STD Rates in Mississippi
CDC surveillance data for Mississippi covering chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, and HIV — with 15-year trends, city-level context, and national comparisons.
Mississippi has one of the heaviest STD burdens in the country. In 2023, the state ranked 3rd out of 50 for its combined rate of chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis — 982.1 cases per 100,000 people, more than 50% above the national median. What makes that number worth a second look is that it actually represents a pullback. Every major STD rate in Mississippi fell in 2023, some by a lot. The question is whether that reflects a genuine shift or just the tail end of pandemic-era distortions working their way out of the data.
Chlamydia is where Mississippi has lived above the national average for two decades. The 2023 rate — 700.9 per 100,000 — is nearly 50% higher than the US median of 471.3. It also marked the lowest point for the state since before 2009, down 10.3% from 2022 and down from a peak of 850.2 in 2019. Over the full stretch from 2008 to 2023, the rate is essentially flat, down just 3.1%. Mississippi has never been close to average on chlamydia. It just oscillates well above it.
Gonorrhea tells the sharper story. The 2023 rate of 251.1 per 100,000 is still 65% above the US median of 152.2 — but it's a significant drop from where the state was just a few years ago. In 2020, Mississippi's gonorrhea rate hit 465.1, nearly double what it is now. The 2023 figure is down 32.5% from 2022 alone, and down from a long-run base of 255.0 in 2008 — meaning the net change over 15 years is nearly zero, even as the state endured a steep climb and an equally steep fall in between. Syphilis is different in character. The rate rose nearly 378% from 2008 to its 2022 peak of 31.1 per 100,000, then edged down slightly to 30.1 in 2023 — more than double the US median of 14.8. Unlike gonorrhea, syphilis hasn't come back down. It's just leveled off at a high floor.
HIV data for Mississippi runs through 2022. New diagnoses reached 498 that year — a rate of 20.2 per 100,000, the highest point in the six-year window. There was a dip in 2020 to 419 cases, almost certainly a reflection of reduced testing access during the pandemic rather than a true decline. Since then, the trend has moved upward again. If you're in Jackson, Gulfport, or Southaven and haven't been tested recently, the state's sustained position near the top of national rankings is a reasonable argument for changing that.
STD Trends in Mississippi
Mississippi's chlamydia rate has been elevated for so long that the recent decline almost reads as noise. The 2023 rate of 700.9 per 100,000 is the state's lowest in over a decade, but it's still nearly 50% above the national median of 471.3. The long-run trend from 2008 to 2023 is essentially flat — down just 3.1% — which means Mississippi hasn't made sustained progress so much as cycled around a persistently high baseline.
Mississippi's gonorrhea rate has been on a wild ride since 2015. It nearly doubled between 2016 and 2020, peaking at 465.1 per 100,000, then fell sharply — dropping 32.5% in 2023 alone to reach 251.1. That's still 65% above the US median of 152.2, so the decline hasn't closed the gap with the rest of the country so much as pulled the state back from an extreme. The long-run change from 2008 to 2023 is effectively zero, which means the intervening decade of volatility left Mississippi roughly where it started.
Syphilis is the STD where Mississippi's trajectory diverges most sharply from its own recent trend. From a rate of just 6.3 per 100,000 in 2008, it climbed nearly 378% to a 2022 peak of 31.1 — more than double the current US median of 14.8. The 2023 rate of 30.1 represents only a modest 3.2% decline, meaning the state hasn't reversed course so much as plateaued at a level that would have looked extreme by Mississippi's own historical standards just fifteen years ago.
Mississippi's HIV data covers 2017 through 2022, and the trend over that window has moved upward. New diagnoses rose from 427 in 2017 to 498 in 2022, a rate of 20.2 per 100,000. The one-year dip in 2020 — when cases fell to 419 — almost certainly reflects disrupted testing access during the pandemic rather than any real reduction in transmission. Since 2020, the count has climbed back and then exceeded its pre-pandemic level.
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Mississippi vs National Average
Comparing 2023 rates against the U.S. median across all 50 states.
| Infection | Mississippi | US Median | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia | 700.9 | 471.3 | 48.7% above |
| Gonorrhea | 251.1 | 152.2 | 65% above |
| Syphilis (P&S) | 30.1 | 14.8 | 103.4% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Humphreys County | #1 of 80 | 2785.4 | 1940.1 | 789.9 | 55.4 |
| Sharkey County | #2 of 80 | 2518.1 | 1918.5 | 539.6 | 60.0 |
| Holmes County | #3 of 80 | 2427.5 | 1907.8 | 519.7 | 0.0 |
| Coahoma County | #4 of 80 | 2191.5 | 1678.5 | 483.1 | 29.9 |
| Quitman County | #5 of 80 | 2109.6 | 1532.6 | 522.9 | 54.1 |
| Tunica County | #6 of 80 | 2035.9 | 1472.8 | 509.0 | 54.1 |
| Hinds County | #7 of 80 | 2011.9 | 1392.9 | 586.4 | 32.6 |
| Leflore County | #8 of 80 | 1903.1 | 1573.3 | 299.5 | 30.3 |
| Clay County | #9 of 80 | 1686.2 | 1142.5 | 505.3 | 38.4 |
| Copiah County | #10 of 80 | 1623.1 | 1185.7 | 412.1 | 25.3 |
| Grenada County | #11 of 80 | 1590.3 | 1201.0 | 322.8 | 66.5 |
| Forrest County | #12 of 80 | 1575.3 | 1079.2 | 396.4 | 99.7 |
| Pike County | #13 of 80 | 1533.3 | 1066.2 | 421.4 | 45.7 |
| Jefferson Davis County | #14 of 80 | 1458.6 | 902.5 | 510.5 | 45.6 |
| Jefferson County | #15 of 80 | 1440.7 | 1037.3 | 389.0 | 14.4 |
| Warren County | #16 of 80 | 1430.3 | 997.7 | 409.0 | 23.6 |
| Noxubee County | #17 of 80 | 1341.6 | 948.2 | 383.3 | 10.1 |
| Leake County | #18 of 80 | 1284.2 | 940.8 | 338.7 | 4.7 |
| Yazoo County | #19 of 80 | 1275.4 | 907.1 | 348.9 | 19.4 |
| Adams County | #20 of 80 | 1221.0 | 862.7 | 320.0 | 38.3 |
| Panola County | #21 of 80 | 1218.3 | 903.0 | 269.4 | 45.9 |
| Sunflower County | #22 of 80 | 1209.7 | 850.1 | 339.2 | 20.4 |
| Lowndes County | #23 of 80 | 1185.4 | 811.8 | 335.2 | 38.4 |
| Tallahatchie County | #24 of 80 | 1182.8 | 870.2 | 261.9 | 50.7 |
| Neshoba County | #25 of 80 | 1156.7 | 875.3 | 253.6 | 27.8 |
| Jasper County | #26 of 80 | 1074.2 | 786.9 | 287.3 | 0.0 |
| Monroe County | #27 of 80 | 1074.1 | 731.9 | 291.6 | 50.6 |
| Lee County | #28 of 80 | 1066.4 | 730.7 | 282.6 | 53.1 |
| Jones County | #29 of 80 | 1065.7 | 730.6 | 283.8 | 51.3 |
| Bolivar County | #30 of 80 | 1059.8 | 821.6 | 220.9 | 17.3 |
| Chickasaw County | #31 of 80 | 1043.6 | 687.8 | 260.9 | 94.9 |
| Washington County | #32 of 80 | 1037.0 | 684.2 | 324.2 | 28.6 |
| Wilkinson County | #33 of 80 | 1005.3 | 819.1 | 186.2 | 0.0 |
| Marion County | #34 of 80 | 1003.1 | 701.8 | 222.9 | 78.4 |
| Oktibbeha County | #35 of 80 | 998.0 | 683.6 | 273.4 | 41.0 |
| Winston County | #36 of 80 | 993.3 | 706.2 | 195.2 | 91.9 |
| Yalobusha County | #37 of 80 | 985.0 | 670.1 | 242.2 | 72.7 |
| Wayne County | #38 of 80 | 984.6 | 695.3 | 263.9 | 25.4 |
| Amite County | #39 of 80 | 908.2 | 731.4 | 168.8 | 8.0 |
| Kemper County | #40 of 80 | 873.7 | 640.7 | 209.7 | 23.3 |
| Perry County | #41 of 80 | 857.3 | 521.4 | 274.0 | 61.9 |
| Attala County | #42 of 80 | 846.8 | 639.4 | 190.1 | 17.3 |
| Montgomery County | #43 of 80 | 833.3 | 708.3 | 114.6 | 10.4 |
| Scott County | #44 of 80 | 832.5 | 625.3 | 199.9 | 7.3 |
| Smith County | #45 of 80 | 829.9 | 567.4 | 234.1 | 28.4 |
| Madison County | #46 of 80 | 817.7 | 597.3 | 212.4 | 8.0 |
| Lawrence County | #47 of 80 | 809.1 | 502.5 | 272.5 | 34.1 |
| Walthall County | #48 of 80 | 807.9 | 548.2 | 223.6 | 36.1 |
| Harrison County | #49 of 80 | 802.4 | 561.2 | 212.7 | 28.5 |
| Marshall County | #50 of 80 | 797.1 | 550.9 | 228.6 | 17.6 |
| Newton County | #51 of 80 | 794.4 | 589.9 | 185.5 | 19.0 |
| Desoto County | #52 of 80 | 789.7 | 568.2 | 194.6 | 26.9 |
| Covington County | #53 of 80 | 786.3 | 515.0 | 210.4 | 60.9 |
| Jackson County | #54 of 80 | 779.5 | 567.7 | 196.1 | 15.7 |
| Benton County | #55 of 80 | 726.0 | 564.7 | 147.9 | 13.4 |
| Lamar County | #56 of 80 | 708.3 | 475.7 | 179.7 | 52.9 |
| Calhoun County | #57 of 80 | 701.6 | 583.4 | 86.7 | 31.5 |
| Pontotoc County | #58 of 80 | 688.1 | 488.3 | 152.2 | 47.6 |
| Lafayette County | #59 of 80 | 687.6 | 545.6 | 124.9 | 17.1 |
| Tate County | #60 of 80 | 686.4 | 495.4 | 159.2 | 31.8 |
| Franklin County | #61 of 80 | 670.2 | 538.8 | 105.1 | 26.3 |
| Clarke County | #62 of 80 | 656.7 | 492.5 | 164.2 | 0.0 |
| Lauderdale County | #63 of 80 | 656.5 | 489.2 | 146.0 | 21.3 |
| Simpson County | #64 of 80 | 645.6 | 455.0 | 178.9 | 11.7 |
| Carroll County | #65 of 80 | 608.3 | 440.5 | 157.3 | 10.5 |
| Lincoln County | #66 of 80 | 596.5 | 423.6 | 149.8 | 23.1 |
| Webster County | #67 of 80 | 570.7 | 470.6 | 100.1 | 0.0 |
| Issaquena County | #68 of 80 | 557.4 | 318.5 | 238.9 | 0.0 |
| Union County | #69 of 80 | 526.8 | 378.3 | 109.6 | 38.9 |
| Stone County | #70 of 80 | 495.9 | 335.9 | 149.3 | 10.7 |
| Choctaw County | #71 of 80 | 494.6 | 358.6 | 111.3 | 24.7 |
| Pearl River County | #72 of 80 | 489.9 | 338.1 | 129.4 | 22.4 |
| Prentiss County | #73 of 80 | 469.5 | 358.1 | 95.5 | 15.9 |
| Alcorn County | #74 of 80 | 465.8 | 319.3 | 108.4 | 38.1 |
| Rankin County | #75 of 80 | 463.8 | 354.1 | 97.9 | 11.8 |
| Greene County | #76 of 80 | 455.9 | 345.6 | 88.2 | 22.1 |
| Hancock County | #77 of 80 | 446.2 | 327.1 | 114.8 | 4.3 |
| Tippah County | #78 of 80 | 432.2 | 324.1 | 89.3 | 18.8 |
| George County | #79 of 80 | 335.7 | 257.6 | 74.2 | 3.9 |
| Tishomingo County | #80 of 80 | 297.1 | 216.1 | 54.0 | 27.0 |
What the numbers mean — and what to do about them
Mississippi's combined STD rate of 982.1 per 100,000 translates to more than 28,800 diagnosed cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis in a single year — in a state of under 3 million people. That's roughly one diagnosis for every 100 residents, annually, among only the infections that get reported. The state has ranked in the top three nationally for combined STD burden, which means the exposure environment here looks meaningfully different from most of the country.
The trend that carries the most clinical weight right now is syphilis. Unlike chlamydia and gonorrhea, which have both pulled back from recent peaks, syphilis in Mississippi has climbed nearly 378% since 2008 and barely moved in 2023. Syphilis is frequently asymptomatic in its early stages, which means people transmit it without knowing they have it and go untreated long enough for serious complications to develop. The gonorrhea decline is real, but at 251.1 per 100,000 — still 65% above the US median — it's not a signal that the pressure has eased. It's a signal that a spike has partially corrected.
If you live in Jackson, Gulfport, or Southaven, Mississippi's data makes a straightforward case for testing even if you feel fine and have no symptoms. Most STDs present with none. STDTest.com can show you where to get tested today — because Mississippi has spent fifteen years ranked near the top of national STD lists, and most of those cases didn't announce themselves first.
WHO SHOULD GET TESTED
Anyone sexually active in Mississippi should consider routine testing, but particularly young adults under 25 — who account for a disproportionate share of chlamydia cases in high-rate states like this one — and anyone with more than one partner in the past year. Mississippi's syphilis rate is more than double the national median, making syphilis screening relevant beyond just high-risk subgroups.
HOW OFTEN
Annual testing covers the baseline for most sexually active adults. Given that Mississippi has held a top-three national ranking for years and its syphilis rate shows no meaningful decline, people with new or multiple partners are better served by testing every three to six months. HIV testing annually aligns with the state's 2022 diagnosis rate of 20.2 per 100,000.
WHAT TO EXPECT
STD testing is fast and mostly non-invasive — typically a urine sample and a blood draw, sometimes a swab depending on what's being screened. Results often come back within a few days. Treatment for chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis is straightforward when caught early, which is the entire point of testing before symptoms appear.
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