Ranked: Where in England Are You Most or Least Likely to Catch an STI?

Did you know that your postcode could be putting your sexual health at risk? Our eye-opening analysis has uncovered the STI hotspots across England, and the results might surprise you.

It turns out that condoms aren't the only way of preventing a sexually transmitted infection (STI) - your location plays a role too.

To find out where the copulating population is most at risk of catching an STI, we've delved deep into the latest government STI-related data across England's towns and cities. 

Comparing these figures to the population, we've created a risk index that highlights where you're most likely to catch an unwanted souvenir from your sexual encounters.

STI hotspots: The top 10 riskiest towns and cities in England, revealed

Our in-depth analysis has uncovered the top 10 towns and cities where you’re most likely to catch an STI in England. These areas show alarmingly high rates of infections per 100,000 people. From syphilis to chlamydia, here's where you need to be extra cautious:

*cases per 100,000 people

You're more likely to catch an STI in Islington than anywhere else in England

Islington tops the list as the riskiest place in England for catching an STI, with a staggering risk score of 94 out of 100 – nearly double the national average of 50. 

This North London borough isn’t just leading the pack overall; it also holds the highest rate of genital herpes in England, with 131 cases per 100,000 people. If you’re considering unprotected sex here, think twice.

London claims 3 of the top 5 STI hotspots

London dominates the rankings, with three of the top five riskiest areas for STIs. Islington is joined by Archway, Blackpool, and the City of Westminster, all scoring between 88 and 90 out of 100. 

Westminster has the highest rate of syphilis, gonorrhoea AND genital warts cases

The City of Westminster stands out for all the wrong reasons. It has the highest rates in England for syphilis (125 cases per 100,000 people), gonorrhoea (749 cases per 100,000 people), and genital warts (135 cases per 100,000 people). This triple threat cements Westminster’s place as a major STI hotspot. Surprisingly, its relatively low rate of chlamydia is what kept it from claiming the top spot.

Liverpool is the UK’s chlamydia capital

Liverpool takes the crown as the chlamydia hotspot of England. With a staggering one in 50 residents diagnosed, this northern city far exceeds the national average. 

On average, 1,564 people per 100,000 are infected with chlamydia across England – but in Liverpool, that figure jumps to an eye-watering 2,719 per 100,000. That’s one in every 50 people!

The safest spots: Top 10 towns and cities with low STI rates

We've also uncovered where STI rates are the lowest, suggesting that proper protection, such as the consistent use of condoms, is important to those who are sexually active in these towns and cities. 

These towns and cities show remarkably lower STI rates compared to the national average, offering a glimpse into areas where safe sex practices seem to be making a difference:

*cases per 100,000 people

Dudley is England's safest area for STI prevalence

Dudley, a market town in the Midlands, is the safest place to drop your drawers, thanks to its risk score of just 13 out of 100. That’s four times lower than the national average.

Dudley scored second of all 50 locations on the diagnostic rate of gonorrhoea, with just 54 cases per 100,000 of the population.

It’s joined in the top five by Northampton, Bradford, Swindon and Birkenhead, with risk scores of between 17 and 26 out of 100.

You're 22% more likely to catch an STI in a university city

Filtering our risk index by the best student cities according to StudentCrowd shows that if you live – or get laid – in a student hotspot, you’re 22% more likely to catch an STI than in the rest of the country.

That’s because the average risk in university locations is 68 out of 100, up more than a fifth on the England average of 50.

*cases per 100,000 people

Safe sex at uni: London has the highest prevalence of STIs

Of those student-heavy populations, London has the highest risk of catching an STI with a risk score of 90 out of 100. Manchester and Nottingham bring up the rear (84 and 83 out of 100 respectively).

Newcastle is one of just two uni hotspots scoring full points for nightlife in StudentCrowd’s standings, alongside Liverpool, but scores more favourably on STI risk. That said, with a risk score of 68 out of 100, it’s still a 33% jump on the national average.

Leeds, the UK's #1 student city according to those same standings, matches that STI risk.

Birmingham is the safest area in England for sexually active students

At the other end of the scale are students in Birmingham, who benefit from the lowest risk score of any of our university areas (32 out of 100) – 37% lower than the national average.

That score is largely down to Birmingham having England’s lowest prevalence of genital warts (26 cases per 100,000 of the population) and some of the lowest rates of genital herpes and chlamydia (20 cases and 989 cases per 100,000 respectively).

York (35 out of 100) and Sheffield (37 out of 100) complete the podium for university areas with the lowest risk of catching an STI.