Frederick County, Maryland
Among the top 5% of US counties for lifestyle & connectivity.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade F, better than 8% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade D, better than 16% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade C, better than 38% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B+, better than 70% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade A+, better than 95% of US counties
- top 6% for broadband access
- top 10% for walkability
- bottom 3% for monthly rent
Frederick County is a county in Maryland with about 274,000 residents. It grades A+ for lifestyle & connectivity and F for affordability. Standout strengths include broadband access, walkability, and airport distance. It rates lower on cost of living and monthly rent.
- The median home value in Frederick County is $413k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Median household income in Frederick County is $116k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Median gross rent in Frederick County is $2k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Frederick County has a violent crime rate of 959/100k, per the FBI Uniform Crime Reports.
- The average one-way commute in Frederick County is 34 min, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
Climate
Hot summers · Cold winters · Moderate rain · Snowy
very cold
cold
comfortable
warm
hot
warm
comf.
cool
v.cold
61%49%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.1 in3.2 in
humid 77%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$116k99th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$66kbetter than 3% of US counties
Home Value$413k95th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$2kbetter than 3% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$76kbetter than 7% of US counties
Property Tax Rate1.03%better than 37% of US counties
Income Tax8.66%better than 9% of US counties
State 5.80% + Local 2.95%
Sales Tax6.00%better than 84% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden14.32%better than 9% of US counties
Unemployment3.7%better than 70% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)33°F47th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)77°F49th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation45.6 in56th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall30.2 inbetter than 28% of US counties
Sunny Days220 daysbetter than 33% of US counties
Summer Humidity64°Fbetter than 55% of US counties
Comfortable Days77 daysbetter than 44% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk74.2better than 25% of US counties
Air Quality44 AQIbetter than 41% of US counties
School Quality59.2better than 59% of US counties
Violent Crime959/100kbetter than 38% of US counties
Property Crime879/100kbetter than 51% of US counties
Community
Population273,82992nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age38.927th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.4370th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9836th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningEven12th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)69.5%34th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)9.8%76th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)11.0%74th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)4.9%95th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)4.8%76th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time34 minbetter than 6% of US counties
Walkability9.0/20better than 90% of US counties
Airport Distance36 mibetter than 89% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access91.8%better than 94% of US counties
Amenities Nearby6.90better than 76% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessGoodbetter than 67% of US counties
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)
Frequently asked questions
- Is Frederick County an affordable place to live?
- Frederick County is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $66k, better than 3% of comparable areas. Median rent is $2k.
- Is Frederick County safe?
- Frederick County is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 959/100k (better than 38%). Property crime is 879/100k.
- What is the weather like in Frederick County?
- Frederick County averages 77°F in July and 33°F in January, with 45.6 in of annual precipitation and about 220 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Frederick County?
- Public-school quality in Frederick County is about average, scoring better than 59% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Frederick County?
- The average one-way commute in Frederick County is 34 min.