Signals
Merrifield
Frederick
Opportunity
60 · Top 42%
vs64 · Top 33%
Climate
72 · Top 42%
vs71 · Top 49%
Physical resilience
81 · Top 21%
vs89 · Top 13%
Housing affordability
73 · Bottom 38%
vs78 · Bottom 47%
Access
96 · Top 31%
vs82 · Bottom 24%
Economic stability
83 · Top 4%
vs70 · Top 29%
Measured values
| Metric | Merrifield | Frederick | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 20,698 | 83,395 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $136,373 | $97,069 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $73,653 | $49,823 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 7,669/sq mi | 3,480/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $660,800 | $401,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,368 | $1,764 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 39.1% | 58.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.6% | 3.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -3.0% | -1.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 76.2% | 43.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 5.1% | 9.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 90°F | 87°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 30°F | 25°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 41.8" | 35.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 13 mi | 34 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 30.9 min | 32.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.6 | 37.1 | 2024 ACS 5-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.
Your best match
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Merrifield
77
Your Score
—
Area Score
Frederick
71
Your Score
70
Area Score
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Full profiles: Merrifield, VA · Frederick, MD · How this is calculated: methodology