Median Income
$89,981
household / year
Median Home Value
$343,800
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$1,614
gross / month
Cost of Living
109
national avg = 100

Is Frederick, MD a Good Place to Live?

Frederick is a mid-sized city of 78,390 in Maryland, with a median household income of $89,981 and a 4.3% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 109 (US average = 100), which is 9% above the national average.

Strengths: Frederick stands out for lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (B+), a well-educated population.

Trade-offs: No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Frederick is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Frederick city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 108.6

Frederick's overall cost of living index is 108.6, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Frederick costs roughly 9% more than the average American city.

Metric Frederick, MD National Avg
Median Home Value $343,800 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $1,614 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 58.5% 65.9%
Median Household Income $89,981 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Safer than Average

Frederick's violent crime rate is 406.0 per 100,000 residents — 7% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
406.0 /100k
Property Crime
1673.7 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Frederick is served primarily by Frederick County Public Schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 15.7:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Frederick, MD National Avg
School District Frederick County Public Schools —
Elementary Schools 41 —
Middle Schools 13 —
High Schools 13 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 15.7:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 41.4% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 89.5% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Frederick sees average highs of 43.1°F in January and 88.6°F in July, with 43.5 inches of annual precipitation and 31.4 inches of snow per year.

MetricFrederick, MD
Average High — January43.1°F
Average High — July88.6°F
Annual Precipitation43.5"
Annual Snowfall31.4"

Demographics

MetricFrederick, MDNational Avg
Population78,390—
Median Age37.038.9
Unemployment Rate4.3%3.7%
Avg Commute Time29.8 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)62.3%59.3%
Black or African American17.3%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino10.3%18.9%
Asian5.2%6.3%
Under 1822.1%22.2%
65 and over14.2%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Ballenger Creek, MD 4 mi Walkersville, MD 4 mi Spring Ridge, MD 4 mi Bartonsville, MD 5 mi Braddock Heights, MD 5 mi

ZIP Codes in Frederick

Frederick, MD is covered by 3 ZIP codes:

21701 21702 21705

Frederick vs Other Cities

Frederick, MD vs Ballenger Creek, MD Frederick, MD vs Walkersville, MD Frederick, MD vs Spring Ridge, MD Frederick, MD vs Bartonsville, MD Frederick, MD vs Braddock Heights, MD

Frequently Asked Questions

Frederick's cost of living index is 109, where 100 is the national average. That puts Frederick roughly 9% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $343,800 and median rent is $1,614/month.
Frederick's violent crime rate is 406.0 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1673.7 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Frederick are operated by Frederick County Public Schools. The district has 41 elementary, 13 middle, and 13 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 15.7:1. 41.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Frederick, MD has a population of 78,390, a median household income of $89,981, and an unemployment rate of 4.3%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Frederick averages 43.1°F in January and 88.6°F in July. Annual rainfall is 43.5 inches with about 31.4 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Frederick, MD is covered by 3 ZIP codes: 21701, 21702, 21705.
The population of Frederick, Maryland is 78,390 with a median age of 37.0. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Frederick: cost of living index 109 (100 = US average), median home $343,800, median household income $89,981, crime index 96 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B+. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Frederick side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.