Frederick County, Maryland Population 2026

Updated April 2026 · US Census ACS 2023 5-Year Estimates · 7th-largest in Maryland

The population of Frederick County, Maryland is 280,341 as of the 2023 American Community Survey, making it the 7th-largest county in Maryland. The median household income is $120,458, the median home value is $437,700, and the median age is 38.9.

The population of Frederick County has grown 27.8% since 2010 (234,239 → 299,317), a +1.77% annualized rate.

Frederick County within Maryland · Source: US Census TIGER/Line via us-atlas

280,341

Population

+1.77%

Annual growth

424

People / sq mi

$120,458

Median Income

$437,700

Median Home Value

Frederick County covers 661 sq mi of land at 424.4 people per square mile.

About Frederick County, MD

What sets Frederick County apart is money: median household income runs $120,458, above the US median of $78,538. Frederick County is a county in Maryland with a population of 280,341. That makes it one of the ten largest counties in Maryland in the country, at #7 by population.

Income is a real outlier — the median household pulls in $120,458, putting Frederick County near the top of US counties. Very few residents live in poverty — 4.5%, below the national 12.4%. Home prices are steep, with the typical property valued at $437,700, with typical rent around $1,706.

Frederick County is among the best-educated US counties: 44.9% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree, above the national 35.0%. Working from home is common here: 19.2% of workers do so, above the national 14.0%, and the average commute runs about 33 minutes each way.

Taken together, the income and housing figures place Frederick County firmly in the higher-cost, higher-earning tier of US counties — a profile that tends to track dense job markets and competitive housing.

Frederick County Population History (2010-2024)

The county of Frederick County had a population of 234,239 in 2010 and 299,317 in 2024, a 27.8% growth over 14 years. The peak was 299,317 in 2024. Average annual growth rate: 1.77%.

Frederick County population, 2010–2024 · Source: U.S. Census Bureau — decennial census & Population Estimates

299,317

Population (2024)

234,239

Population (2010)

299,317

Peak (2024)

1.77%

Avg Annual Growth

Year	Population	Change	Annual %	Source
2010	234,239	-	-	estimate
2011	237,326	+3,087	+1.32%	estimate
2012	239,705	+2,379	+1.00%	estimate
2013	241,215	+1,510	+0.63%	estimate
2014	243,487	+2,272	+0.94%	estimate
2015	245,145	+1,658	+0.68%	estimate
2016	247,269	+2,124	+0.87%	estimate
2017	251,037	+3,768	+1.52%	estimate
2018	255,698	+4,661	+1.86%	estimate
2019	260,609	+4,911	+1.92%	estimate
2020	272,787	+12,178	+4.67%	estimate
2021	280,666	+7,879	+2.89%	estimate
2022	288,316	+7,650	+2.73%	estimate
2023	294,154	+5,838	+2.02%	estimate
2024	299,317	+5,163	+1.76%	estimate

Race & Ethnicity

White	70.3%
Black or African American	10.3%
Asian	0.0%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	1.3%
Two or More Races	0.0%

Age & Sex

38.9

Median Age

50.5%

Female

49.5%

Male

15.0%

Age 65+

Age Distribution

Under 5

5.9%

5–9

6.4%

10–14

6.9%

15–19

6.7%

20–24

5.8%

25–34

12.4%

35–44

14.3%

45–54

13.3%

55–59

7.0%

60–64

6.3%

65–74

9.0%

75–84

4.2%

85+

1.8%

Children (under 15): 19.2% · Seniors (65+): 15.0%

Income & Poverty

Median household income	$120,458+$18,806 vs state
Mean household income	$144,655
Per-capita income	$53,316
Poverty rate	4.5%-1.8% vs state
Unemployment rate	2.4%
Employment-to-population	66.9%

Top Industries by Employment

Professional & business services

21.3%

Finance & real estate

18.2%

Construction

9.1%

Public administration

9.0%

Education & health care

7.7%

Information

6.2%

Manufacturing

5.7%

Arts, entertainment & food

5.1%

The largest employment sector in Frederick County is professional & business services, accounting for 21.3% of workers.

How residents commute

1.1%

Drive alone

1.6%

Carpool

69.6%

Public transit

19.2%

Work from home

33.4 min

Avg commute

Housing

$437,700+$40,000 vs state

Median home value

$1,706

Median rent

77.0%

Homeownership rate

106,480

Total housing units

95.6%

Occupied

4.4%

Vacant

23.0%

Renter-occupied

Social & access

95.4%

With health insurance

96.5%

With broadband internet

36.4%

Foreign-born

7.5%

Veterans (18+)

9.6%

With a disability

83.2%

Speak language other than English at home

Education

93.4%

High School+

44.9%

Bachelor's+

Largest cities in Maryland

Baltimore (577,193)Columbia (105,871)Germantown (90,521)Waldorf (82,541)Silver Spring (82,129)Frederick (80,617)Ellicott City (73,737)Glen Burnie (72,772)Gaithersburg (69,225)Bethesda (67,403)All Maryland cities →

Other counties in Maryland

Montgomery County (1,057,586)Prince George's County (955,584)Baltimore County (849,586)Anne Arundel County (590,936)Baltimore city (577,193)Howard County (333,916)Harford County (262,509)Carroll County (174,318)Charles County (168,710)Washington County (155,033)All Maryland counties →

Part of Maryland

Maryland demographic profile All Maryland data →

Metro areas in Maryland

Washington (6,263,796)Philadelphia (6,241,882)Baltimore (2,839,409)Hagerstown (298,525)Lexington Park (208,163)Salisbury (128,802)All US metros →

County rankings

US Counties by Population Richest US Counties by Median Household Income Expensive US Counties by Home Value Educated US Counties Counties With Highest Poverty Rates Youngest US Counties by Median Age Oldest US Counties by Median Age Cheapest US Counties by Median Home Value Racially Diverse US Counties Counties With Largest Hispanic Population All rankings →

Frequently Asked Questions

Frederick County, Maryland has a population of 280,341 according to the US Census Bureau's 2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates, making it the 7th-largest county in Maryland. Population density is 424 people per square mile.

The population of Frederick County has grown 27.8% since 2010 (234,239 → 299,317), a +1.77% annualized rate.

The median household income in Frederick County, Maryland is $120,458, with mean (average) household income of $144,655 and per-capita income of $53,316. 4.5% of residents live below the federal poverty level.

In Frederick County, the largest racial and ethnic groups are White (70.3%), Black or African American (10.3%), Hispanic or Latino (1.3%). Figures are from the US Census Bureau's 2023 ACS 5-year estimates and reflect self-reported responses.

The median age in Frederick County, Maryland is 38.9 years. Residents are 50.5% female and 49.5% male.

The median home value in Frederick County is $437,700 and median monthly rent is $1,706. 77.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. The county has 106,480 total housing units, 4.4% of which are vacant.

The largest employment sector in Frederick County, Maryland is professional, scientific, and management services, employing 21.3% of workers. The unemployment rate is 2.4%.

Baltimore is among the largest cities associated with Frederick County, Maryland, with a population of 577,193.