STD Rates in Arizona
CDC surveillance data for Arizona covering chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, and HIV — with 15-year trends, state rankings, and national comparisons.
Arizona ranks 14th in the country for STD burden — a position that puts it solidly in the upper tier of states, ahead of roughly three-quarters of the nation. The combined rate of 767.3 cases per 100,000 people sits about 20% above the national median, and with more than 57,000 diagnoses across chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis in 2023, the scale isn't trivial. But the more telling story is what happened over the past year: for the first time in a long stretch, all three diseases declined simultaneously — and some of those drops were substantial.
Chlamydia is Arizona's highest-volume disease, accounting for roughly 41,000 of those diagnoses. The rate of 552.5 per 100,000 is about 17% above the national median of 471.3 — not the worst position in the country, but well clear of average. The longer arc is what stands out: since 2008, chlamydia has climbed 45%. It peaked around 2019, dipped during the pandemic, and has since plateaued. The 0.3% decline from 2022 to 2023 is essentially flat — neither a recovery nor a worsening, just a disease that's settled in at an elevated level.
Gonorrhea tells a sharper story. The rate has risen 259% since 2008 — from 53.1 to 190.7 per 100,000 — putting Arizona well above the national median of 152.2. But 2023 brought the first real break in that trend: gonorrhea fell nearly 15% in a single year, dropping from 224.1 to 190.7. Syphilis moved even more: down 17.5% year-over-year, from 29.2 to 24.1 per 100,000. Both diseases had been climbing for years, and both pulled back in 2023. Whether that holds is an open question, but the shift is real — and it's the biggest change in Arizona's STD profile in recent memory.
HIV adds a different dimension to the picture. New diagnoses in Arizona climbed from 712 in 2017 to 851 in 2022, a rate of 13.6 per 100,000 — with a brief dip in 2020 that almost certainly reflects pandemic-related disruptions to testing access rather than any true decline. The upward trend before and after that dip is consistent. If you're in Phoenix, Tucson, or Mesa and haven't been tested recently, the data makes a reasonable case for changing that. STDTest.com can show you testing locations near you today.
STD Trends in Arizona
Arizona's chlamydia rate has more than doubled since 2000, reaching 552.5 per 100,000 in 2023 — about 17% above the national median of 471.3. The long climb appears to have plateaued: rates peaked in 2019 at 591.6 and have edged downward since, with 2023 essentially flat versus the prior year. The disease isn't accelerating anymore, but it hasn't retreated either.
Gonorrhea's long-run rise in Arizona is the most striking trend in the state's data — a 259% increase since 2008, pushing the rate to 190.7 per 100,000, well above the national median of 152.2. The 2023 drop of nearly 15% is the most significant single-year decline in recent history and breaks what had been a near-uninterrupted upward run. Even with that decline, the rate remains roughly 25% above the US median.
Syphilis in Arizona has climbed nearly 392% since 2008 — from 4.9 to a peak of 29.2 per 100,000 in 2022 — making it the fastest-rising of the three diseases over the long run. The 2023 drop of 17.5% brought the rate down to 24.1, which is still 63% above the national median of 14.8. The recent decline is notable, but the rate remains at levels Arizona hadn't seen before 2021.
HIV data for Arizona runs through 2022, the most recent year available from CDC surveillance. New diagnoses rose from 712 in 2017 to 851 in 2022, with the rate climbing from 12.1 to 13.6 per 100,000. The 2020 dip to 648 cases almost certainly reflects reduced testing access during the pandemic rather than an actual decrease in transmission — the rebound in 2021 and 2022 supports that reading.
Know your status — get tested today
Same-day testing at 4,500+ locations. No appointment needed. Results in 1–3 days.
Arizona vs National Average
Comparing 2023 rates against the U.S. median across all 50 states.
| Infection | Arizona | US Median | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia | 552.5 | 471.3 | 17.2% above |
| Gonorrhea | 190.7 | 152.2 | 25.3% above |
| Syphilis (P&S) | 24.1 | 14.8 | 62.8% above |
STD Rates by County
County-level data from CDC surveillance. Ranked by combined rate per 100,000.
| County | State Rank | Combined | Chlamydia | Gonorrhea | Syphilis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apache County | #1 of 15 | 1171.7 | 801.1 | 247.6 | 123.0 |
| Navajo County | #2 of 15 | 1041.4 | 745.6 | 260.1 | 35.7 |
| Maricopa County | #3 of 15 | 870.2 | 611.9 | 232.0 | 26.3 |
| Coconino County | #4 of 15 | 761.3 | 600.1 | 138.4 | 22.8 |
| Pima County | #5 of 15 | 753.1 | 555.0 | 172.0 | 26.1 |
| Yuma County | #6 of 15 | 577.8 | 501.8 | 62.4 | 13.6 |
| Pinal County | #7 of 15 | 529.0 | 411.0 | 109.5 | 8.5 |
| Santa Cruz County | #8 of 15 | 524.9 | 461.8 | 57.0 | 6.1 |
| Gila County | #9 of 15 | 492.6 | 350.0 | 113.0 | 29.6 |
| Graham County | #10 of 15 | 480.7 | 364.3 | 75.9 | 40.5 |
| La Paz County | #11 of 15 | 430.9 | 323.2 | 77.8 | 29.9 |
| Greenlee County | #12 of 15 | 362.9 | 330.9 | 32.0 | 0.0 |
| Cochise County | #13 of 15 | 351.4 | 283.2 | 63.4 | 4.8 |
| Mohave County | #14 of 15 | 256.6 | 188.2 | 52.8 | 15.6 |
| Yavapai County | #15 of 15 | 194.7 | 166.6 | 24.9 | 3.2 |
What the numbers mean — and what to do about them
Arizona's combined STD rate of 767.3 per 100,000 people translates to more than 57,000 diagnoses in a single year — chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis combined. That's one in every 130 residents diagnosed with one of these three diseases in 2023 alone, in a state of 7.4 million. The 14th-place national ranking means Arizona carries a heavier disease burden than all but 13 other states.
The trend most worth understanding is syphilis. It has climbed nearly 392% since 2008, and even after a sharp drop in 2023, it sits more than 60% above the national median. Like gonorrhea — which rose 259% over the same period — syphilis often produces no symptoms in its early stages. That means transmission happens quietly, and people who feel fine can be carrying and passing the infection without knowing it. Routine testing is the only way to close that gap.
If you live in Phoenix, Tucson, or Mesa, you're in the state's highest-density population centers, where exposure risk tends to concentrate. The good news is that testing is straightforward — usually a quick urine sample or swab, with results in a few days. Arizona's gonorrhea and syphilis rates rose for more than a decade before anyone felt them shift. STDTest.com can show you where to get tested today, before the numbers tell the story for you.
WHO SHOULD GET TESTED
Sexually active adults under 25 face the highest chlamydia risk in Arizona, where the rate is 17% above the national median. Anyone with new or multiple partners should also consider gonorrhea and syphilis screening — both diseases sit well above US median rates in this state, and both frequently show no symptoms.
HOW OFTEN
Annual testing is the baseline recommendation for sexually active adults, and Arizona's above-median rates across all three major STDs support treating that as a minimum rather than a ceiling. If you have new or multiple partners, every three to six months is more appropriate given the state's sustained gonorrhea and syphilis burden.
WHAT TO EXPECT
Most STD tests involve a urine sample, a blood draw, or a swab — typically completed in under 15 minutes. Results usually come back within one to three days. Many clinics in Phoenix, Tucson, and Mesa offer confidential testing, and treatment for chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis — when caught — is straightforward.
Find a clinic near you
4,500+ testing locations nationwide. 100% confidential. Most insurance accepted.
