1st Advantage MortgageIn Frederick County, Maryland, the typical household earns $122,002 a year and the typical rent is $1,774. Your income, debts and credit decide what you qualify for. Get offers in writing, compare the total repaid, and never pay a fee up front.
On this page
- Frederick County, MD: the basics
- What it costs to live in Frederick County
- Paychecks and income spread in Frederick County
- Work, industries and travel time in Frederick County
- Towns and communities in Frederick County
- The counties around Frederick County
- Debt-to-income at Frederick County's medians
- More Frederick County figures
- What the numbers mean for Frederick County borrowers
- Steps before you apply in Frederick County
- Checking a lender's license in Maryland
- More guides for Frederick County
- Frequently asked questions
Frederick County, MD: the basics
Roughly 287,048 residents live in Frederick County, Maryland, 7th by population among the state's 24 counties and county equivalents. Packed into 661 square miles, that is close to 435 residents for every square mile of land. The federal metro definitions (OMB, July 2023) place it in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metropolitan area. Of the 28 Census places inside Frederick County, Frederick leads by population with about 83,395; 12 of the 28 are incorporated.
What it costs to live in Frederick County
Median gross rent, utilities included, comes to $1,774 in Frederick County versus $1,705 statewide. Rent takes 30% or more of income for 48% of renter households here. Home values center on $464,600, or 3.8 years of median income. 77% of Frederick County households own their home and 23% rent. Median construction year: 1991.
| Home costs | Frederick County | Maryland | U.S. middle county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $1,774/mo | $1,705/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $464,600 | $419,900 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 77% | 68% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 48% | 51% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 23% | 27% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 0.6% | 1.3% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 4% | 8% | n/a |
Because most Frederick County households own, home repairs are a frequent reason to borrow. An unsecured personal loan leaves the house out of the deal, while a HELOC uses it as collateral.
Paychecks and income spread in Frederick County
The median household income in Frederick County is $122,002; statewide it is $103,678, so Frederick County runs 18% above Maryland as a whole. Only 5 Maryland counties post a higher median.
| Income band | Share in Frederick County | Difference from Maryland |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 11.1% | -4.9 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 28.5% | -3.8 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 35.8% | +4.4 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 24.6% | +4.3 pts |
About 11% of households earn under $35,000, while 60% clear $100,000. 6.0% of residents fall below the federal poverty line (statewide: 9.4%). The Gini index of income inequality is 0.398 (0 is perfect equality). A household earning below the $122,002 median should test any payment carefully; one earning above it should still pick the shortest term it can manage.
Work, industries and travel time in Frederick County
By the Census industry count, 22% of employed Frederick County residents work in education and health care and 18% in professional and administrative services. The survey's unemployment rate for Frederick County averages 3.3% over 2020 to 2024 (state: 4.9%). About 67% drive to work alone and 31% have trips of 45 minutes or more. Only 4.4% of homes here go without a vehicle.
| Where residents work | Frederick County | Difference from Maryland |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 21.7% | -2.2 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 18.4% | +1.9 pts |
| Retail trade | 9.7% | +0.8 pts |
| Public administration | 9.5% | -1.6 pts |
| Construction | 8.7% | +1.4 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 7.1% | -0.4 pts |
Where long drives are the norm, a car repair is one of the most common surprise bills. A small repair fund can keep a breakdown from turning into a loan.
Towns and communities in Frederick County
The table lists the 14 largest of 28 Census places in Frederick County, by population. Together all 28 hold about 223,861 people, so roughly 22% of residents live outside any named place. Among places of 500 or more people, median income runs from $81,250 in Emmitsburg to $207,153 in Monrovia. Rent is cheapest in Emmitsburg ($635) and steepest in Buckeystown ($3,501). One of them, Frederick, has a separate city guide (linked); for the rest, this is the local guide.
| Town or CDP | Type | People | Median household income | Median gross rent | Miles from center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frederick | city | 83,395 | $97,069 | $1,764 | 3 mi |
| Ballenger Creek | CDP | 26,390 | $108,944 | $1,987 | 6 mi |
| Linganore | CDP | 14,444 | $175,833 | $2,523 | 6 mi |
| Urbana | CDP | 14,260 | $182,500 | $2,649 | 10 mi |
| Green Valley | CDP | 13,602 | $171,707 | $3,000 | 12 mi |
| Mount Airy | town | 9,805 | $151,324 | $1,854 | 15 mi |
| Brunswick | city | 8,450 | $118,025 | $1,217 | 16 mi |
| Walkersville | town | 6,414 | $130,893 | $1,481 | 2 mi |
| Thurmont | town | 6,254 | $98,125 | $927 | 10 mi |
| Spring Ridge | CDP | 5,922 | $145,625 | $1,667 | 5 mi |
| Middletown | town | 5,014 | $173,333 | $1,813 | 8 mi |
| Monrovia | CDP | 3,568 | $207,153 | n/a | 10 mi |
| Jefferson | CDP | 3,314 | $150,854 | $1,379 | 11 mi |
| Bartonsville | CDP | 3,282 | $156,979 | $1,609 | 6 mi |
The counties around Frederick County
Six nearby counties, 21 to 29 miles away by the straight-line distance between their centers. Income ranges from $77,747 in Washington County to $149,763 in Howard County; 2 of these neighbors top Frederick County's median. Some neighbors are in Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Lender licensing is state by state, so a loan for a Frederick County resident follows Maryland rules.
| County | Miles | Median household income | Median rent | Homeownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frederick County | - | $122,002 | $1,774/mo | 77% |
| Carroll County, MD | 21 mi | $118,211 | $1,427/mo | 84% |
| Washington County, MD | 24 mi | $77,747 | $1,147/mo | 67% |
| Montgomery County, MD | 25 mi | $132,450 | $2,068/mo | 65% |
| Jefferson County, WV | 27 mi | $98,806 | $1,108/mo | 80% |
| Adams County, PA | 29 mi | $84,092 | $1,115/mo | 79% |
| Howard County, MD | 29 mi | $149,763 | $2,099/mo | 71% |
Debt-to-income at Frederick County's medians
Frederick County at the medians, through a lender's eyes (what DTI means):
- $10,167 a month: gross income for a household at the Frederick County median
- Rent at the median, $1,774, takes 17% of that
- 35% debt-to-income limit: $1,784 left for all other debt payments
- Under a 45% cap, $4,575 total minus rent leaves $2,801
Lenders set their own limits and look beyond the ratio. The DTI calculator uses your figures instead of Frederick County's.
More Frederick County figures
College graduates make up 46% of the adult population. The uninsured rate is 4.7%, against 6.3% for Maryland.
| People and households | Frederick County | Maryland | Median county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.0 | 39.4 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 45.8% | 43.4% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 6.6% | 8.9% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 4.7% | 6.3% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 4.4% | 8.8% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 21.2% | 19.3% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 6.0% | 9.4% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 3.3% | 4.9% | 4.4% |
| Trip time | Share |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 21.2% |
| 15 to 29 min | 31.5% |
| 30 to 44 min | 15.8% |
| 45 to 59 min | 12.3% |
| 60+ min | 19.2% |
What the numbers mean for Frederick County borrowers
What the Frederick County figures suggest, and what to check first:
- Long drives. With 31% of commutes over 45 minutes, tires and repairs are fixed costs in many Frederick County budgets.
- Strong incomes, long terms. 60% of Frederick County households earn $100,000+. The risk is a term that outlasts the need.
- 48% rent-burdened. A payment on top of high rent needs a cushion; size it with the calculator.
Steps before you apply in Frederick County
Quick steps for Frederick County:
- Borrow the amount the job needs; extra cash adds interest.
- Line up offers side by side: APR, fees in dollars, total cost.
- Only work with lenders licensed for Maryland borrowers.
- Lock paid-off cards after consolidating so balances stay at zero.
Checking a lender's license in Maryland
Consumer lenders serving Frederick County are licensed by the state, not the county; in Maryland that is the Maryland Office of Financial Regulation. A CFPB complaint gets forwarded to the company for a response. Statewide data and rules: Maryland guide.
More guides for Frederick County
City guides inside Frederick County, and the statewide guide:
Frequently asked questions
What is the median household income in Frederick County?
$122,002 a year in the 2020 to 2024 Census survey, versus $103,678 for Maryland. It ranks 6th of 24 in the state.
What do renters pay in Frederick County?
$1,774 a month at the median, about 17% of median household income.
Should Frederick County homeowners use home equity instead?
Maybe, but weigh the risk: 77% of Frederick County homes are owner-occupied, and a home-equity loan or line is secured by the house while a personal loan usually is not.
Does this page cover Frederick?
Yes, along with the other 27 Census places in Frederick County, such as Ballenger Creek, Linganore, Urbana.
Is the fit check different in Frederick County?
No. It is identical everywhere, and it never looks at your neighborhood.