Chlamydia cases, 2022: 499.2 per 100,000 residents (+110.9 from 2017)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 17.5%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 88.7%
- Total population: 76,320
20. Jonesboro, AR
- Chlamydia cases, 2022: 787.0 per 100,000 residents (+115.1 from 2017)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 14.2%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 90.1%
- Total population: 135,316
19. Auburn-Opelika, AL
- Chlamydia cases, 2022: 535.1 per 100,000 residents (+115.6 from 2017)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 15.8%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 92.9%
- Total population: 199,230
18. Sioux Falls, SD-MN
- Chlamydia cases, 2022: 585.1 per 100,000 residents (+118.8 from 2017)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 22.6%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 93.9%
- Total population: 299,079
17. Gulfport-Biloxi, MS
- Chlamydia cases, 2022: 633.3 per 100,000 residents (+120.1 from 2017)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 15.9%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 89.9%
- Total population: 420,054
16. Hammond, LA
- Chlamydia cases, 2022: 948.1 per 100,000 residents (+126.1 from 2017)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 18.6%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 85.0%
- Total population: 136,799
15. Alexandria, LA
- Chlamydia cases, 2022: 887.5 per 100,000 residents (+126.8 from 2017)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 16.8%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 86.5%
- Total population: 149,068
14. Beckley, WV
- Chlamydia cases, 2022: 331.6 per 100,000 residents (+129.3 from 2017)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 12.0%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 85.1%
- Total population: 112,189
13. Baton Rouge, LA
- Chlamydia cases, 2022: 870.1 per 100,000 residents (+164.7 from 2017)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 18.1%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 89.1%
- Total population: 872,347
12. Sioux City, IA-NE-SD
- Chlamydia cases, 2022: 652.6 per 100,000 residents (+165.7 from 2017)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 20.2%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 88.3%
- Total population: 143,737
11. Goldsboro, NC
- Chlamydia cases, 2022: 813.1 per 100,000 residents (+166.1 from 2017)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 15.5%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 84.6%
- Total population: 117,449
10. Barnstable Town, MA
- Chlamydia cases, 2022: 260.3 per 100,000 residents (+167.6 from 2017)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 17.7%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 96.1%
- Total population: 232,078
9. Cape Girardeau, MO-IL
- Chlamydia cases, 2022: 647.0 per 100,000 residents (+181.2 from 2017)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 17.2%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 91.3%
- Total population: 98,303
8. Manhattan, KS
- Chlamydia cases, 2022: 743.7 per 100,000 residents (+190.8 from 2017)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 22.1%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 95.1%
- Total population: 133,384
7. Macon-Bibb County, GA
- Chlamydia cases, 2022: 961.7 per 100,000 residents (+203.6 from 2017)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 14.4%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 87.3%
- Total population: 233,952
6. Dubuque, IA
- Chlamydia cases, 2022: 479.2 per 100,000 residents (+205.1 from 2017)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 21.7%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 94.0%
- Total population: 98,715
5. Decatur, IL
- Chlamydia cases, 2022: 933.6 per 100,000 residents (+216.3 from 2017)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 15.9%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 95.2%
- Total population: 101,333
4. Elmira, NY
- Chlamydia cases, 2022: 562.2 per 100,000 residents (+238.9 from 2017)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 18.4%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 91.7%
- Total population: 81,641
3. Rocky Mount, NC
- Chlamydia cases, 2022: 1,024.9 per 100,000 residents (+248.2 from 2017)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 15.2%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 83.1%
- Total population: 144,209
2. Sumter, SC
- Chlamydia cases, 2022: 1,117.0 per 100,000 residents (+386.0 from 2017)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 15.9%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 88.2%
- Total population: 103,936
1. Decatur, AL
- Chlamydia cases, 2022: 778.2 per 100,000 residents (+514.3 from 2017)
- Adults reporting excessive drinking: 14.4%
- Adults with at least a high school diploma: 86.2%
- Total population: 157,418