Frederick County housing market
Frederick County is Maryland’s largest county by land area, running from the Washington commuter corridor in the south to the Pennsylvania line in the north, and from the Monocacy Valley farmland west into the Catoctin Mountains. It has roughly 299,000 residents and about 113,000 housing units.
- $534,900Median list price↑ 1.9% year over year
- 33Median days on market↑ 3.1% year over year
- 744Homes actively listed↑ 9.9% year over year
- $122,059Median household income
Market data period: August 2026. Median list price, median days on market and active listing count: Realtor.com residential listings data for Frederick County, Maryland, retrieved from FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. Year-over-year comparisons use August 2025. Median list price reflects asking prices on active listings, not sale prices.
- $503,700Median value, owner-occupied
- 75.9%Homeownership rate
- $1,860Median gross rent
- 299,317County population
Population, median household income, median owner-occupied home value, homeownership rate and median gross rent: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates for Frederick County, Maryland. These are survey estimates and carry margins of error.
Long-run price trend
Measured by the Federal Housing Finance Agency All-Transactions House Price Index for Frederick County, home prices rose an average of about 5.3% a year over the ten years to 2025, and about 7.7% a year over the five years to 2025. Most of that five-year figure was earned between 2020 and 2023; the index rose less than 1% between 2024 and 2025. Long-run averages describe past periods. They are not a forecast.
Of the Maryland counties covered so far on this site, Frederick has been the steadiest. The median asking price in August 2026 was about 1.9% higher than a year earlier, the median time on the market was 33 days against 32 a year before, and active listings rose roughly 10%. That is a market that has neither climbed sharply nor given ground — more inventory than a year ago, at broadly similar prices and a similar pace.
Two different “median prices”
The median list price is what sellers are currently asking across homes actively on the market. The median value of owner-occupied homes is a survey estimate of what existing owners report their homes are worth, across all owned homes rather than only those for sale. The two measure different populations, which is why they differ.
Featured Frederick County real estate agents
Maryland Homebuyer Hub maintains a free directory of local professionals serving Maryland homebuyers. Featured agents work in Frederick County and have completed a full profile with us.
Real Estate Agent
Melissa L Lambert
Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.
Serves Frederick County
Agents are listed free of charge. Featured describes participation and visibility on Maryland Homebuyer Hub, not a ranking or endorsement.
Explore Frederick County homebuying professionals
Buying a home involves more people than an agent and a lender. These are the categories Maryland Homebuyer Hub is building out for Frederick County.
- Real Estate Agents
- Home Inspectors
- Title & Settlement
- Homeowners Insurance
- Moving Companies
- Home Services
Buying a home in Frederick County
Frederick County has been building faster than the other Maryland counties covered on this site. About 36% of its housing was built in 2000 or later, and roughly 7,700 units have gone up since 2020 alone. At the same time it holds a substantial stock of genuinely old housing: about 9.5% of homes predate 1940, concentrated in twelve incorporated towns, several of which were founded in the 1700s. A buyer here is realistically choosing between two quite different kinds of property.
New construction is a live option
With about 7,700 units built since 2020, new and recent construction makes up a meaningful share of what is available. Builder contracts differ from resale contracts: deposits, timelines, change orders, warranty terms and the builder’s preferred lender incentives all work differently, and a builder contract is generally less negotiable than a resale one. Have your own representation read it.
Historic housing in the older towns
Roughly 10,800 homes in the county predate 1940. Older properties bring lead-based paint disclosure for anything built before 1978, aging systems, and in some cases local historic district review that governs exterior changes. Confirm with the relevant municipality whether a property sits in a designated historic district before planning work.
Associations and newer communities
About 23% of the county’s housing is attached, and much of the newer detached construction sits in planned communities. Where an association applies, dues count toward your debt-to-income ratio and reduce what you can borrow. Maryland gives buyers a disclosure and review period for HOA and condominium documents — use it rather than waiving it.
Twelve municipalities, so the local layer varies
Frederick County contains twelve incorporated municipalities — more than any other county covered here. Inside one, you may pay municipal property tax on top of county tax and receive municipal services and utilities. Outside them, the county provides services directly. Check which applies to a specific address, because it affects both your tax bill and who supplies your water and sewer.
Water, sewer and rural property
The towns and the developed southern corridor are generally served by public water and sewer. Across the county’s rural areas, private wells and on-site septic systems are common, and neither is covered by a standard home inspection. Well yield and water quality, septic condition and drainfield location each need separate evaluation, and some loan programs set their own requirements for private systems.
Down payment assistance for Frederick County buyers
Maryland statewide programs
Frederick County buyers can generally use the statewide assistance Maryland offers everywhere, primarily through the Maryland Mortgage Program. MMP pairs a first mortgage with down payment and closing cost assistance, most often structured as a deferred second lien rather than a grant. Product families include 1st Time Advantage, Flex, HomeStart and SmartBuy, several of which calculate assistance as a percentage of the loan amount rather than a flat sum. Each has its own eligibility rules, income limits and purchase price limits.
Maryland also designates certain Targeted Areas where the first-time homebuyer requirement is waived and income limits may be higher. Whether a specific Frederick County address falls within one should be confirmed against the Maryland Mortgage Program’s own Targeted Area tool, because designations change.
Explore Maryland down payment assistance programs · How the Maryland Mortgage Program works
Frederick County Homebuyer Assistance Program
Frederick County runs its own program through its Division of Housing. The Homebuyer Assistance Program (HAP) provides down payment and closing cost help to income-eligible first-time buyers purchasing in the county, as a zero percent deferred loan with no monthly payments, due on sale, transfer, or when the home stops being the borrower’s primary residence.
As the county’s current fact sheet describes it, assistance is tiered by income:
- $15,000 for applicants earning 51% to 80% of area median income.
- $18,000 for applicants earning 50% of AMI or less — and the county states this tier is subject to funding availability.
The eligibility conditions are unusually specific, and several catch buyers out:
- First-time homebuyer, and you must currently live and/or work in Frederick County and purchase in Frederick County.
- Household income at or below 80% of the Washington MSA median as published by HUD, adjusted for household size and updated annually — note the benchmark is the Washington metro area, not the county alone.
- Homebuyer education from a HUD-approved counseling agency. The City of Frederick conducts this locally.
- Approval for a minimum 30-year fixed-rate mortgage, and occupancy as your primary residence.
- A minimum $500 of your own funds toward the purchase.
- You must purchase a one-year home warranty and obtain a home inspection by a licensed inspector before closing.
- For any home built before 1978, a Maryland certified or accredited lead paint inspector must complete a lead paint risk assessment, with results provided to the Division of Housing before loan approval. Given how much of the county’s housing predates 1978, this applies to a large share of purchases.
- Co-signers are not permitted — every applicant must occupy the home.
- The lender submits the application on the buyer’s behalf, and the county asks for 21 days to process a complete package.
Frederick County also participates in House Keys 4 Employees, which matches Maryland Mortgage Program assistance for eligible Frederick County employees using an MMP first mortgage. Confirm current terms and eligibility with the Division of Housing.
City of Frederick programs are separate
The City of Frederick administers its own assistance separately from the county. Its Community Partners Incentive Program pairs a Maryland DHCD contribution with a matching City contribution for income-eligible first-time buyers, and it is limited to specific census tracts within the city rather than being available city-wide or county-wide.
The practical point is that Frederick County and the City of Frederick run different programs with different geographies. A property inside the city may be eligible for both tracks or neither, depending on its exact location. Confirm which applies to a specific address before planning around either.
Important
Down payment and homebuyer assistance programs are subject to eligibility requirements, funding availability, program guidelines and change. Programs shown are examples and are not a complete list of assistance that may be available. Income limits, purchase-price limits, property requirements, first-time homebuyer requirements and other conditions may apply. A licensed mortgage professional can help review programs that may be available based on your individual circumstances.
Maryland Homebuyer Hub does not determine eligibility for any program and does not make mortgage loans. Some programs are available only through participating lenders; confirm current availability, funding and lender requirements with the program administrator.
Home financing resources
Which loan program fits depends on your credit, your cash to close, whether you have VA entitlement, and whether you are buying new construction, a resale in a planned community, or an older home in one of the towns. These are the programs most relevant here, with the full Maryland guide behind each one.
Conventional loans
The broadest category, and the usual route for new construction and planned-community purchases. Low-down-payment options exist for some borrowers, and private mortgage insurance generally applies below 20% down.
FHA loans
Lower down payment and more flexible credit guidelines. Condominium purchases require the project itself to meet FHA requirements, so confirm approval status before writing an offer.
VA loans
Zero-down financing with no monthly mortgage insurance for eligible service members, veterans and surviving spouses. Entitlement rather than income drives what you can borrow.
Renovation financing
Finances the purchase and the repairs in one loan. Relevant for the county's older town housing, where a property may not meet a standard program's condition requirements as-is.
USDA loans
Zero-down financing, but geographically limited. Eligibility generally follows the less densely developed parts of the county away from the city and the southern corridor, and is set by the exact property address.
Learn how Maryland homebuying works
Most of what determines whether a purchase goes smoothly happens before you tour a single home: understanding what you can borrow, what assistance you might use, what your credit needs to look like, and what the Maryland contract and settlement process actually involves. Frederick County’s own assistance program requires homebuyer education from a HUD-approved counseling agency, so for many local buyers this is a necessary step rather than an optional one.
Maryland Homebuyer Hub runs a free first-time homebuyer seminar covering the process end to end, and publishes a full Maryland buying guide. Both are free, and neither requires you to work with anyone.
Attend the free Maryland homebuyer seminar · Read the Maryland home buying guide
Frederick County Local Professional Spotlights
Spotlights are conversations with real estate agents and other professionals who work in Frederick County every day — the communities they serve, the buyers they most often work with, and what they wish first-time buyers knew earlier.
Frederick County Spotlights are in production. Spotlights are recorded conversations with local professionals about the communities they serve, the buyers they work with, and what they wish first-time buyers knew earlier. They are published here as they are recorded.
Explore local professionals in Frederick County
The Frederick County professional directory is being built. Maryland Homebuyer Hub is adding local real estate agents, home inspectors, title and settlement companies, homeowners insurance professionals, movers and home service businesses county by county. Listings are free and no professional pays for placement.
Communities in Frederick County
Frederick County has twelve incorporated municipalities, the most of any county covered on this site. Each has its own government, and most levy municipal property tax in addition to county tax and provide some services directly. The rest of the county is unincorporated and served by Frederick County government.
- FrederickThe county seat and largest municipality, founded 1745.
- BrunswickSouthern Frederick County, on the MARC commuter rail line.
- ThurmontNorthern county, originally incorporated as Mechanicstown and renamed in 1894.
- MiddletownFounded 1767, in the Middletown Valley west of Frederick.
- EmmitsburgFounded 1785, at the northern end of the county near the Pennsylvania line.
- WalkersvilleIncorporated 1892, in the Monocacy Valley north of Frederick.
- Mount AiryEastern county line, first settled 1830. The town also extends into Carroll County.
- MyersvilleIncorporated 1904, near the Catoctin Mountains in the west of the county.
- New MarketEast of Frederick along the old National Pike, established over two centuries ago.
- WoodsboroFounded 1693 and incorporated 1929, in the northern Monocacy Valley.
- BurkittsvilleEstablished 1824, a small town below South Mountain.
- RosemontIncorporated 1953 and the smallest municipality in the county at 0.56 square miles.
Much of the county’s population lives outside these municipalities in unincorporated communities and rural areas, including places such as Adamstown, Ballenger Creek, Braddock Heights, Ijamsville, Jefferson, Libertytown, Point of Rocks, Urbana and Yellow Springs.
Frederick County homebuyer questions
Does Frederick County have its own homebuyer assistance program?
Yes. The county’s Division of Housing runs the Homebuyer Assistance Program, a zero-percent deferred loan for income-eligible first-time buyers. Assistance is $15,000 for applicants at 51–80% of area median income, and $18,000 for those at 50% of AMI or less, with the higher tier subject to funding availability. You must live and/or work in Frederick County and purchase there, and several conditions apply including a $500 minimum contribution of your own funds, a one-year home warranty and a licensed home inspection.
Is Frederick County assistance the same as City of Frederick assistance?
No. Frederick County and the City of Frederick administer separate programs with different geographies. The county’s HAP covers purchases across Frederick County. The City’s Community Partners Incentive Program is limited to specific census tracts within the city. A property inside the city may qualify under one, both or neither, depending on its exact location, so confirm which applies to the specific address.
What is the Frederick County housing market like?
As of August 2026 the median asking price was $534,900, about 1.9% higher than a year earlier, with 744 homes actively listed — roughly 10% more than the year before — and a median 33 days on the market against 32 a year earlier. That describes a relatively steady market with modestly more inventory than it had a year ago.
Do I need a lead paint inspection to use the county program?
If the home was built before 1978, yes. The county requires a Maryland certified or accredited lead paint inspector to complete a risk assessment and provide the results to the Division of Housing before loan approval. Because a substantial share of Frederick County’s housing predates 1978, this applies to many purchases and is worth planning into your contract timeline rather than discovering late.
How much of Frederick County’s housing is new?
About 36% of the county’s housing was built in 2000 or later, and roughly 7,700 units have been built since 2020. At the same time about 9.5% predates 1940, largely in the older towns. Both new construction and historic housing are realistic options here, and they involve quite different contracts, inspections and financing considerations.
Are USDA loans available in Frederick County?
In parts of it. USDA rural eligibility generally follows less densely developed areas away from the City of Frederick and the southern commuter corridor. Eligibility is determined by the exact property address rather than by county, and borrower income limits apply as well. Check the specific address on USDA’s official eligibility lookup before assuming a property qualifies.
How do I find a real estate agent serving Frederick County?
Maryland Homebuyer Hub is building a free directory of local professionals, including real estate agents serving Frederick County. Agents do not pay to be listed, and a listing is not an endorsement. You are free to work with any agent you choose.
Sources and data notes
Market activity figures — median list price, median days on market and active listing count — are from Realtor.com residential listings data, retrieved from FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (series MEDLISPRI24021, MEDDAYONMAR24021, ACTLISCOU24021), for the period stated in the snapshot. All series are for Frederick County, Maryland (FIPS 24021). Median list price reflects asking prices on active listings; it is not a median sale price and not a median home value.
Population, median household income, median owner-occupied home value, homeownership rate, median gross rent, total housing units, units in structure and year-structure-built figures are from the U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates for Frederick County, Maryland. ACS figures are survey estimates and carry margins of error.
Long-run price change is calculated from the Federal Housing Finance Agency All-Transactions House Price Index for Frederick County, MD (annual, index 2000=100), retrieved from FRED. Percentages shown are compound annual growth rates between the stated years.
Homebuyer Assistance Program terms, including the income tiers, eligibility conditions and the funding-availability note, are drawn from Frederick County Division of Housing’s own program fact sheet and Homebuyer Programs page. Community Partners Incentive Program information is from the City of Frederick. The municipality list is from Frederick County government. Statewide program information is from the Maryland Mortgage Program and the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development. USDA eligibility is determined by USDA Rural Development. Program terms, funding and eligibility change; confirm current details with the administering agency before relying on them.