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Compare towns

Catonsville vs Frederick

38 miles apart. The biggest differences: growth since 2010 (+12.3 pts in Frederick) and trails (2.5× in Catonsville).

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Catonsville, MDA history townMaryland · 43,368 people
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Frederick, MDA colonial town, settled 1745Maryland · 83,395 people
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Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

CatonsvilleA history town
HistorySettled in 183116 places on the National Register Outdoors#3 most trails in MD53 miles of trails across 17 parks and preserves Schools#45 for schools in MDof 235 towns All about Catonsville →
FrederickA colonial town, settled 1745
HistorySettled in 174517 places on the National Register Housing$460K typical home7% above the MD typical home Famous people57 notable peopleborn in Frederick All about Frederick →
The biggest differences

Where they part ways

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Growth since 2010+12.3 pts
Frederick has grown faster since 2010
Frederick +19.8%Catonsville +7.5%
Trails2.5×
Catonsville has more miles of trail
Catonsville 52.8 miFrederick 21.5 mi
Typical home built26 yrs
Catonsville’s homes are older
Frederick 1991Catonsville 1965
Work in town+16.1 pts
More of Frederick’s workers stay in town
Frederick 23.9%Catonsville 7.8%
Household income+18%
Households in Catonsville earn more
Catonsville $114,109Frederick $97,069
Bachelor’s degree++11.5 pts
More adults in Catonsville have a degree
Catonsville 54.7%Frederick 43.2%
★ What stands out · Report cards

Catonsville places higher on 13 of 21 MD lists

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every Maryland ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Safety
–CatonsvilleNot graded CFrederickSafer than 25% of U.S. towns
Schools
CCatonsvilleBetter than 32% of districts in the state A−FrederickBetter than 80% of districts in the state
Health
A−CatonsvilleHealthier than 82% of U.S. towns A−FrederickHealthier than 76% of U.S. towns
13Catonsville
8Frederick

Lists won, of 21 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Closest to a top hospitalHealth · 262 towns #83#256 Fewest uninsuredHealth · 262 towns #68#194 Most trailsOutdoors · 190 towns #3#79 Fastest growingGrowth · 250 towns #118#36 Lowest obesityHealth · 262 towns #42#126 Shortest commuteGetting around · 262 towns #25#103 Most conserved landOutdoors · 260 towns #218#149 Most educatedPeople · 262 towns #58#119

Left end = #1 in Maryland. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Catonsville’s rankings →

Monthly cost

A typical home costs $320 more a month in Frederick

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Catonsville$2,570/mo
Typical home $419K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.05% · or rent about $1,724/mo · Housing →
Frederick$2,890/mo
Typical home $460K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.25% · or rent about $1,764/mo · Housing →

The difference: $320 a month, about $3,900 a year, between Frederick and Catonsville.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons
CatonsvilleFrederick
Snow a year29″31″
January low—25°F
July high—84°F
Growing season (days)—196d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)3rd9th
Outdoors & history
CatonsvilleFrederick
Trails53 mi22 mi
Conserved land3%7.3%
Settled18311745
National Register places1617
Archive photos126
Famous people born here2057
Community
CatonsvilleFrederick
Library hours a week—59 hrs
Colleges in town12
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined10

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Where they are

38 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

CatonsvilleMDFrederickMD
Catonsville ↔ Frederick38 miles apart
Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

CatonsvilleFrederick
People
Population 43,368Lowest 83,395Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +7.5%Lowest MD: +7% +19.8%Highest MD: +7%
Median age 39.2±1.5Highest about the MD average 37.1±0.7Lowest 6% below MD
Catonsville and Frederick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 20.1%±1.4Lowest MD: 22.2% 21.9%±1.3Highest MD: 22.2%
Frederick and Catonsville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 21.3%±1.6Highest MD: 16.7% 14.3%±0.9Lowest MD: 16.7%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 54.7%Highest MD: 43.4% 43.2%Lowest MD: 43.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 13%±0.9Highest MD: 6.9% 6.7%±0.7Lowest MD: 6.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $114,109±$6kHighest 10% above MD $97,069±$5kLowest 6% below MD
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $416,900±$12kHighest about the MD average $401,500±$10kLowest 4% below MD
Catonsville and Frederick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,724±$89Lowest about the MD average $1,764±$39Highest 3% above MD
Frederick and Catonsville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $4,385Lowest 7% above MD $5,001Highest 22% above MD
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 53.5%±6.7Highest MD: 51.5% 52.5%±4.4Lowest MD: 51.5%
Catonsville and Frederick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 6.9%Lowest MD: 9.4% 9.2%Highest MD: 9.4%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 69.7%Highest MD: 67.6% 58.8%Lowest MD: 67.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 1965Lowest 14 yrs older than MD 1991Highest 12 yrs newer than MD
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 25 minLowest 21% below MD 30 minHighest 4% below MD
Work from home 20.9%±1.9Highest MD: 19.3% 17.5%±1.6Lowest MD: 19.3%
Catonsville and Frederick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 7.8%Lowest 23.9%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 8.8 miLowest 23.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.92Lowest 1.25Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Baltimore (21%)Ballenger Creek (8%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in FrederickFew work in Catonsville
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 3%Lowest 7.3%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 52.8 miHighest 21.5 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 3.8 miHighest 0.9 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 17Lowest 50Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 69.0Lowest 90.7Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #45 of 235 in MD#87 of 235 in MD
School district Baltimore County Public SchoolsFrederick County Public Schools
High school in town Catonsville HighGov. Thomas Johnson High
Students per teacherat that high school 17.4 17.4
Maryland average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024
Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Catonsville neighborsTown Square →
T Weaver · 5d

Supporting Local Businesses

1 neighbor in Catonsville can answer.

Frederick neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Frederick’s Town Square.

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Bordering Catonsville

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Ellicott City75,257 people · $662K homes
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Ilchester28,364 people · $532K homes
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Arbutus22,507 people · $323K homes
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Woodlawn40,379 people · $294K homes

Towns like Catonsville

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Annapolis40,720 people · $549K homes
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Bowie57,926 people · $459K homes
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Gaithersburg69,825 people · $497K homes
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Rockville67,671 people · $682K homes

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

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