Normally being in the top 5 of a list is a good thing. But unfortunately, this is one list South Carolina was included in. And one it probably is important to share. A new report by US News and World Report revealed that South Carolina is one of the 5 states with the highest STD rates. US News reports that “rates and cases of major sexually transmitted diseases in the U.S. have been increasing”. The most recent data available from the CDC is from 2021 when more than 2.5 million cases of chlamydia, syphilis, and gonorrhea were reported. That is the data US News used for this study. Below are the statistics for South Carolina STD rates:
Total STD Rate: 1,052 per 100,000
Chlamydia Rate: 702.7 per 100,000
Gonorrhea Rate: 309.2 per 100,000
Syphilis Rate (cumulative): 40.1 per 100,000
According to the CDC, those at highest risk for STDs are people under the age of 25, racial and ethnic minority groups, and gay or bisexual men. Let’s make sure we are using protection and getting tests regularly SC. You don’t want to contract any of these diseases or unknowingly pass them to someone you care about. The next time this data is studied I don’t want to see us on this list! Do your part. Here are the top 10 states:
- Mississippi
- Louisiana
- Alaska
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Alabama
- Georgia
- Arkansas
- New Mexico
- North Carolina
It wasn’t a great study for the Carolinas with NC also making the list. Overall the South is disproportionately represented on this list. The CDC has some great info for those of you who are being a little adventurous these days and need to protect yourself. You can find that information here. The states on this list are the states with the highest rates of sexually transmitted diseases per 100,000 population in 2021. This is according to available figures from the CDC and based on cumulative cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis reported by US News. You can read the full list and study here.
What Were They Thinking When They Named These South Carolina Towns?
Have you ever wondered how a town or city got its name? I had to explain to an out-of-town co-worker why Charlotte is called the Queen City and how that relates to the name Charlotte. I also feel like my dream job is being one of the people who name nail polish colors. Those are always hilarious puns. Or even the person who names the new streets. But with naming anyone or anything comes an amount of responsibility. A responsibility to not get it wrong. These towns, they may just have. That’s because they regretfully made the list of the most what were they thinking towns in South Carolina.
This is strictly by the names and not reflective of anything residents may or may not do. The list actually comes from Thrillest who highlight the most lewd town names in each state. But they went further to inform us of some of the other towns that also fit the category. And in South Carolina, there only 4 slightly inappropriately named towns. North Carolina, had 18. New York, West Virginia, and Minnesota were among the states that had more.
You’ll have to take your mind back to about 3rd or 4th grade if you want to truly appreciate this list. More specifically a 3rd or 4th grade boy. Some of the most head-scratching names from across the country are:
- Cooter, Missouri
- Weiner, Arkansas
- Pee Pee Township, Ohio
- Boody, Illinois
- Butternuts, New York
But this is just a small sampling of the what were you thinking names. Most of these are small unincorporated areas and towns, but there are a few larger cities and places you actually may have heard of. So keep reading to see the interesting and slightly lewd towns by name in South Carolina. Or you can learn more about towns across the country and read the full Thrillist list here.
Melanie Day is a graduate of North Carolina State University. She has worked for Beasley since 2012 in a variety of behind-the-scenes roles in both digital and promotions. Melanie writes about a diverse range of topics some of her favorites include travel, restaurants, Taylor Swift, and college athletics. When not at work you'll find her at a country concert or NC State sporting event.