8 California cities have among highest STD rates in the nation. See full list
Eight California cities have some of the highest rates of sexually transmitted infections in the United States, according to Innerbody Research.
The health-based research company ranked the 100 metropolitan areas with the highest STI rates based on data published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, focusing on HIV, gonorrhea, syphilis and chlamydia.
Detroit led the country in terms of STIs, with 1,491 cases per 100,000 people, the Innerbody Research study said, while Provo, Utah, ranked at the bottom of the list with 272 STI cases for every 100,000 people.
According to Innerbody Research, nationwide infection rates “trended upward” for much of the two decades leading up to the COVID-19 pandemic.
More than 2.4 million STIs were reported in the United States in 2023, according to the latest data from the CDC.
However, overall infection rates dropped by 1.8% nationwide in 2023 compared to the previous year, CDC data show.
Despite those “hopeful signs of improvement in overall national figures, STI rates continue to reveal disturbing disparities that deserve reflection and action,” Innerbody Research said in a Jan. 13 article, noting that sexually transmitted infections “hit minority racial and ethnic groups the hardest.”
Here’s which California cities made the list:
What is a sexually transmitted infection?
Sexually transmitted infections are “infections or conditions that you can get from any kind of sexual activity involving your mouth, anus, vagina or penis,” the Cleveland Clinic said on its website.
This can include a virus, bacteria, fungus or parasite spread through sexual contact, according to the CDC.
Although the term “sexually transmitted disease” is often used interchangeably with “sexually transmitted infection,” an STD specifically refers to the symptoms or illness caused by that infection, the CDC explained.
“The primary goal of public health and health care is to prevent and treat infections before they develop into disease,” the CDC on its website.
Which California cities have highest rates of STIs?
San Francisco was the highest ranking California city on Innerbody Research’s list of the U.S. cities with the highest STI rates, landing at No. 10.
For every 100,000 people in the Bay Area city, there were approximately 1,296 reported cases of sexually transmitted infections in 2023, the study said.
That year, San Francisco had a total of 291 HIV cases, 9,669 chlamydia cases, 6,307 gonorrhea cases and 449 syphilis cases
Fresno was No. 49 on Innerbody Research’s list with 882 STI cases per 100,000 residents reported in 2023, while Sacramento landed at No. 85 with 640 STI cases for every 100,000 residents during the same year.
Here’s how other California cities ranked, according to the Innerbody Research study:
- No. 34: Oakland, 1,038 STI cases per 100,000 people
- No. 44: Los Angeles, 925 STI cases per 100,000 people
- No. 58: San Diego, 819 STI cases per 100,000 people
- No. 73: Stockton, 742 STI cases per 100,000 people
- No. 78: San Jose, 725 STI cases per 100,000 people
What’s the best way to protect against STIs?
The best ways to protect against STIs include abstaining from vaginal, anal or oral sex; getting vaccinated to prevent hepatitis B and HPV and having limited sexual partners, the CDC said.
Additionally, sexually active people should get tested for STIs regularly and use condoms and dental dams, experts said.
How did Innerbody Research come up with rankings?
Innerbody Research said it ranked the 100 metro areas with the highest STI rates in the United States by analyzing data from the CDC’s National Overview of STIs in 2023, including case statistics for HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia.
The site gathered data on state and metro area populations from the CDC and the U.S. Census Bureau.
This story was originally published April 9, 2025 at 5:00 AM with the headline "8 California cities have among highest STD rates in the nation. See full list."
