Top Twelve States That Have the Safest Sex and Where Colorado Finishes

We recently shared data from Trojan Condoms about how much Coloradans like to have sex outdoors — even when it's raining. Now, the company is talking about covering up...but in a good way. The company has sponsored what it describes as "the first annual State by State Safer Sex Index...

By Michael Roberts

October 5, 2015

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We recently shared data from Trojan Condoms about how much Coloradans like to have sex outdoors — even when it's raining.

Now, the company is talking about covering up...but in a good way.

The company has sponsored what it describes as "the first annual State by State Safer Sex Index ranking, with condom use during sex an important element of the research.

Conducted by Variance LLC, the survey judges states by two metrics: sexually transmitted diseases and contraception. "The STD indicator focuses on rates of gonorrhea, syphilis, HIV and the percentage of adults that have had HIV testing," a release about the study notes, "while the contraception indicator measures the rate of teen births and school sex education policies for teaching contraception, condom use and HIV/STD education."

Colorado did well in the survey, landing among the dozen states that scored best — but as you'll see, it could have done considerably better.

Count down the photo-illustrated top twelve below, featuring data from each state. To access information about all fifty states, including those that finished at the bottom of the pack, click here.

Vermont
Ranked # 1

STD Indicators

HIV diagnoses, rate per 100k: 2.22
Gonorrhea cases, rate per 100k: 15.5
Syphilis cases, rate per 100k: 0.5
% adults ever tested for HIV: 30.8

Contraception Indicators

Births to mothers aged 15-19, rate per 1,000: 16.3
% high schools taught essential condom use topics: 85.4
State mandates sex education in schools must cover contraception: Yes
State mandates STD/HIV education in schools must cover contraception: Yes

Maine
Ranked # 2

STD Indicators

HIV diagnoses, rate per 100k: 5.17
Gonorrhea cases, rate per 100k: 18.4
Syphilis cases, rate per 100k: 0.8
% adults ever tested for HIV: 31.6

Contraception Indicators

Births to mothers aged 15-19, rate per 1,000: 19.4
% high schools taught essential condom use topics: 85.3
State mandates sex education in schools must cover contraception: Yes
State mandates STD/HIV education in schools must cover contraception: Yes

New Hampshire
Ranked # 3

STD Indicators

HIV diagnoses, rate per 100k: 4.53
Gonorrhea cases, rate per 100k: 9.2
Syphilis cases, rate per 100k: 2.1
% adults ever tested for HIV: 31

Contraception Indicators

Births to mothers aged 15-19, rate per 1,000: 13.8
% high schools taught essential condom use topics: 84.6
State mandates sex education in schools must cover contraception: No
State mandates STD/HIV education in schools must cover contraception: No

Hawaii
Ranked # 4

STD Indicators

HIV diagnoses, rate per 100k: 6.77
Gonorrhea cases, rate per 100k: 51.6
Syphilis cases, rate per 100kL 3.3
% adults ever tested for HIV: 31.2

Contraception Indicators

Births to mothers aged 15-19, rate per 1,000: 28.1
% high schools taught essential condom use topics: 70
State mandates sex education in schools must cover contraception: Yes
State mandates STD/HIV education in schools must cover contraception: Yes

New Jersey
Ranked # 5

STD Indicators

HIV diagnoses, rate per 100k: 21.11
Gonorrhea cases, rate per 100k: 79.1
Syphilis cases, rate per 100k: 2.6
% adults ever tested for HIV: 36.7

Contraception Indicators

Births to mothers aged 15-19, rate per 1,000: 16.7
% high schools taught essential condom use topics: 85.4
State mandates sex education in schools must cover contraception: Yes
State mandates STD/HIV education in schools must cover contraception: Yes

Rhode Island
Ranked # 6

STD Indicators

HIV diagnoses, rate per 100k: 14.03
Gonorrhea cases, rate per 100k: 43.2
Syphilis cases, rate per 100k: 4.3
% adults ever tested for HIV: 34.8

Contraception Indicators

Births to mothers aged 15-19, rate per 1,000: 19.9
% high schools taught essential condom use topics: 52.2
State mandates sex education in schools must cover contraception: Yes
State mandates STD/HIV education in schools must cover contraception: Yes

West Virginia
Ranked # 7

STD Indicators

HIV diagnoses, rate per 100k: 6.58
Gonorrhea cases, rate per 100k: 57.3
Syphilis cases, rate per 100k: 0.8
% adults ever tested for HIV: 32.7

Contraception Indicators

Births to mothers aged 15-19, rate per 1,000: 44.1
% high schools taught essential condom use topics: 63.5
State mandates sex education in schools must cover contraception: Yes
State mandates STD/HIV education in schools must cover contraception: Yes

Washington
Ranked # 8

STD Indicators

HIV diagnoses, rate per 100k: 9.47
Gonorrhea cases, rate per 100k: 63.3
Syphilis cases, rate per 100k: 4.1
% adults ever tested for HIV: 37.5

Contraception Indicators

Births to mothers aged 15-19, rate per 1,000: 23.4
% high schools taught essential condom use topics: 63.3
State mandates sex education in schools must cover contraception: Yes
State mandates STD/HIV education in schools must cover contraception: Yes

Idaho
Ranked # 9

STD Indicators

HIV diagnoses, rate per 100k: 2.99
Gonorrhea cases, rate per 100k: 13.2
Syphilis cases, rate per 100k: 0.9
% adults ever tested for HIV: 30

Contraception Indicators

Births to mothers aged 15-19, rate per 1,000: 28.3
% high schools taught essential condom use topics: 34.3
State mandates sex education in schools must cover contraception: No
State mandates STD/HIV education in schools must cover contraception: No

Oregon
Ranked # 10

STD Indicators

HIV diagnoses, rate per 100k: 7.96
Gonorrhea cases, rate per 100k: 44.3
Syphilis cases, rate per 100k: 6.8
% adults ever tested for HIV: 36.5

Contraception Indicators

Births to mothers aged 15-19, rate per 1,000: 23.8
% high schools taught essential condom use topics: 62.5
State mandates sex education in schools must cover contraception: Yes
State mandates STD/HIV education in schools must cover contraception: Yes

Montana
Ranked # 11

STD Indicators

HIV diagnoses, rate per 100k: 2.62
Gonorrhea cases, rate per 100k: 22.3
Syphilis cases, rate per 100k: 0.5
% adults ever tested for HIV: 31.4

Contraception Indicators

Births to mothers aged 15-19, rate per 1,000: 28.8
% high schools taught essential condom use topics: 37.6
State mandates sex education in schools must cover contraception: No
State mandates STD/HIV education in schools must cover contraception: No

Colorado
Ranked # 12

STD Indicators

HIV diagnoses, rate per 100k: 9.58
Gonorrhea cases, rate per 100k: 54.4
Syphilis cases, rate per 100k: 3.1
% adults ever tested for HIV: 37

Contraception Indicators

Births to mothers aged 15-19, rate per 1,000: 25.4
% high schools taught essential condom use topics: 36.4
State mandates sex education in schools must cover contraception: Yes
State mandates STD/HIV education in schools must cover contraception: Yes

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Michael Roberts began his career with Westword in 1990 as music editor. In 1999, he took on a new role, full-time media reporter, as author of a column called The Message. In 2008, he became the lead writer for Westword's news blog, The Latest Word, a position he held until January 2023. Michael continues to freelance for Westword, covering everything from business to sports and the media; he also contributes to Jazziz, a national music magazine. He holds a bachelor's degree from what is now Colorado Mesa University and master's degrees from the University of California, Los Angeles, and Northwestern University.

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