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Frederick vs Catonsville

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

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Frederick, MDA colonial town, settled 1745Maryland · 83,395 people
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Catonsville, MDA history townMaryland · 43,368 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.

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

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

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

Left end = #1 in Maryland. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Frederick’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.

Frederick$2,890/mo
Typical home $460K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.25% · or rent about $1,764/mo · Housing →
Catonsville$2,570/mo
Typical home $419K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.05% · or rent about $1,724/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
FrederickCatonsville
Snow a year31″29″
January low25°F—
July high84°F—
Growing season (days)196d—
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)9th3rd
Outdoors & history
FrederickCatonsville
Trails22 mi53 mi
Conserved land7.3%3%
Settled17451831
National Register places1716
Archive photos612
Famous people born here5720
Community
FrederickCatonsville
Library hours a week59 hrs—
Colleges in town21
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined01

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.

FrederickMDCatonsvilleMD
Frederick ↔ Catonsville38 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.

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

Frederick neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Frederick’s Town Square.

Catonsville neighborsTown Square →
T Weaver · 5d

Supporting Local Businesses

1 neighbor in Catonsville can answer.

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Bordering Frederick

B
+ Compare
Ballenger Creek26,390 people · $387K homes
L
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Linganore14,444 people · $534K homes

Towns like Frederick

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