The Town FilesFrederick, Maryland
City in Frederick County · population 78,171 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $401,500
- Household income
- $97,069
- Jan low / Jul high
- 27° / 89°
- Snow a year
- 31 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 21
- Median age
- 37.1
Frederick is a city of 78,171 people in Frederick County, Maryland. The median home is worth $401,500, close to the typical Maryland town ($412,300). It ranks more vibrant than 94% of Maryland towns, better for first-time buyers than 84% of Maryland towns, better for cycling than 80% of Maryland towns.
How Frederick ranks
Percentile among Maryland towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Maryland towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Frederick is worth $401,500, close to the typical Maryland town ($412,300). Homes cost about 4.1 times the median household income of $97,069, which is more affordable than 37% of Maryland towns. Median rent is $1,764 a month. 58.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Frederick | Typical Maryland town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $401,500 | $412,300 |
| Median rent | $1,764 | $1,748 |
| Median household income | $97,069 | $108,677 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.1× | 3.8× |
| Homeownership | 58.8% | 77.3% |
| Median year built | 1991 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.4% | — |
Who lives in Frederick
| People | Frederick | Typical Maryland town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.1 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.3% | 16.4% |
| Under 18 | 21.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 43.2% | 39.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.2% | 7.1% |
| Veterans | 7.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 19.9% | — |
| Work from home | 17.5% | 17.4% |
| Average commute | 30.0 min | 31.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 92.7% | 94.3% |
Weather in Frederick
July highs average 88.6°F and January lows 26.5°F. About 43.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 30.8 inches of snow (typical Maryland town: 15.9 in). Expect about 36 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 84 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
21 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Frederick since 1950, compared with 18 for the typical Maryland town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on July 31, 1978 about 4.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 3, 2021.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 37 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on May 15, 2018.
Severe weather in Frederick County since 1996
Frederick County has been included in 23 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3634: Severe Winter Storm |
| March 26, 2020 | Biological | DR-4491: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3430: Covid-19 |
| June 25, 2018 | Severe Storm | DR-4374: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| March 4, 2016 | Snowstorm | DR-4261: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
Jobs and pay in Frederick County
Frederick County had 108,438 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $69,852 a year. Unemployment was 2% in 2023; in Frederick itself the ACS puts it at 3.9%.
Public schools in Frederick
31 public schools with 22,604 students, about 14.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gov. Thomas Johnson High | 9-12 | 2,031 | 17.7 |
| Frederick High | 9-12 | 1,850 | 16.7 |
| Tuscarora High | 9-12 | 1,719 | 17.9 |
| Linganore High | 9-12 | 1,620 | 19.8 |
| Monocacy Middle | 6-8 | 932 | 13.7 |
| Waverley Elementary | PK-5 | 926 | 13.4 |
| Sugarloaf Elementary | K-5 | 842 | 16.8 |
| Ballenger Creek Middle | 6-8 | 792 | 16.5 |
| Tuscarora Elementary | PK-5 | 779 | 15.3 |
| West Frederick Middle | 6-8 | 770 | 14.8 |
| Crestwood Middle | 6-8 | 747 | 14.6 |
| Whittier Elementary | PK-5 | 730 | 16.2 |
Towns near Frederick
- Walkersville, MD3.7 mi · 6,156 people · home $488,300
- Ballenger Creek, MD3.9 mi · 24,999 people · home $387,300
- Spring Ridge, MD4.4 mi · 6,005 people · home $489,000
- Bartonsville, MD4.6 mi · 2,753 people · home $621,800
- Braddock Heights, MD4.7 mi · 3,075 people · home $537,700
- Linganore, MD6.1 mi · 12,351 people · home $533,500
- Middletown, MD6.6 mi · 4,943 people · home $554,800
- Jefferson, MD8.5 mi · 2,697 people · home $533,100
Frederick questions
Is Frederick, Maryland a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Frederick scores better for retirees than 30% of Maryland towns and quieter than 16%. 14.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.1).
How much does a house cost in Frederick?
The median owner-occupied home in Frederick is valued at $401,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $97,069, so homes cost about 4.1 times income. Median rent is $1,764 a month.
What is the weather like in Frederick?
July highs average 88.6°F and January lows 26.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 43.5 inches of precipitation a year and 30.8 inches of snow.
Does Frederick get tornadoes?
21 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Frederick since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on July 31, 1978. The typical Maryland town has had 18.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)