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STD Rates in Reno: What the Latest Data Shows

Updated · Sources are cited in the text

STD Rates in Reno: 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 are looking at STD rates for Reno, you are probably trying to answer a simple question: how common are these infections here, and what should that mean for me? The honest answer has a few layers. The numbers exist, but they are published for counties and states, not for individual cities, and they arrive with a delay.

This guide walks through the most recent figures available for Washoe County, where Reno sits, and for Nevada as a whole. Every number comes with its year and its source. We also explain what the numbers do not say, because a rate is a count of reported cases, not a measure of any one person's risk.

Nothing here is meant to alarm anyone. Testing is routine health care, and most of the common bacterial infections are curable with treatment from a clinician.

Key Takeaways

  • Washoe County reported a chlamydia rate of 497.0 per 100,000 people in 2021 (2,452 cases), according to CDC AtlasPlus data compiled by Stacker.
  • The same source lists Washoe County gonorrhea at 213.6 per 100,000 (1,054 cases) and all non-congenital syphilis at 45.8 per 100,000 (226 cases), both for 2021.
  • Nevada's statewide chlamydia rate was 493.6 per 100,000 in 2023, according to America's Health Rankings, which uses CDC AtlasPlus.
  • County and state figures here come from different years and should not be compared directly.
  • Recent county HIV figures and county primary and secondary syphilis figures were not available to us. The health department is the place to ask.
  • Free and low-cost testing is available in Reno, including at Northern Nevada Public Health.

In this guide

  1. What the county data shows
  2. Nevada and STD rates by state
  3. Year-on-year change: what we can and cannot say
  4. What drives the numbers
  5. What is not published, and why it matters
  6. Free and low-cost testing in Reno

What the County Data Shows

People often search for STD rates by city, but public health agencies rarely report at that level. Cases are counted by county, and the county is the closest official picture of Reno. Reno is the largest city in Washoe County, so the county figures lean heavily on people who live and get care here.

How to read a rate

A rate "per 100,000" means the number of reported cases for every 100,000 residents. It lets a large place and a small place be compared fairly. A rate counts diagnoses that were reported to public health. It does not count infections that were never tested for.

That matters. A place with more testing will often show higher rates, because more infections get found. A higher rate can reflect better access to screening as well as more infections.

Washoe County, 2021

The most recent county figures we could confirm are for 2021. They come from CDC AtlasPlus, the CDC's public data tool, as compiled by Stacker in its report on counties with the highest STI rates in Nevada. Stacker is a secondary source, so the CDC's own tool is the place to confirm any figure before you rely on it.

InfectionWashoe County rate (per 100,000)Reported casesYear
Chlamydia497.02,4522021
Gonorrhea213.61,0542021
Syphilis, all stages, non-congenital45.82262021

Source: Stacker, "Counties with the highest STI rates in Nevada," using CDC AtlasPlus data, 2021.

Two details are worth noting. First, chlamydia is the most commonly reported of the three, which matches the national pattern described in CDC surveillance reports. Second, the syphilis figure counts all non-congenital stages, not only the early primary and secondary stages. Many state and national syphilis figures use the narrower primary and secondary definition, so the numbers are not interchangeable.

Nevada and STD Rates by State

Looking at STD rates by state gives context for the county numbers. The state figures below use different years from the county table, so treat them as a separate picture rather than a comparison.

Statewide chlamydia

America's Health Rankings, drawing on CDC AtlasPlus, reports a Nevada chlamydia rate of 493.6 per 100,000 in 2023. That placed Nevada 32nd among states in that ranking.

For 2022, Stacker's compilation of CDC AtlasPlus data lists a statewide chlamydia rate of 509.4 per 100,000 (16,189 cases).

Statewide gonorrhea and syphilis, 2022

The same Stacker compilation lists these 2022 statewide figures for Nevada:

  • Gonorrhea: 232.6 per 100,000 (7,392 cases).
  • Primary and secondary syphilis: 28.4 per 100,000 (902 cases).

Differences by sex, 2023

KFF's state profiles for women's health, citing the CDC's 2023 STI Surveillance Report, break Nevada's 2023 rates down by sex. These are per 100,000:

InfectionWomenMen
Chlamydia577.1410.1
Gonorrhea127.5280.4
Primary and secondary syphilis10.335.0

Source: KFF State Profiles for Women's Health, citing the CDC 2023 STI Surveillance Report, Nevada, 2023.

These differences partly reflect who gets screened. The CDC's 2021 STI Treatment Guidelines recommend routine chlamydia and gonorrhea screening for sexually active women under 25, which can lead to more chlamydia being found in that group. Syphilis figures also differ by group, and the CDC recommends syphilis screening based on factors a clinician can talk through with you.

Congenital syphilis

Congenital syphilis is syphilis passed from a pregnant person to a baby. America's Health Rankings, using CDC AtlasPlus, reports a Nevada rate of 232.0 per 100,000 live births in 2023, ranking 45th among states. We did not find a county figure.

This is one reason prenatal testing matters. Under Nevada law (NRS 442.010, as published by the Nevada Legislature), a syphilis test is part of prenatal care at the first visit, or as soon as practicable, and again in the third trimester. The third-trimester test is meant to happen between the 27th and 36th week of pregnancy, or as soon after as practicable. Syphilis can be treated by a clinician, and treatment during pregnancy helps protect the baby.

Year-on-Year Change: What We Can and Cannot Say

Readers often want a trend line. Here the data is thinner than we would like, and we would rather say so than stretch it.

What the state numbers suggest

Nevada's chlamydia rate was 509.4 per 100,000 in 2022 (Stacker, using CDC AtlasPlus) and 493.6 per 100,000 in 2023 (America's Health Rankings, using CDC AtlasPlus). Both draw on CDC AtlasPlus, and the 2023 number is slightly lower. That is a small difference between two compilations, so we would not read it as a clear decline.

What we cannot say for Reno

The county figures we confirmed are for a single year, 2021. Without a second year from the same source, we cannot calculate a year-on-year change for Washoe County, and we will not guess at one. Northern Nevada Public Health, the local health department, is the best place to ask whether more recent county figures have been published.

Why one year can mislead

  • Testing volume changes. A year with more screening can show more cases without more infections.
  • Reporting lags. Recent years are often revised as late reports arrive.
  • Small counts move rates a lot. A county with a few hundred cases can swing from year to year.
  • Service disruptions in 2020 and 2021 affected testing across the country, which makes those years hard to compare with later ones.

What Drives the Numbers

No single cause explains an STD rate. Several things work together, and most are about access and biology rather than behavior.

Many infections have no symptoms

The CDC notes that chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis can all be present without obvious symptoms. People can carry an infection and not know, which is why screening exists. It also means the true number of infections is higher than the reported number.

How much testing happens

Rates track testing. Where screening is easy to reach, more infections are found and treated. Where it is hard to reach, infections go uncounted and can be passed on without anyone knowing. Free and low-cost clinics change this, which is why local access matters.

Access to care and insurance

Cost, transportation, clinic hours and fear of being judged all shape who gets tested. A sliding scale fee and walk-in access lower some of those barriers.

Partner treatment and retesting

Infections can pass back and forth when a partner is not treated. Nevada has no law specific to expedited partner therapy, according to the CDC's page on its legal status in Nevada. A clinician can explain how to make sure partners get care. The CDC's guidelines also cover when retesting makes sense after treatment, and a clinician can set that timing for your situation.

Who the guidelines recommend screening

The CDC's 2021 STI Treatment Guidelines and the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) both set out who should be screened and how often. Highlights include:

  • The USPSTF recommends HIV screening for adolescents and adults ages 15 to 65, and for others at higher risk.
  • The CDC and USPSTF recommend chlamydia and gonorrhea screening for sexually active women under 25 and for older women at higher risk.
  • The CDC recommends at least yearly screening for some groups, including gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, with more frequent screening for those at higher risk.
  • Pregnant people are screened for syphilis, HIV and other infections as part of prenatal care.

A clinician can tell you which of these apply to you. The point is that screening is recommended for many people who have no reason to think anything is wrong.

Prevention tools

Prevention has expanded in recent years. PrEP and PEP are medicines a clinician prescribes to lower the chance of HIV. In 2024 the CDC issued guidance on doxycycline post-exposure prophylaxis, often called doxy-PEP, a prescription option that a clinician may discuss with some people to lower the chance of certain bacterial STIs. The HPV vaccine protects against types of HPV that can cause later health problems. Northern Nevada Public Health lists PrEP, PEP, doxy-PEP and the HPV vaccine among its services, according to the CDC's National Prevention Information Network. Call the clinic to confirm what is available and who qualifies.

What Is Not Published, and Why It Matters

Some of the numbers readers most want were not available to us. It is better to name the gaps than to fill them.

HIV

We did not find a recent county or state figure for new HIV diagnoses that we could confirm. For current HIV numbers in Nevada, contact Northern Nevada Public Health or the Nevada state health department, or use the CDC's AtlasPlus tool directly. HIV is treatable, and people on treatment can stay healthy for many years.

Early syphilis in Washoe County

The county syphilis figure above counts all non-congenital stages. A county rate for primary and secondary syphilis only was not available to us, so we cannot line it up against the state's 28.4 per 100,000 from 2022.

Recent county years

We did not find county figures for 2022, 2023 or 2024. If you need them for a report or grant application, ask the health department and cite the exact table you receive.

A note on reporting and privacy

Nevada law (NRS 441A, published by the Nevada Legislature) requires health care providers and laboratories to report certain communicable diseases to the health authority. That reporting is how the rates in this guide come to exist. It is a public health function that tracks disease in the community, and the published figures are counts, not names.

Nevada law (NRS 441A.315) also requires physicians, hospitals and certain other providers to ask patients 15 and older whether they want STD testing, including HIV, in emergency and primary care settings, with some exceptions. So you may be offered a test in an ordinary visit.

Nevada law (NRS 129.060) lets a minor consent to examination and treatment for sexually transmitted diseases by a health officer, licensed physician, physician assistant, registered nurse or clinic. If you are under 18, call the clinic and ask how it handles visits and billing for minors.

Free and Low-Cost Testing in Reno

Numbers are context. The useful step is a test, and there are several places in Reno to get one. For a fuller walk-through of costs, appointments and what to bring, see our guide to STD testing in Reno, where to get tested and what it costs.

The listings below come from CDC directories. Clinics change hours and services, so call before you go.

Northern Nevada Public Health Sexual Health Clinic

This is the county health department's clinic, at 1001 E Ninth St, Bldg B, Reno, NV 89512. The phone is 775-328-2470. The CDC's GetTested directory lists a free HIV test and a free STI test, along with insurance, Medicaid and sliding scale options. It says to contact the organization about eligibility.

The CDC's National Prevention Information Network lists on-site chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis testing, conventional and rapid HIV testing, PrEP, PEP and doxy-PEP. The listings show walk-in access, but the CDC pages we opened did not publish clinic hours, so call the clinic.

Nevada Health Centers, Willow Street Health Center

This federally qualified health center is at 790 Willow St, Reno, NV 89502. The CDC lists hours of Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, closed for lunch from 12:00 to 1:00 PM. The listing says appointments are recommended and walk-ins are welcome. It lists chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and HIV testing, PrEP, STI treatment and the HPV vaccine, with a sliding scale. The main line on the listing is 800-787-2568.

Northern Nevada HOPES, 5th Street Clinic

This community health center is at 580 W 5th St, Reno, NV 89503, phone 775-786-4673. CDC GetTested lists a free HIV test and a free hepatitis C test, plus chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and hepatitis B testing and PrEP for people without insurance. It uses a sliding scale and requires an appointment. The HOPES website lists clinic hours of Monday to Thursday 8am to 7pm and Friday 8am to 5pm but does not say which clinic they apply to, so confirm when you call.

Community Health Alliance

Community Health Alliance has two Reno sites, North Valleys Health Center at 280 Vista Knoll Pkwy, Suite 107, Reno, NV 89506, and Nell J Redfield Health Center at 3915 Neil Rd, Reno, NV 89502. Both use 775-329-6300. CDC GetTested lists HIV, hepatitis, herpes, chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis tests, vaccines including HPV, PrEP for people without insurance and a sliding scale. Appointments are required. The directory did not list hours.

Planned Parenthood Mar Monte, Reno Health Center

This center is at 8025 S Virginia St, Reno, NV 89511, phone 775-688-5555. CDC GetTested lists HIV, herpes, chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis tests, accepts insurance and Medicaid, and requires an appointment. The directory did not publish a price or hours, so ask the center about eligibility and cost when you call.

Finding more options

The CDC's GetTested tool at gettested.cdc.gov lets you look up testing sites by ZIP code. You can also check finddoxypep.cdc.gov for sites that list doxy-PEP.

What to ask when you call

  • Which tests can be done at one visit, and which need a blood draw?
  • Is there a fee, and is there a sliding scale or a free option?
  • Do I need an appointment, or can I walk in?
  • How and when will I get my results?
  • What happens if a result is positive?

A positive result is not a verdict on anyone. Chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and trichomoniasis are curable with treatment a clinician prescribes. HIV, herpes and HPV are not curable, but they are treatable and manageable, and a clinician can explain the options.

Sources