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 for STD rates in Tucson, the most useful numbers are published for Pima County, because the county health department is the public health authority for the city. This guide walks through the latest published rates for chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and HIV, compares them with Arizona as a whole, and explains what the numbers can and cannot tell you.

Every figure below is named with its year and source. Where a number is not published, we say so rather than guess.

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Key takeaways

Pima County's chlamydia rate in 2023 was 555 per 100,000 people. Arizona's was 552.5 (Pima County Health Indicator page, citing CDC NCHHSTP, 2023 data).
Pima County's gonorrhea rate was 172 per 100,000, below the Arizona rate of 190.7 (same source, 2023).
Primary and secondary syphilis was 26.1 per 100,000 in Pima County and 24.1 in Arizona (same source, 2023). The Pima County Health Department says syphilis is on the rise locally.
Pima County reported 53 confirmed congenital syphilis cases in 2024, according to AZPM News. Early county data for 2025 are provisional and lower.
Arizona reported 975 new HIV cases in 2022, a 20% increase from 852 in 2021, according to KOLD News citing the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS). Pima County reported 141.
Rates describe reported cases in a population. They do not describe any one person's risk or status. A clinician or a test is the only way to learn about an individual infection.
Free and low-cost testing is available in Tucson. See the full list of Tucson testing options and costs.

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In this guide

What an STD rate measures
The latest numbers for Pima County and Arizona
Syphilis and congenital syphilis
HIV in Pima County and Arizona
What drives the numbers and how they change
Reading STD rates by state and by city
Free and low-cost testing in Tucson
Sources

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What an STD rate measures

Public health agencies track sexually transmitted infections (STIs) so they can see where more testing, treatment and education are needed. The numbers they publish look simple, but a few details matter.

Cases per 100,000 people

A rate is the number of reported cases divided by the population, scaled to 100,000 people. This lets you compare a county with a state, or a large place with a small one. A count of cases, by contrast, grows naturally with population.

Reported is not the same as total

Rates are built from cases that a lab or clinician reported to the health department. Arizona law (A.R.S. Sec. 36-621) requires people who learn of a contagious or infectious disease to report it to the board of health or health department. Pima County directs providers to a Disease Investigation Report Form for this purpose, according to the county HIV and STI page.

Many infections cause no symptoms, so some are never found or reported. The CDC notes that chlamydia and gonorrhea often have no symptoms. That means a rate reflects both how much infection exists and how much testing happens.

Why rates rise when testing grows

When more people get tested, more cases are found. A rising rate can mean more infection, more testing, or both. That is why health departments pair rate data with screening guidance rather than reading one number alone.

What a rate cannot tell you

A county rate says nothing about your health. It also does not tell anyone whether they have or do not have an infection. Only a test and a clinician can do that.

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The latest numbers for Pima County and Arizona

The most recent comparable figures for Tucson's county and the state come from the Pima County Health Indicator page on sexually transmitted infections, which cites CDC's National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention (NCHHSTP) data published in 2025. The data year is 2023. The county page does not list a 2024 STI rate set, and we have not found one, so treat 2023 as the latest like-for-like comparison.

Infection (2023)	Pima County, per 100,000	Arizona, per 100,000
Chlamydia	555	552.5
Gonorrhea	172	190.7
Primary and secondary syphilis	26.1	24.1

Source: Pima County Health Indicator: Sexually transmitted infections, citing CDC NCHHSTP, 2023 data.

Chlamydia

Chlamydia is the most commonly reported of the three. Pima County's 2023 rate of 555 per 100,000 is almost identical to the Arizona rate of 552.5. In plain terms, the county looks like the state on this measure.

Chlamydia is a bacterial infection. The CDC STI Treatment Guidelines (2021) say it is curable with treatment prescribed by a clinician.

Gonorrhea

Pima County's gonorrhea rate of 172 per 100,000 is below the Arizona rate of 190.7 for 2023. Gonorrhea is also bacterial and curable with treatment from a clinician, per the CDC guidelines. The CDC also reminds clinicians that gonorrhea can infect the genitals, throat and rectum, so the sites a clinician tests depend on a person's sexual history.

Primary and secondary syphilis

The county rate of 26.1 per 100,000 is slightly above the Arizona rate of 24.1 for 2023. The next section covers syphilis in more detail because local reporting treats it as the infection to watch.

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Syphilis and congenital syphilis

The Pima County Health Department's HIV and STI page states, "Syphilis is on the rise in Pima County." AZPM News, in an article last updated April 7, 2026, reported that syphilis cases in Pima County rose about 500% between 2010 and 2024.

What syphilis is

Syphilis is a bacterial infection. The CDC STI Treatment Guidelines (2021) describe it as curable with treatment prescribed by a clinician. It can be present without obvious signs, which is one reason screening matters.

Congenital syphilis

Congenital syphilis happens when syphilis passes from a pregnant person to a baby. It is preventable when the infection is found and treated during pregnancy.

Pima County, 2024: 53 confirmed cases, per AZPM News. The same article gave "about 50" in one place, and 53 is the figure we use. Early county data for 2025 show about 24 cases, and those are provisional.
Arizona, 2023: 233 cases, or 296.6 per 100,000 live births, ranking fourth among states, per CDC Table 4 on congenital syphilis by state.

These two figures cover different years and different geographies, so they should not be compared directly. A drop from 53 to about 24 in early 2025 data is also not final, because provisional counts can change as cases are confirmed.

Arizona's prenatal screening law

Arizona law addresses this directly. A.R.S. Sec. 36-693 says a physician tests a pregnant woman's blood for syphilis at the first prenatal examination after a diagnosis of pregnancy. If no test was done before delivery, umbilical cord blood is taken at delivery. The statute says the state laboratory performs the test without charge. The statute does not say what happens in the third trimester, and our research did not find a state rule on repeat testing, so a pregnant person can ask their prenatal clinician what testing schedule applies to them.

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HIV in Pima County and Arizona

HIV figures are reported differently from chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis, and a current rate per 100,000 for Pima County was not found. What is published is a count of new diagnoses.

Arizona, 2022: 975 new HIV cases, a 20% increase from 852 in 2021, according to KOLD News (December 14, 2023), citing ADHS.
Pima County, 2022: 141 new HIV cases, a 15% increase, from the same KOLD News report.

These are counts, so they cannot be compared directly with the rates in the table above. They are also from 2022, and we did not find a newer county figure.

HIV is manageable

HIV is not curable, but it is treatable. The CDC says treatment with HIV medicine prescribed by a clinician can keep the virus at very low levels in the body and let people live long, healthy lives.

Prevention tools

Pima County Health Department offers PrEP Starter Packs and PrEP navigation at Theresa Lee Public Health Center and the Northwest Clinic. PrEP is medicine, prescribed by a clinician, that helps prevent HIV. The Southern Arizona AIDS Foundation (SAAF) describes PrEP as "a pill you take once a day to help prevent HIV infection" and also lists PEP for a possible recent exposure. PEP needs to be started quickly, so anyone with a recent possible exposure should contact a clinic or an emergency department right away. The county page lists the Banner Emergency Department at 1501 N. Campbell Ave for urgent nPEP.

Rapid testing

SAAF says it uses a Rapid HIV Antigen and Antibody Test with results in approximately 20 minutes. The CDC notes that how soon after an exposure a test can detect HIV depends on the type of test, so a clinic can tell you which test fits your situation and whether a repeat test is useful.

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What drives the numbers and how they change

No single cause explains a county's STI rates. Public health agencies describe several factors that work together.

Infections without symptoms

Many STIs cause no symptoms, so people can pass them on or carry them for a while without knowing. The CDC STI Treatment Guidelines (2021) are built around screening for this reason. Regular testing finds infections that would otherwise go unnoticed.

Testing and access

Where testing is easy to reach, more cases are found and treated. Where cost, transportation, hours or worry about privacy get in the way, cases may go unreported. Clinic hours matter. For example, Pima County clinics offer no services from noon to 1 p.m. daily and close the first Thursday of every month, according to the county Clinic Hours page.

Treating partners

When one person is treated and a partner is not, an infection can pass back and forth. Expedited partner therapy (EPT) lets a clinician provide treatment for a partner in some cases. The CDC's page on the legal status of EPT in Arizona says the state's rules (A.R.S. Sec. 32-1401) exclude from unprofessional conduct prescriptions written for a contact with significant exposure. A clinician can explain how this applies.

Year-on-year change

Published year-on-year change for Pima County is limited. The sources we found support these points:

Syphilis has risen over the long term, with AZPM reporting about a 500% increase in cases from 2010 to 2024.
Congenital syphilis cases were 53 in 2024, with provisional early 2025 data lower at about 24.
New HIV cases rose 15% in Pima County and 20% in Arizona from 2021 to 2022.
For chlamydia and gonorrhea, the county page gives 2023 rates but not a published comparison to 2022 or 2024 that we could cite, so we do not state a trend.

Newer prevention options

In 2024 the CDC published guidance on doxycycline post-exposure prophylaxis (doxy-PEP), a prescription option clinicians may discuss with some people at higher risk of bacterial STIs. Whether and where it is available in Tucson was not confirmed in our research, so ask the clinic. Dosing and eligibility are decisions for a clinician.

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Reading STD rates by state and by city

People often search for STD rates by state and STD rates by city to see where they stand. Both views are useful, and both have limits.

Rates by state

State rates, such as Arizona's 552.5 per 100,000 for chlamydia in 2023, give a broad picture and let you compare with other states. They average over cities, rural areas and tribal lands that can look quite different from each other. For national and state comparisons, the CDC's STI surveillance reports and its AtlasPlus tool are the standard sources.

Rates by city

Most public data are published by county, not by city. For Tucson, the county figure for Pima County is the closest published match. We did not find a separate city-only rate for Tucson, and we do not estimate one.

How Pima County compares with Arizona

Chlamydia: nearly the same as the state (555 versus 552.5).
Gonorrhea: lower than the state (172 versus 190.7).
Primary and secondary syphilis: slightly higher than the state (26.1 versus 24.1).

These are small differences, and a ranking of places does not say anything about a person. Sexual health is about the choices and care of individuals, not about where they live.

Tips for reading any rate

Check the year. Data are often two years old by the time they are published.
Check the geography. County, state and city figures are not interchangeable.
Check whether it is a rate or a count. Counts cannot be compared across places of different size.
Check the infection stage. Primary and secondary syphilis is a subset of all syphilis.

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Free and low-cost testing in Tucson

Knowing the rates is one thing. Getting tested is the practical step. Testing and screening are recommended by the CDC and the USPSTF for many people, depending on age, sexual activity and pregnancy. A clinician can say what is right for you. All of the places below provide testing, and some provide treatment and prevention too. Call before going, since hours and walk-in rules can change.

Pima County Health Department

Theresa Lee Public Health Center, 1493 W. Commerce Court, Tucson, AZ 85746, 520-724-7900. The county Clinic Hours page lists HIV and STI testing as by appointment only, while the county HIV and STI page says clients are seen on a walk-in basis. Because the two pages differ, call first. Services pause from noon to 1 p.m., the clinic is closed Saturdays and it is closed the first Thursday of each month.
Pima County Northwest Clinic, 1010 W. Miracle Mile, Tucson, AZ 85705, 520-724-2880. Walk-in services are available as capacity allows, and the clinic page does not list specific STI testing hours, so call to confirm.

The county uses a sliding fee scale based on income. The county states that nobody will be turned away for inability to pay, and that minors do not need parental consent. Arizona law (A.R.S. Sec. 44-132.01) also lets a minor consent to medical care for diagnosis or treatment of a venereal disease without a parent's or guardian's consent.

Southern Arizona AIDS Foundation (SAAF Health)

375 S. Euclid Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85719, 520-628-7223 (toll-free 800-771-9054). SAAF says making an appointment is the best option. Testing times listed are Tuesday, Thursday and Friday mornings, Monday through Wednesday afternoons, and a Wednesday evening walk-in window from 5 to 7 p.m. The CDC GetTested listing shows free HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C and STI tests, and says to contact SAAF about eligibility. SAAF's own testing page does not list STI tests, so confirm by phone.

El Rio Health

The Congress Street location is at 839 W Congress St, Tucson, AZ 85745, and the Southeast Campus is at 6950 E Golf Links Rd, Tucson, AZ 85730. Both use 520-670-3909. The CDC GetTested listing says an appointment is required. Insurance, Medicaid and Medicare are accepted, and the Congress Street listing also notes a sliding scale. The listing says to contact the organization for eligibility. No fee amounts are published, so ask when you call.

Planned Parenthood Southern Arizona Regional Health Center

2255 N Wyatt Dr, Tucson, AZ 85712, 520-408-7526. A 211 Arizona listing says walk-ins are accepted and fees vary. Other directories show a different phone number and hours, so confirm by phone.

University of Arizona Campus Health Service

For students only, 520-621-9202. Express STI testing for gonorrhea and chlamydia for people without symptoms is a flat $65 fee, is not billed to insurance, and needs no appointment, per the campus health page. It is not a public clinic.

At-home HIV tests

Get Tested AZ (HIV AZ and Aunt Rita's) offers free at-home HIV test kits using an oral swab, with results in about 20 minutes, after a short survey. The page does not mention Tucson or Pima County, does not state eligibility rules, and lists no at-home STI kit. Its free STI testing is in person through Sonora Quest Laboratories, with possible eligibility rules.

Find more options

The CDC's GetTested locator lets you search by ZIP code for HIV, STI and hepatitis testing. For a side-by-side list of Tucson clinics, hours and costs, see our page on where to get tested in Tucson and what it costs.

What to ask when you call

Do I need an appointment, or can I walk in today?
What does the visit cost, and is there a sliding fee scale?
Which infections and body sites do you test for?
How and when will I get my results?
Can you provide treatment or a referral if a result is positive?
Do you offer PrEP, PEP or vaccines such as HPV?

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STD Rates in Tucson: What the Latest Data Shows