Signals
Wheaton
Frederick
Climate
72 · Top 42%
vs71 · Top 49%
Physical resilience
85 · Top 17%
vs89 · Top 13%
Housing affordability
71 · Bottom 35%
vs78 · Bottom 47%
Schools
62 · Top 36%
vs58 · Top 41%
Access
89 · Bottom 39%
vs82 · Bottom 24%
Economic stability
67 · Top 36%
vs70 · Top 29%
Measured values
| Metric | Wheaton | Frederick | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 52,926 | 83,395 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $111,478 | $97,069 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $43,480 | $49,823 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 7,673/sq mi | 3,480/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $501,200 | $401,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,163 | $1,764 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 64.6% | 58.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 38.7% | 43.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.1% | 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 | 23 mi | 34 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 34.6 min | 32.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.7 | 37.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 11 | 19 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 12.74 | 15.43 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 14.1% | 16.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 24.2% | 24.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 54.1% | 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: Wheaton, MD · Frederick, MD · How this is calculated: methodology