STD Rates in Michigan
CDC surveillance data for Michigan covering chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, and HIV — with 15-year trends, city-level context, and national comparisons.
Michigan sits at the middle of the national pack — ranked 30th out of 50 states with a combined STD rate of 590.1 per 100,000 in 2023. That's about 7% below the US combined median of 638.3. But the middling rank obscures some real movement underneath. Two of Michigan's three major STDs are falling, while one — syphilis — has climbed 300% since 2008, even as it ticked down slightly in 2023.
Chlamydia is Michigan's largest disease burden by volume — 43,115 cases in 2023, a rate of 429.5 per 100,000. That puts the state below the national median of 471.3, which is notable because Michigan's chlamydia rate spent much of the early 2010s well above 500. It has drifted downward since peaking around 2017, and the 2023 figure is nearly identical to 2022, suggesting the decline has flattened rather than continued.
Gonorrhea tells a more turbulent story. Michigan's rate hit a low of 97.6 per 100,000 in 2014, then nearly doubled to 232.3 by 2020 — the sharpest part of a national surge. Since then it has pulled back considerably, landing at 152.2 in 2023, exactly at the US median, and down 6.7% from 2022. Syphilis, by contrast, is a fraction of that median: at 8.4 per 100,000, it runs well below the national figure of 14.8. Still, that rate is four times what it was in 2008, and even with last year's 13.4% drop, the long-run climb is hard to ignore.
Michigan's HIV numbers have followed a slow but steady downward trend — from 773 new cases in 2017 to 626 in 2022. The sharp drop in 2020, to 519, almost certainly reflects pandemic disruptions to testing rather than a real reduction in transmission. Whatever that dip obscures, the underlying trend since 2021 has stabilized rather than resumed its earlier decline. For anyone in Detroit, Grand Rapids, or Warren, the picture is mixed enough that waiting to get tested doesn't make much sense — STDTest.com can show you what's available near you today.
STD Trends in Michigan
Michigan's chlamydia rate has been on a slow retreat from its 2010–2011 peak of around 501 per 100,000, but the decline has stalled. The 2023 rate of 429.5 is barely different from 2022's 428.3 — a 0.3% change — suggesting the downward trend has plateaued rather than progressed. At 9% below the national median, Michigan is in better shape than many states, but the flattening curve means it's not moving further in that direction.
Gonorrhea's trajectory in Michigan is the most volatile of the three diseases tracked here. From a low of 97.6 per 100,000 in 2014, the rate more than doubled by 2020, then fell sharply — dropping from 232.3 in 2020 to 152.2 in 2023. That 2023 figure lands exactly on the US median, which means Michigan has gone from well above average to precisely average in three years. The long-run picture since 2008 still shows a net decline of about 11%, but the path there included a surge that peaked mid-pandemic.
Syphilis is where Michigan's numbers carry the most historical weight. The rate has risen 300% since 2008 — from 2.1 to 8.4 per 100,000 — even after a 13.4% drop in 2023. That drop is worth noting, but it follows a plateau in 2021–2022 at 9.7, so it's too early to call it a reversal. Michigan still sits well below the national median of 14.8, which means the state's syphilis burden, while growing over the long run, remains lighter than most.
Michigan's HIV data runs through 2022 and shows a general decline from 773 new diagnoses in 2017 to 626 in 2022. The 2020 figure — 519 cases — stands out as an outlier, most likely reflecting reduced testing access during the early pandemic rather than an actual drop in transmission. The rebound to 641 cases in 2021 supports that reading, and the rate has held relatively steady at 7.3–7.5 per 100,000 in the two years since.
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Michigan vs National Average
Comparing 2023 rates against the U.S. median across all 50 states.
| Infection | Michigan | US Median | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia | 429.5 | 471.3 | 8.9% below |
| Gonorrhea | 152.2 | 152.2 | 0% below |
| Syphilis (P&S) | 8.4 | 14.8 | 43.2% below |
STD Rates by County
County-level data from CDC surveillance. Ranked by combined rate per 100,000.
| County | State Rank | Combined | Chlamydia | Gonorrhea | Syphilis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wayne County | #1 of 83 | 1144.4 | 791.0 | 337.1 | 16.3 |
| Muskegon County | #2 of 83 | 1102.7 | 732.9 | 363.6 | 6.2 |
| Kalamazoo County | #3 of 83 | 970.2 | 672.3 | 270.4 | 27.5 |
| Calhoun County | #4 of 83 | 854.8 | 630.6 | 215.2 | 9.0 |
| Genesee County | #5 of 83 | 841.5 | 606.9 | 224.1 | 10.5 |
| Saginaw County | #6 of 83 | 830.7 | 566.6 | 260.4 | 3.7 |
| Ingham County | #7 of 83 | 765.8 | 535.4 | 218.5 | 11.9 |
| Kent County | #8 of 83 | 752.1 | 555.1 | 186.6 | 10.4 |
| Berrien County | #9 of 83 | 670.6 | 547.1 | 121.5 | 2.0 |
| Jackson County | #10 of 83 | 617.3 | 471.7 | 128.0 | 17.6 |
| Macomb County | #11 of 83 | 493.3 | 362.7 | 121.9 | 8.7 |
| Washtenaw County | #12 of 83 | 459.6 | 352.1 | 100.9 | 6.6 |
| St. Joseph County | #13 of 83 | 437.0 | 361.4 | 72.3 | 3.3 |
| Oakland County | #14 of 83 | 406.3 | 296.4 | 103.2 | 6.7 |
| Mecosta County | #15 of 83 | 394.1 | 318.7 | 73.0 | 2.4 |
| Eaton County | #16 of 83 | 383.2 | 265.6 | 107.5 | 10.1 |
| Van Buren County | #17 of 83 | 376.0 | 298.2 | 76.5 | 1.3 |
| Isabella County | #18 of 83 | 375.8 | 307.2 | 65.5 | 3.1 |
| Cass County | #19 of 83 | 358.2 | 304.0 | 52.3 | 1.9 |
| Mackinac County | #20 of 83 | 331.8 | 276.5 | 55.3 | 0.0 |
| Chippewa County | #21 of 83 | 330.9 | 314.4 | 11.0 | 5.5 |
| Branch County | #22 of 83 | 314.0 | 247.7 | 59.7 | 6.6 |
| Ottawa County | #23 of 83 | 296.1 | 237.7 | 55.4 | 3.0 |
| Osceola County | #24 of 83 | 295.7 | 244.3 | 51.4 | 0.0 |
| Montcalm County | #25 of 83 | 293.5 | 245.0 | 47.0 | 1.5 |
| Bay County | #26 of 83 | 292.7 | 246.8 | 42.0 | 3.9 |
| Hillsdale County | #27 of 83 | 289.6 | 212.8 | 68.0 | 8.8 |
| Clinton County | #28 of 83 | 288.5 | 210.7 | 74.0 | 3.8 |
| Oceana County | #29 of 83 | 278.0 | 233.5 | 44.5 | 0.0 |
| Newaygo County | #30 of 83 | 277.9 | 238.7 | 37.2 | 2.0 |
| St. Clair County | #31 of 83 | 275.9 | 218.3 | 51.3 | 6.3 |
| Allegan County | #32 of 83 | 273.0 | 205.8 | 65.6 | 1.6 |
| Lenawee County | #33 of 83 | 272.8 | 204.1 | 64.6 | 4.1 |
| Ionia County | #34 of 83 | 271.7 | 241.5 | 25.7 | 4.5 |
| Marquette County | #35 of 83 | 267.2 | 222.4 | 41.8 | 3.0 |
| Monroe County | #36 of 83 | 265.7 | 219.9 | 44.5 | 1.3 |
| Wexford County | #37 of 83 | 252.0 | 222.7 | 29.3 | 0.0 |
| Lake County | #38 of 83 | 251.3 | 227.7 | 15.7 | 7.9 |
| Gogebic County | #39 of 83 | 246.0 | 210.9 | 28.1 | 7.0 |
| Gratiot County | #40 of 83 | 239.3 | 215.1 | 24.2 | 0.0 |
| Barry County | #41 of 83 | 235.0 | 189.6 | 42.3 | 3.1 |
| Arenac County | #42 of 83 | 231.1 | 198.1 | 33.0 | 0.0 |
| Midland County | #43 of 83 | 230.9 | 204.7 | 22.6 | 3.6 |
| Grand Traverse County | #44 of 83 | 230.2 | 207.4 | 22.8 | 0.0 |
| Gladwin County | #45 of 83 | 220.5 | 193.4 | 27.1 | 0.0 |
| Otsego County | #46 of 83 | 217.5 | 194.2 | 19.4 | 3.9 |
| Kalkaska County | #47 of 83 | 216.3 | 194.7 | 21.6 | 0.0 |
| Mason County | #48 of 83 | 212.6 | 202.3 | 6.9 | 3.4 |
| Missaukee County | #49 of 83 | 209.0 | 182.9 | 26.1 | 0.0 |
| Shiawassee County | #50 of 83 | 195.5 | 163.2 | 27.9 | 4.4 |
| Charlevoix County | #51 of 83 | 194.9 | 175.8 | 15.3 | 3.8 |
| Tuscola County | #52 of 83 | 193.1 | 172.3 | 20.8 | 0.0 |
| Cheboygan County | #53 of 83 | 180.5 | 172.8 | 7.7 | 0.0 |
| Emmet County | #54 of 83 | 178.9 | 158.3 | 14.7 | 5.9 |
| Crawford County | #55 of 83 | 169.9 | 155.1 | 14.8 | 0.0 |
| Ogemaw County | #56 of 83 | 166.7 | 142.9 | 23.8 | 0.0 |
| Clare County | #57 of 83 | 166.1 | 146.9 | 19.2 | 0.0 |
| Livingston County | #58 of 83 | 156.0 | 130.1 | 22.9 | 3.0 |
| Delta County | #59 of 83 | 152.2 | 125.0 | 24.5 | 2.7 |
| Leelanau County | #60 of 83 | 152.0 | 117.3 | 30.4 | 4.3 |
| Roscommon County | #61 of 83 | 150.9 | 150.9 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Antrim County | #62 of 83 | 147.5 | 139.3 | 8.2 | 0.0 |
| Baraga County | #63 of 83 | 144.4 | 144.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Dickinson County | #64 of 83 | 142.4 | 134.7 | 7.7 | 0.0 |
| Lapeer County | #65 of 83 | 141.6 | 121.4 | 15.7 | 4.5 |
| Oscoda County | #66 of 83 | 140.4 | 128.7 | 11.7 | 0.0 |
| Keweenaw County | #67 of 83 | 138.1 | 138.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Alger County | #68 of 83 | 137.0 | 125.6 | 11.4 | 0.0 |
| Huron County | #69 of 83 | 135.8 | 122.9 | 12.9 | 0.0 |
| Benzie County | #70 of 83 | 135.6 | 119.3 | 16.3 | 0.0 |
| Montmorency County | #71 of 83 | 134.3 | 124.0 | 10.3 | 0.0 |
| Alpena County | #72 of 83 | 124.6 | 114.2 | 6.9 | 3.5 |
| Sanilac County | #73 of 83 | 121.4 | 109.0 | 12.4 | 0.0 |
| Manistee County | #74 of 83 | 121.2 | 113.4 | 7.8 | 0.0 |
| Iron County | #75 of 83 | 110.7 | 102.2 | 8.5 | 0.0 |
| Iosco County | #76 of 83 | 110.4 | 110.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Ontonagon County | #77 of 83 | 101.6 | 84.7 | 16.9 | 0.0 |
| Schoolcraft County | #78 of 83 | 98.2 | 85.9 | 12.3 | 0.0 |
| Menominee County | #79 of 83 | 87.2 | 82.8 | 4.4 | 0.0 |
| Houghton County | #80 of 83 | 82.5 | 69.2 | 13.3 | 0.0 |
| Presque Isle County | #81 of 83 | 67.7 | 67.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Luce County | #82 of 83 | 46.6 | 46.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Alcona County | #83 of 83 | 38.1 | 38.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
What the numbers mean — and what to do about them
Michigan's 2023 STD numbers add up to roughly 59,000 combined diagnoses of chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis — about 590 cases per 100,000 residents. That puts the state just below the national midpoint, which sounds reassuring until you consider that it represents tens of thousands of people who may not have known they were infected. Most STDs don't announce themselves with symptoms, which means the case count reflects who got tested, not necessarily who has an infection.
The trend that deserves the most attention is syphilis. Michigan's rate has quadrupled since 2008, and while it dipped 13.4% in 2023, that follows two straight years at 9.7 per 100,000. Syphilis is easily treated when caught early and can cause serious complications when it isn't — and because early-stage syphilis often produces symptoms that are easy to miss or dismiss, routine testing is the only reliable way to catch it. Gonorrhea carries a similar dynamic: Michigan's rate has fallen from its 2020 peak, but gonorrhea strains with antibiotic resistance are increasingly common nationally, making early detection more consequential than it used to be.
If you live in Detroit, Grand Rapids, or Warren — Michigan's most populous cities and areas that carry a disproportionate share of the state's STD burden — the case for regular testing is straightforward. Michigan's chlamydia rate has flattened near 430 per 100,000 rather than continuing to fall, syphilis has climbed 300% over 15 years, and gonorrhea only recently returned to the national median after years above it. Michigan's numbers haven't reached crisis level, but they haven't been trending cleanly in the right direction either. STDTest.com can show you the nearest testing location in Detroit, Grand Rapids, Warren, or anywhere else in Michigan — most results come back within days.
WHO SHOULD GET TESTED
Sexually active adults in Michigan — particularly those in Detroit, Grand Rapids, and Warren, where STD rates tend to concentrate. Given that Michigan's gonorrhea rate sits exactly at the national median and syphilis has risen sharply over the past 15 years, anyone who is sexually active and hasn't tested in the past year should consider it a priority. People with new or multiple partners, or those who've had unprotected sex, should move that up the list.
HOW OFTEN
Once a year is a reasonable floor for most sexually active Michigan residents. Michigan's chlamydia rate has plateaued rather than continued falling — a sign that routine testing hasn't fully closed the gap on asymptomatic infections. If you have multiple partners or live in a higher-prevalence urban area, every three to six months is more appropriate. HIV testing annually is a reasonable baseline given Michigan's consistent new diagnosis rate of roughly 600-plus cases per year.
WHAT TO EXPECT
Most STD tests are quick and straightforward — typically a urine sample, a blood draw, or a swab, depending on what's being tested. Many clinics in Michigan offer same-day appointments and confidential results, often within two to five days. Treatment for chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis is available and effective when infections are caught early, which is the main reason testing regularly matters more than waiting for symptoms that may never come.
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