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.

STD rates are easy to find and hard to read. A number like 524.9 per 100,000 means little until you know the year, the place and who counted it.

This guide walks through the most recent published figures for Fort Lauderdale's home county, Broward County, and for Florida. It explains what the numbers can and cannot say, what tends to push rates up or down, and where free testing is available in the city.

Nothing here is meant to alarm anyone. Rates describe how many infections were found and reported in a community. They are a reason to know your options, not a reason for fear or blame.

Key Takeaways

Fort Lauderdale is in Broward County, so county figures are the closest published match for the city. City-level rates are not published in the sources used here.
For 2021, a Stacker report citing CDC county data lists Broward at 524.9 chlamydia cases, 258.7 gonorrhea cases and 28.9 primary and secondary syphilis cases per 100,000 people.
For 2023, a testing.com directory citing CDC surveillance data lists Florida at 498.9 chlamydia, 206.7 gonorrhea and 19.3 primary and secondary syphilis cases per 100,000.
These two sets come from different years and different secondary sources, so they should not be treated as a direct year-on-year comparison.
Reported rates reflect how much testing happens as well as how much infection exists.
Free STI testing and treatment is offered at the Broward Wellness Center, run through the Florida Department of Health in Broward County.

What STD rates measure, and what they leave out
The latest numbers for Broward County
The latest numbers for Florida
STD rates by state and by city: how to compare fairly
What shapes STD rates in a community
Free and low-cost testing in Fort Lauderdale
Florida rules that affect testing and reporting
Using the data without worry

What STD Rates Measure, and What They Leave Out

A rate is cases per 100,000 people

The CDC reports sexually transmitted infection (STI) data as a rate, which is the number of reported cases for every 100,000 residents. Rates let you compare places of different sizes. A large county will always have more cases than a small one, but its rate may be lower.

Rates count reported infections, not all infections

A case enters the data only after someone is tested, a lab finds a positive result and that result is reported. Florida law requires this reporting. Under Fla. Stat. 384.25, anyone who diagnoses or treats a sexually transmissible disease, and any laboratory with a positive result, must report it to the Florida Department of Health within a period set by rule that cannot exceed two weeks.

Many infections cause no symptoms. The CDC notes that chlamydia and gonorrhea often have none, so they can go unfound without testing. That means a rate reflects both how much infection exists and how much testing takes place.

A higher rate can mean more testing

A community that tests widely may report a higher rate than one that tests less, even if the true level of infection is the same. For that reason, public health agencies do not read a rising number as automatic bad news. It can mean more people are getting tested and treated.

Which infections are counted

This guide focuses on chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis because those are the figures available for the county and state in the sources used here. For syphilis, the figures cover primary and secondary stages, the earliest stages, which are the ones most often used to track current spread.

The Latest Numbers for Broward County

Fort Lauderdale is the county seat of Broward County. The most recent county-level figures available for this guide are for 2021. They come from a Stacker report, republished by 352today on March 29, 2024, that cites CDC county data.

Infection	Broward County rate, 2021	Reported cases, 2021
Chlamydia	524.9 per 100,000	10,136
Gonorrhea	258.7 per 100,000	4,995
Syphilis (primary and secondary)	28.9 per 100,000	559

Source: 352today / Stacker, "Counties with the highest STI rates in Florida," citing CDC 2021 county data. This is a secondary source, not the CDC tables themselves.

What the Broward figures show

Chlamydia is the most commonly reported of the three, which matches national patterns described by the CDC. Gonorrhea is reported about half as often as chlamydia. Primary and secondary syphilis is reported far less often, but it is still tracked closely because untreated syphilis can cause serious health problems over time, and it is curable with treatment from a clinician.

What is not available

The sources reviewed for this guide do not include recent county figures for 2022 or later. They also do not include HIV rates for Broward County or Florida. For the newest HIV and STI numbers, the CDC's AtlasPlus tool and the Florida Department of Health in Broward County are the places to check. The health department's page lists its programs at broward.floridahealth.gov.

No city-level figures for Fort Lauderdale alone were found. Because the city sits inside the county, the county rate is the best available stand-in, but it covers many communities with different testing patterns.

The Latest Numbers for Florida

The statewide figures available are for 2023. They come from the testing.com Florida STD testing directory, which cites CDC 2023 STI surveillance data. The CDC's own tables could not be read directly for this guide, so these figures are also secondhand.

Infection	Florida rate, 2023	Reported cases, 2023	National rank
Chlamydia	498.9 per 100,000	112,804	17
Gonorrhea	206.7 per 100,000	46,726	11
Syphilis (primary and secondary)	19.3 per 100,000	4,366	16

Source: testing.com Florida STD Testing Directory, citing CDC 2023 STI surveillance data.

How to read the rank

The directory lists Florida at 17th for chlamydia, 11th for gonorrhea and 16th for primary and secondary syphilis among states. The directory does not explain its ranking method in the figures reviewed here, so treat the rank as a rough guide.

Year-on-year change

A true year-on-year comparison needs the same place, the same source and consecutive years. The data gathered for this guide does not offer that for Broward County or for Florida. The county figures are for 2021 and the state figures are for 2023.

Setting 524.9 beside 498.9 and calling it a drop would be misleading. The two numbers cover different places and different years. For trend lines, the CDC's AtlasPlus tool lets you pick a county and view several years side by side.

STD Rates by State and by City: How to Compare Fairly

People often search for STD rates by state or STD rates by city to see how their own area compares. Those comparisons are useful when they are done with care.

Compare the same year and the same source

Every number in a comparison should come from the same year and the same dataset. The CDC publishes national and state surveillance data, and its AtlasPlus tool offers county-level views. When one place uses 2021 data and another uses 2023, the gap may reflect time, not geography.

City rates are often not published

Most public health data is reported at the state or county level. City rates exist only where a local health department chooses to publish them. For Fort Lauderdale, the county is the practical unit, and the Florida Department of Health in Broward County is the local source.

Rankings flatten the picture

A state's rank can move because other states changed, not because the state itself did. A rank also hides differences inside the state. Broward County's rate and a rural county's rate can sit far apart under the same state number.

Small numbers move a lot

When a place has few cases, a handful of additional reports can shift the rate noticeably. Syphilis counts are lower than chlamydia counts, so syphilis rates can swing more from year to year.

What Shapes STD Rates in a Community

No single cause explains a community's rates. Public health researchers point to several overlapping factors. The CDC describes many of them in its STI surveillance reports and treatment guidelines.

How much testing happens

As noted above, more testing finds more infections. Easy access to free and walk-in testing can raise reported rates in the short term, while lowering the number of infections that go untreated.

Infections without symptoms

The CDC says many people with chlamydia, gonorrhea or syphilis may not notice symptoms. People can pass infections on without knowing. Regular screening is how many of these infections are found.

Access to care

Cost, transportation, work hours, insurance status and worry about privacy can all keep people from testing. Free clinics, evening hours and confidential services reduce these barriers.

A mobile, visitor-heavy population

Broward County has many residents and visitors who move in and out. Sexual networks that cross county lines can make infections spread across wider areas. The sources reviewed here do not quantify this effect for Broward, so it is worth stating only as a general public health consideration.

Prevention tools

Condoms lower the chance of many STIs. Vaccines protect against hepatitis A, hepatitis B and HPV. For HIV, a clinician can prescribe pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). In 2024, the CDC issued guidance on doxycycline taken after sex (doxy-PEP) to reduce the chance of certain bacterial STIs for some people. Whether any of these fits a person's situation is a conversation for a clinician, who also decides on any prescription.

Screening guidance

The CDC's 2021 STI Treatment Guidelines recommend regular screening for some groups. They include yearly chlamydia and gonorrhea screening for sexually active women under 25, and at least yearly screening for sexually active men who have sex with men. The CDC also recommends that everyone ages 13 to 64 be tested for HIV at least once. A clinician can say which tests make sense for any one person.

Free and Low-Cost Testing in Fort Lauderdale

Reading rates is useful, but testing is what turns information into action. A negative result brings peace of mind. A positive result for chlamydia, gonorrhea or syphilis can be cured with treatment from a clinician. HIV and herpes cannot be cured but can be treated and managed.

You can see the full local list on our guide to where to get tested in Fort Lauderdale. Here is a summary of what the health department and clinic listings say.

Broward Wellness Center (DOH-Broward)

Address: 750 SE 3rd Ave., 1st Floor, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316
Phone: 954-767-0273. The STD Line is 954-298-6585 and the DOH-Broward main line is 954-467-4700.
Cost: Free
Walk-in: Yes
Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Closed Saturday and Sunday. The clinic asks visitors to sign in one hour before closing.

The Florida Department of Health in Broward County describes free walk-in STI testing, diagnosis and treatment at this site, with no-cost chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and HIV testing, plus confidential counseling and partner notification. The health department's pages list slightly different hours in different places, so call ahead to confirm. Details are on the DOH-Broward sexually transmitted disease page.

Fort Lauderdale Health Center (DOH-Broward)

Address: 2421 SW 6th Ave, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33315
Phone: 954-467-4700
Hours: Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. HIV testing hours vary, so call for details.

The CDC's National Prevention Information Network directory lists free tests here for HIV, hepatitis B and C, STIs and TB. An appointment is required. The listing says the center accepts insurance and Medicaid and offers a sliding scale. That information comes from the CDC directory, not the health department's own site, so confirm by phone.

CAN Community Health Fort Lauderdale

Address: 315 S.E. 14th Street, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33316
Phone: (754) 701-6920
Hours: Monday to Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

The clinic's page lists STD testing and treatment and PrEP. It does not state a cost or whether walk-ins are accepted, so ask when you call. Details are on the CAN Community Health clinics page.

Care Resource Fort Lauderdale

Address: 871 W Oakland Park Blvd, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33311
Phone: (954) 567-7141

The CDC GetTested directory lists free HIV and STI tests, rapid and blood-draw HIV testing, and testing for herpes, chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis. It lists sliding-scale fees, acceptance of insurance, Medicaid and Medicare, PrEP for people without insurance, and hepatitis A, hepatitis B and HPV vaccines. It says no appointment is required. The listing does not give hours, so check with the clinic. See the CDC GetTested listing.

Planned Parenthood Pembroke Pines Health Center

Address: 263 N University Dr, Pembroke Pines, FL 33024
Phone: (954) 989-5747

This center is in Pembroke Pines, not in Fort Lauderdale, but it serves the wider area. The CDC GetTested listing says appointments are not required and that insurance and Medicaid are accepted. It lists HIV, hepatitis B and C, herpes, chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis testing. No prices or hours are listed, and the listing asks people to contact the organization about eligibility. See the CDC GetTested listing.

Free home test kits from the health department

DOH-Broward offers free HIV and syphilis self-testing kits. You can call 954-847-8132 or complete the request form on the DOH-Broward HIV counseling and testing page. The Florida Department of Health also points to knowyourhivstatus.com for a free at-home HIV test kit, though its page does not describe how mail ordering works.

Finding other sites

The CDC's GetTested locator lets you search by ZIP code for other testing sites. The Florida Department of Health also has a PrEP and PEP locator, linked from the DOH-Broward HIV/AIDS page.

Florida Rules That Affect Testing and Reporting

Minors can be tested and treated confidentially

Under Fla. Stat. 384.30, the Department of Health, licensed physicians, certain licensed nurses and public or private health facilities may examine and treat minors for sexually transmissible diseases without parental consent. The statute states no minimum age. It also says a minor's consultation, examination and treatment are confidential and may not be disclosed directly or indirectly, such as by sending a bill to a parent or guardian, except as provided in s. 384.29. Source: Florida Legislature, Online Sunshine.

Reporting protects the public, not a person's privacy rights

As described earlier, Fla. Stat. 384.25 requires reports of diagnosed sexually transmissible diseases to the Department of Health. Fla. Stat. 381.0031 also requires practitioners, certain pharmacists, hospitals and CLIA-certified laboratories to report diseases of public health significance. This reporting is what builds the rates in this guide.

Testing during pregnancy

Fla. Stat. 384.31 requires anyone attending a pregnant woman for prenatal care to arrange testing for sexually transmissible infections, including HIV, with a right to decline in writing. Under Florida Administrative Code Rule 64D-3.042, testing for chlamydia, gonorrhea, hepatitis B, HIV and syphilis happens at the first prenatal exam and again at 28 to 32 weeks of pregnancy. Treating syphilis early in pregnancy protects the baby, which is why this testing is built into prenatal care.

Treatment for partners

Under Fla. Stat. 384.27(7), certain licensed practitioners may provide expedited partner therapy in specific situations. The patient must have a confirmed or suspected diagnosis, report a recent partner, and indicate that the partner is unable or unlikely to seek care in a timely way. A pharmacist may then dispense medication for the partner under a prescription. A clinician decides whether this applies.

Laws about telling partners

Fla. Stat. 384.24 makes it unlawful for a person who knows they have a listed sexually transmissible disease, and who has been informed it can spread sexually, to have sexual intercourse with another person unless that person has been informed and consents. Subsection (2) names HIV specifically. Fla. Stat. 775.0877 adds provisions for people convicted of certain offenses. A lawyer or the health department can explain how these laws apply to a specific situation.

Using the Data Without Worry

The numbers in this guide say something about a community. They say nothing about any one person. Whether anyone has an infection can only be answered by a test and a clinician.

Questions to bring to a clinic

Which tests fit my situation and how long ago my last exposure was?
When would be the right time to test, given how the CDC describes testing windows for each infection?
Are vaccines, PrEP or doxy-PEP something to discuss?
How are my results shared and kept confidential?

Before you go

Call ahead to confirm hours, since the health department's own pages differ on some times. Ask about cost if the listing does not state one. If you are visiting from out of town, the same free clinics accept walk-in visitors where noted.

Looking for newer numbers

This guide uses the most recent figures that could be verified for the county and the state. As new CDC data is released, check AtlasPlus and the Florida Department of Health in Broward County for updates.

Rates will rise and fall. Testing is the part anyone can act on, and in Fort Lauderdale it is available free of charge.

STD Rates in Fort Lauderdale: What the Latest Data Shows