Signals
Damascus
Frederick
Opportunity
60 · Top 42%
vs64 · Top 33%
Climate
70 · Bottom 48%
vs71 · Top 49%
Physical resilience
85 · Top 17%
vs89 · Top 13%
Housing affordability
96 · Top 16%
vs78 · Bottom 47%
Schools
77 · Top 18%
vs58 · Top 41%
Access
86 · Bottom 32%
vs82 · Bottom 24%
Economic stability
84 · Top 3%
vs70 · Top 29%
Measured values
| Metric | Damascus | Frederick | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 17,640 | 83,395 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $158,883 | $97,069 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $62,599 | $49,823 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,239/sq mi | 3,480/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $528,400 | $401,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,792 | $1,764 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 90.1% | 58.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.7% | 3.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.9% | -1.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 49.0% | 43.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 3.7% | 9.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 84°F | 87°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 25°F | 25°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 47.9" | 35.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 26 mi | 34 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 41.0 min | 32.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.5 | 37.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 19 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.99 | 15.43 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 23.1% | 16.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 34.3% | 24.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 37.4% | 51.0% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Full profiles: Damascus, MD · Frederick, MD · How this is calculated: methodology