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.

Numbers about sexually transmitted infections can feel abstract. They are useful, though. They show where testing matters most, how local health programs plan their work, and how Los Angeles compares with the rest of California.

This guide walks through the most recent published figures for Los Angeles County and for California. Every number comes with its year and its source. You will also find a plain explanation of what rates can and cannot tell you, and where to get free or low-cost testing in the city.

Key takeaways

In 2024, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health reported a chlamydia rate of 493 per 100,000 people (45,459 cases) and a gonorrhea rate of 252 per 100,000 (23,272 cases). These figures are provisional.
The county's early syphilis rate for 2024 was 36 per 100,000 (3,344 cases). California's was 24.4 per 100,000 (9,549 cases), according to the California Department of Public Health (CDPH).
The county recorded 102 congenital syphilis cases in 2024, which is 120 per 100,000 live births. CDPH reported 438 cases statewide, or 109.2 per 100,000 live births.
A rate describes a group of people, not any one person. Only a test can tell someone about their own health.
Bacterial STIs such as chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis are curable with treatment from a clinician. HIV is treatable and manageable.
County Sexual Health Clinics offer STI and HIV testing at no patient charge, and California lets people 12 and older consent to their own STI care.

In this guide

How to read STD rates: state, county and city
The latest numbers for Los Angeles County and California
Year-on-year change and the limits of the data
What shapes the numbers
California rules that affect testing and reporting
Free and low-cost testing in Los Angeles
Sources

How to read STD rates: state, county and city

People often look for STD rates by state or STD rates by city to see how their own area compares. That is a reasonable starting point. A few ideas make the numbers easier to interpret.

What a rate is

A rate divides the number of reported cases by the size of the population, then scales the result to 100,000 people. This lets a large area and a small area be compared fairly. Los Angeles County has far more cases than a small county simply because it has far more residents, so the raw count alone would mislead.

What a rate is not

A rate counts reported diagnoses. It does not count every infection, because many STIs have no symptoms and go unnoticed without a test. CDC's STI surveillance reports make this point each year: reported cases reflect who was screened and who was diagnosed, not a complete count of infections.

A rate also says nothing about any one person's risk or health. It cannot tell you whether you have an infection. Only a test and a clinician can do that.

Why city-level figures are hard to find

Health agencies publish most STI surveillance at the state and county level. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (DPH) reports for the county without Long Beach and Pasadena, which run their own health departments. A separate figure for the City of Los Angeles alone is not part of the county snapshot used in this guide.

For that reason, the sections below compare Los Angeles County with California as a whole. If you want to compare with another state, CDC publishes national and state tables in its annual STI surveillance reporting.

Keep the geography in mind

Different agencies draw the map differently. The county's own snapshot leaves out Long Beach and Pasadena. CDPH's figures for the Los Angeles health jurisdiction use a different population base and data date. As a result, two trustworthy sources can differ slightly for the same year. This guide cites one source per figure and says which it is.

The latest numbers for Los Angeles County and California

The table below shows the newest figures in the published sources, all for 2024. The county column comes from the LA County DPH Division of HIV and STD Programs (DHSP) 2024 STI Surveillance Snapshot, published in April 2026, and its 2025 HIV Snapshot. The state column comes from CDPH's 2024 STI executive summary and the CDPH Office of AIDS HIV Surveillance Report 2024.

Condition (2024)	Los Angeles County (DPH, provisional)	California (CDPH)
Chlamydia	493 per 100,000 (45,459 cases)	437.2 per 100,000 (171,281 cases)
Gonorrhea	252 per 100,000 (23,272 cases)	173.3 per 100,000 (67,869 cases)
Early syphilis	36 per 100,000 (3,344 cases)	24.4 per 100,000 (9,549 cases)
Congenital syphilis	102 cases; 120 per 100,000 live births	438 cases; 109.2 per 100,000 live births
New HIV diagnoses	1,454 people aged 13 and older (17 per 100,000)	4,538 diagnoses (11.6 per 100,000)

The county figures exclude Long Beach and Pasadena. The HIV rate for the county uses people aged 13 and older, so it should not be set directly against the statewide rate.

Chlamydia

Chlamydia is the most commonly reported of the infections above. The county's 2024 rate of 493 per 100,000 compares with 437.2 per 100,000 for California as a whole, per CDPH.

One detail matters for interpretation. LA County DPH explains in its chlamydia disease chapter that since October 2019, chlamydia is reportable by laboratories only, not by providers. County chlamydia data therefore come from lab reports. Chlamydia often causes no symptoms, so many cases are found through routine screening. Chlamydia is curable with treatment from a clinician.

Gonorrhea

The county's 2024 gonorrhea rate was 252 per 100,000, based on 23,272 cases, according to DPH. California's rate was 173.3 per 100,000, per CDPH.

CDPH's own table for the Los Angeles health jurisdiction shows 255.3 per 100,000, a small difference that reflects geography and data dates. Gonorrhea is also curable with treatment from a clinician, and a test is the way to find out.

Syphilis

Syphilis is described in stages. "Early syphilis" covers the infectious stages and is the figure most agencies track closely. The county's 2024 rate was 36 per 100,000 (3,344 cases), per DPH. California's early syphilis rate was 24.4 per 100,000 (9,549 cases), per CDPH. CDPH's table for the Los Angeles health jurisdiction lists 36.5.

CDPH also reports all acquired syphilis for the state: 68.2 per 100,000, or 26,732 cases. That number includes later stages, so it should not be compared with the early syphilis figures.

Syphilis is curable with treatment from a clinician. It can cause no noticeable symptoms for long stretches, which is one reason screening matters.

Congenital syphilis

Congenital syphilis happens when syphilis passes from a pregnant person to a baby. The county recorded 102 cases in 2024, or 120 per 100,000 live births, per DPH. CDPH reported 438 cases for California, or 109.2 per 100,000 live births.

These cases are preventable with timely testing and treatment during pregnancy. The state's prenatal screening requirement, covered below, exists for this reason.

HIV

DPH's 2025 HIV Snapshot reports 1,454 new HIV diagnoses in 2024 among people aged 13 and older in the county, a rate of 17 per 100,000. The CDPH Office of AIDS reports 4,538 new diagnoses for California in 2024, or 11.6 per 100,000.

CDPH's own table for Los Angeles County including Long Beach and Pasadena lists 1,443 diagnoses, or 14.7 per 100,000. The two county figures differ because of geography, population base and data date.

HIV is not curable, but it is treatable and manageable with care from a clinician. Testing is the first step toward that care.

Year-on-year change and the limits of the data

Readers often want to know whether rates are rising or falling. The honest answer starts with what the published sources can support.

What this guide can and cannot say about trends

The sources used here give the 2024 figures. They do not give a side-by-side comparison with 2023 that can be cited with confidence on this page. To avoid guessing, this guide does not state a direction of change for any condition.

To see the trend, open the DPH 2024 STI Surveillance Snapshot and the CDPH 2024 executive summary. Both are linked in the Sources list below. Those reports are the right place to look for multi-year charts.

Why recent numbers can shift

DPH labels its 2023 and 2024 STI data as provisional. Provisional means counts can change as late reports arrive and cases are reviewed. A small revision is normal and does not mean the first release was wrong.

Year-to-year changes can also reflect how much testing happened. If more people are screened, more infections are found, even if the true level has not changed. A fall in reported cases can likewise reflect fewer tests. This is why public health staff look at several years together rather than one jump.

How to use a trend responsibly

A county trend is a planning tool for health departments. It is not a reason for any individual to feel alarmed or reassured. If you are wondering about your own health, the useful step is a test, not a chart.

What shapes the numbers

Rates are the result of many things at once. Several are worth understanding because they explain why two places, or two years, can look different.

How much testing happens

Screening finds infections that would otherwise go unnoticed. CDC's STI Treatment Guidelines (2021) describe routine screening for several groups, and USPSTF makes its own screening recommendations. When testing is easy to reach, reported rates tend to rise because more cases are found.

How cases are reported

Under California Code of Regulations, title 17, section 2500, health care providers must report gonococcal infections, syphilis at all stages (including congenital) and HIV infection to the local health officer. Chlamydia is not on the provider list. Under section 2505, laboratories report chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and acute HIV results to the local health department.

Reporting rules differ by condition, so a chlamydia count and a gonorrhea count are built from different pipelines. That is one more reason not to compare raw counts across conditions.

Who is reached by care

Rates also reflect access. Clinics that are free, easy to reach by transit, open at useful hours and welcoming to every gender and orientation reach more people. Screening only helps when people can get to it.

Prevention tools

Prevention has expanded in recent years. CDC's 2024 guidance on doxycycline post-exposure prophylaxis (doxy-PEP) describes it as an option that a clinician can prescribe to some people as an added way to lower the chance of certain bacterial STIs. HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) are also prescribed by clinicians. A clinician can explain who each option may suit.

What the numbers do not explain

Surveillance reports count cases. They do not explain why any one person was diagnosed, and they should never be used to blame a community or a group of people. Infections can happen to anyone who is sexually active, in any relationship, of any gender or orientation.

California rules that affect testing and reporting

State law shapes both the data and the care available in Los Angeles. These are the rules most relevant to testing.

Minors can consent to their own STI care

Under California Family Code section 6926, as amended by AB 499 in 2011, a minor who is 12 or older may consent to care for the prevention or treatment of sexually transmitted infections. The statute states that parents or guardians are not liable for payment for that care. The Guttmacher Institute's summary of state policy, current as of August 1, 2026, lists no parental notification provision for California.

In practice, LA County DPH clinics tell patients 12 and older that they can be tested and treated without their parents knowing.

Prenatal syphilis screening

California Health and Safety Code section 120685, as amended by SB 306 and effective January 1, 2022, requires licensed professionals giving prenatal care or attending a delivery to screen for syphilis under current CDPH guidelines. CDPH's fact sheet describes three screens: at confirmation of pregnancy or the first prenatal visit, in the early third trimester (about 28 weeks), and at delivery. Emergency departments and hospital-affiliated urgent care should screen pregnant people before discharge if there is no result for the current pregnancy.

Treating partners

California permits expedited partner therapy under Health and Safety Code section 120582. This lets certain clinicians provide treatment for the partners of people diagnosed with chlamydia, gonorrhea or other qualifying STIs, even when the partner has not been seen. The CDC Legal Status of EPT page for California covers the details, and CDC says EPT is permissible in 49 states. Whether it applies in a given case is a decision for the clinician.

HIV and the law

The CDPH Office of AIDS explains that SB 239 (2017), effective January 1, 2018, repealed California's HIV-specific felonies. The law replaced them with a section, Health and Safety Code 120290, that applies to all infectious and communicable diseases. CDPH notes that taking practical means to prevent transmission, such as using condoms or following treatment in good faith, negates intent. The text is detailed, so anyone with a specific legal question should speak with an attorney or a legal aid group.

Immigration status

LA County DPH says its clinics are open to everyone regardless of citizenship, and that DPH will not report immigration status.

Free and low-cost testing in Los Angeles

Knowing the numbers is only useful if testing is within reach. Los Angeles has several no-cost and low-cost options. For a fuller list of places, see our guide to STD testing in Los Angeles.

County Sexual Health Clinics

LA County DPH runs Sexual Health Clinics that provide STI and HIV testing, PrEP, PEP and doxy-PEP at no patient charge. DPH says insurance is billed if available, with no copay or coinsurance. Three of its sites carry a Los Angeles address:

Central Health Center, 241 Figueroa St., Los Angeles, CA 90012. DPH lists registration hours Tuesday through Friday and says the clinic is closed Monday. Appointments are preferred, with limited walk-ins.
MLK Jr. Center for Public Health, 11833 S. Wilmington Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90059. Appointments are preferred, with limited walk-ins.
Pacoima Health Center, 13300 Van Nuys Blvd, Pacoima, CA 91331. This site offers screening only. DPH tells people with symptoms or a possible exposure to book at another DPH clinic for evaluation and treatment.

All DPH sexual health appointments go through one scheduling line, (213) 449-7009. DPH also offers telehealth visits booked by phone, and says results arrive through the LA Health Portal in 2 to 10 business days. Check the DPH Sexual Health Clinics page for current hours before you go.

Community clinics

Los Angeles LGBT Center, McDonald/Wright Building, 1625 N. Schrader Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90028. DPH lists walk-ins accepted and same-day appointments, Monday to Friday, 10am to 7pm. The Center's page says PrEP care is free or low-cost. It does not state a price for STI testing, so confirm with the clinic at (323) 993-2997.
AHF Wellness Center, Western, 1811 N. Western Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90027. AHF describes free testing for gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis and HIV with no appointment needed. DPH lists hours as Tuesday to Friday 10am to 8pm and Saturday 9:30am to 5:30pm. Call 1 (855) 783-2434 about wait times.
APLA Health, Gleicher/Chen Health Center Annex, 3741 S. La Brea Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90016. APLA says its Out Here locations offer free or low-cost sexual health services. It does not publish sliding-scale details on the page reviewed, so call (213) 201-5000 to ask about cost and appointments.
Watts Health Center, 10300 Compton Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90002. DPH lists it among community resources for STD screening and treatment. Cost and walk-in policy are not published there, so call 1 (323) 564-4331.

Options for teens and young adults

Children's Hospital Los Angeles lists STD services for youth aged 12 to 24 at 3250 Wilshire Blvd., 3rd Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90010, phone 1 (323) 361-7550. DPH lists hours of Monday to Friday, 9am to 12pm and 1pm to 4pm. Ask the clinic about cost and walk-in policy. As noted above, California law allows people 12 and older to consent to STI testing and treatment themselves.

Testing at home

DPH's "I Know" program offers a free home chlamydia and gonorrhea test kit by mail for people with a vagina aged 12 to 44 who live in Los Angeles County. The kit, the lab test and return postage are free, and results come online or by phone. The program hotline is (800) 758-0880.

CDPH Office of AIDS has also offered free mailed HIV self-test kits through its TakeMeHome program. Its materials were last confirmed for 2022 data, so check with CDPH for current availability.

Paying for PrEP

The California PrEP Assistance Program (PrEP-AP), run by the CDPH Office of AIDS, covers PrEP for eligible California residents, including minors 12 to 17, regardless of immigration status. Its Immediate Access option provides one month of PrEP free. Eligibility rules, including income limits, change, so confirm them on the CDPH page. The LA County PrEP warmline, (213) 351-7699, can also help.

Other ways to find a clinic

The LA County STD hotline for finding free testing is 800-758-0880, and the HIV hotline is 800-367-AIDS (2437). CDC also runs a national locator at gettested.cdc.gov, which lists testing sites by ZIP code.

What to ask a clinician

A clinician can explain which tests fit your situation, how soon after an exposure a test is most informative, and what treatment would involve if a result is positive. The right timing differs by infection and test. CDC publishes window period information, and a clinician can apply it to your circumstances.

Testing is a routine part of health care. It is not a judgment, and anyone, of any gender or orientation, can ask for it at any time.

STD Rates in Los Angeles: What the Latest Data Shows