The 25 cities with the highest STD rates in America are evidence that while the people in the country love sex they give little thought to the protection. The government has focused its efforts on STDs that can often be fatal, such as HIV, which results in AIDs, and hepatitis C. This has led to the less dangerous diseases such as chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis sliping through the cracks and the rates of such diseases have seen significant increases in recent years.
There are many effective methods to prevent the occurrence of STDs; with protection being the most important one. The simple act of wearing a condom while having sex can significantly reduce the probability of contracting an STD from your partner. However, many people, especially teenagers and those in their early 20s, believe that this potentially life-saving act reduces the pleasure derived from sex, and hence avoid it. Combine this mentality with the belief, which young people often possess – that they are invincible, and you can understand why STD rates have seen an increase.
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While the government has launched awareness programs in this regard, such as the STD Awareness Month, these programs have failed to result STD rates plummeting across the country. It is obvious that severe action needs to be taken in this regard, as the methods to counter STDs are available; it is just their implementation which is significantly lacking.
If you want an overview of the states in the country that are mostly dealing with this issue, check out – 11 States with the Highest Rates in America. Naturally, many of the cities that have made our list belong to these 11 states.
So what are the 25 cities with the highest STD rates in America? Well, determining this was not an easy task. We consulted the 2015 CDC STD Surveillance Report. We then considered each metropolitan area for three diseases, gonorrhea, syphilis, and chlamydia, and calculated the ranking of each city for each disease. We then calculated the average of each city’s overall ranking in this respect, which led to the creation of our unique list. Without further ado, let’s take a look at the cities with the highest STD rates in America.
25. Sacramento-Roseville-Arden-Arcade, CA
Rate of chlamydia in the city: 473.2
Ranking according to rate of chlamydia: 35
Rate of gonorrhea in the city: 147.8
Ranking according to rate of gonorrhea: 25
Rate of syphilis in the city: 11.8
Ranking according to the rate of syphilis: 14
Insider Monkey score: 25
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24. St. Louis, MO-IL
Rate of chlamydia in the city: 533.1
Ranking according to rate of chlamydia: 17
Rate of gonorrhea in the city: 187.3
Ranking according to rate of gonorrhea: 9
Rate of syphilis in the city: 4
Ranking according to the rate of syphilis: 46
Insider Monkey score: 26
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20. Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL
Rate of chlamydia in the city: 518
Ranking according to rate of chlamydia: 22
Rate of gonorrhea in the city: 132.4
Ranking according to rate of gonorrhea: 32
Rate of syphilis in the city: 12.9
Ranking according to the rate of syphilis: 12
Insider Monkey score: 30
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20. Louisville-Jefferson County, KY-IN
Rate of chlamydia in the city: 530.4
Ranking according to rate of chlamydia: 19
Rate of gonorrhea in the city: 172.2
Ranking according to rate of gonorrhea: 17
Rate of syphilis in the city: 6.9
Ranking according to the rate of syphilis: 30
Insider Monkey score: 30
We are continuing our list of cities with the highest STD rates in America with the number 20.
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20. Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV
Rate of chlamydia in the city: 485.5
Ranking according to rate of chlamydia: 33
Rate of gonorrhea in the city: 143.7
Ranking according to rate of gonorrhea: 27
Rate of syphilis in the city: 14.7
Ranking according to the rate of syphilis: 6
Insider Monkey score: 30
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20. Baltimore-Columbia-Towson,MD
Rate of chlamydia in the city: 503.1
Ranking according to rate of chlamydia: 30
Rate of gonorrhea in the city: 150
Ranking according to rate of gonorrhea: 23
Rate of syphilis in the city: 12.3
Ranking according to the rate of syphilis: 13
Insider Monkey score: 30
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18. Richmond,VA
Rate of chlamydia in the city: 625.2
Ranking according to rate of chlamydia: 6
Rate of gonorrhea in the city: 174.6
Ranking according to rate of gonorrhea: 14
Rate of syphilis in the city: 5.8
Ranking according to the rate of syphilis: 42
Insider Monkey score: 32
18. Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY
Rate of chlamydia in the city: 519.2
Ranking according to rate of chlamydia: 21
Rate of gonorrhea in the city: 174.4
Ranking according to rate of gonorrhea: 15
Rate of syphilis in the city: 8.1
Ranking according to the rate of syphilis: 26
Insider Monkey score: 32
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17. San Diego-Carlsbad, CA
Rate of chlamydia in the city: 532.5
Ranking according to rate of chlamydia: 18
Rate of gonorrhea in the city: 113.1
Ranking according to rate of gonorrhea: 39
Rate of syphilis in the city: 15.1
Ranking according to the rate of syphilis: 4
Insider Monkey score: 33
15. Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington,PA-NJ-DE-MD
Rate of chlamydia in the city: 576.9
Ranking according to rate of chlamydia: 10
Rate of gonorrhea in the city: 160.7
Ranking according to rate of gonorrhea: 22
Rate of syphilis in the city: 7.6
Ranking according to the rate of syphilis: 28
Insider Monkey score: 35
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15. Jacksonville, FL
Rate of chlamydia in the city: 564.6
Ranking according to rate of chlamydia: 14
Rate of gonorrhea in the city: 193.1
Ranking according to rate of gonorrhea: 6
Rate of syphilis in the city: 6.4
Ranking according to the rate of syphilis: 40
Insider Monkey score: 35
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14. Chicago-Naperville-Elgin,IL-IN-WI
Rate of chlamydia in the city: 567.8
Ranking according to rate of chlamydia: 13
Rate of gonorrhea in the city: 141.6
Ranking according to rate of gonorrhea: 30
Rate of syphilis in the city: 11
Ranking according to the rate of syphilis: 16
Insider Monkey score: 36
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13. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
Rate of chlamydia in the city: 514.9
Ranking according to rate of chlamydia: 25
Rate of gonorrhea in the city: 149.8
Ranking according to rate of gonorrhea: 24
Rate of syphilis in the city: 13.8
Ranking according to the rate of syphilis: 8
Insider Monkey score: 37
We’re halfay through our list of cities with the highest STD rates in America, and now, let’s see the other half.
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12. Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis,WI
Rate of chlamydia in the city: 677.1
Ranking according to rate of chlamydia: 4
Rate of gonorrhea in the city: 236.5
Ranking according to rate of gonorrhea: 1
Rate of syphilis in the city: 2.5
Ranking according to the rate of syphilis: 50
Insider Monkey score: 38
While this metropolitan area is the number one city for gonorrhea, syphilis and chlamydia are not very prevalent, which is why it doesn’t rank higher among the cities with the highest STD rates in America.
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11. Oklahoma City, OK
Rate of chlamydia in the city: 571
Ranking according to rate of chlamydia: 11
Rate of gonorrhea in the city: 179.8
Ranking according to rate of gonorrhea: 12
Rate of syphilis in the city: 8.5
Ranking according to the rate of syphilis: 24
Insider Monkey score: 39
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10. Raleigh, NC
Rate of chlamydia in the city: 556
Ranking according to rate of chlamydia: 15
Rate of gonorrhea in the city: 162.4
Ranking according to rate of gonorrhea: 21
Rate of syphilis in the city: 13.5
Ranking according to the rate of syphilis: 10
Insider Monkey score: 40
9. Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-VC
Rate of chlamydia in the city: 657.2
Ranking according to rate of chlamydia: 5
Rate of gonorrhea in the city: 192.2
Ranking according to rate of gonorrhea: 7
Rate of syphilis in the city: 6.8
Ranking according to the rate of syphilis: 33
Insider Monkey score: 41
8. Austin-Round Rock, TX
Rate of chlamydia in the city: 601
Ranking according to rate of chlamydia: 8
Rate of gonorrhea in the city: 164.6
Ranking according to rate of gonorrhea: 19
Rate of syphilis in the city: 10.4
Ranking according to the rate of syphilis: 17
Insider Monkey score: 42
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7. Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN
Rate of chlamydia in the city: 585.6
Ranking according to rate of chlamydia: 9
Rate of gonorrhea in the city: 188.5
Ranking according to rate of gonorrhea: 8
Rate of syphilis in the city: 8.7
Ranking according to the rate of syphilis: 23
Insider Monkey score: 43
6. San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX
Rate of chlamydia in the city: 621.2
Ranking according to rate of chlamydia: 7
Rate of gonorrhea in the city: 178.6
Ranking according to rate of gonorrhea: 13
Rate of syphilis in the city: 10.2
Ranking according to the rate of syphilis: 18
Insider Monkey score: 44
5. San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA
Rate of chlamydia in the city: 511.9
Ranking according to rate of chlamydia: 26
Rate of gonorrhea in the city: 203.1
Ranking according to rate of gonorrhea: 4
Rate of syphilis in the city: 18.1
Ranking according to the rate of syphilis: 2
Insider Monkey score: 45
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4. Columbus, OH
Rate of chlamydia in the city: 567.9
Ranking according to rate of chlamydia: 12
Rate of gonorrhea in the city: 184.3
Ranking according to rate of gonorrhea: 10
Rate of syphilis in the city: 13.7
Ranking according to the rate of syphilis: 9
Insider Monkey score: 46
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3. Memphis, TN-MS-AR
Rate of chlamydia in the city: 769.9
Ranking according to rate of chlamydia: 1
Rate of gonorrhea in the city: 234
Ranking according to rate of gonorrhea: 2
Rate of syphilis in the city: 9
Ranking according to the rate of syphilis: 22
Insider Monkey score: 47
And now, let’s see the top two entries in our list of cities with the highest STD rates in America.
2. Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia,NC-SC
Rate of chlamydia in the city: 684.1
Ranking according to rate of chlamydia: 3
Rate of gonorrhea in the city: 196.3
Ranking according to rate of gonorrhea: 5
Rate of syphilis in the city: 14
Ranking according to the rate of syphilis: 7
Insider Monkey score: 48
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1. New Orleans-Metairie, LA
Rate of chlamydia in the city: 742.2
Ranking according to rate of chlamydia: 2
Rate of gonorrhea in the city: 234
Ranking according to rate of gonorrhea: 2
Rate of syphilis in the city: 17.4
Ranking according to the rate of syphilis: 3
Insider Monkey score: 49
New Orleans is a hub for various sexually transmitted diseases, and ranks in the top 3 for all of the STDs which we used to compile our rankings, thus taking the number one spot among the 25 cities with the highest STD rates in America.
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