Rents are 3% below what Frederick's 10-year trend predicts — a better deal than its own history suggests.
Rent by unit size
These are HUD Fair Market Rents, the payment standard for a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8). They often differ from the $2,155 market median above, and that is expected: FMR is the 40th percentile of standard-quality units and counts gross rent, so it includes essential utilities such as electricity, water, gas, sewer, and trash. The market median is asking rent, which usually excludes utilities. HUD sets FMR once a year; market rent here updates monthly.
Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents. Read the methodology →
12-month history
Last updated: October 17, 2026
What the numbers show
January. Asking rents in Frederick usually run 0.8% below trend in January and 0.6% above it in July, about $30 a month apart at today's median. Based on 11 years of data.
Rent in Frederick is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2015.
Rent in Frederick changed +2.9% over the year to September 2026. Across the 81 Maryland cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +2.4%.
From 2019 to 2024, rent in Frederick rose 37.3% while median household income rose 27.5% ($76,118 to $97,069). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in Frederick is 42.5% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 11 months in a row, and rose in 11 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($97,069) is $2,427 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($2,168); a 3-bedroom is $2,713.
The priciest of 4 ZIP codes in Frederick, 21704 ($2,994/mo), costs 1.5 times the cheapest, 21702 ($1,958/mo).
Middletown, 9 miles away, rents for 15% less ($1,824/mo), about $4,000 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Frederick. The seasonal pattern compares Zillow’s seasonally adjusted and unadjusted series. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.
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Who lives here
Frederick, MD is majority owner-occupied, has a median income above the national average, 43.2% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Frederick, MD has changed in 5 years
Since 2021, the typical rent in Frederick, MD has climbed from $1,665 to $2,155, a 29.4% change over five years. Local incomes tracked alongside that move, going from a median of $82,563 in 2021 to $97,069 more recently. That spread, with rent up faster than earnings, points to a tougher affordability environment than five years ago. The population has grown by 9.2% since 2021, moving from about 76,376 residents to roughly 83,395. College-educated residents now make up 43.2% of adults here, versus 41.1% in 2021. These shifts give renters and would-be renters a longer baseline for sizing up today's listings against the Frederick, MD market of 2021.
Discussions about Frederick
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Can you afford rent in Frederick on your salary?
At $2,155/mo, how Frederick rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Frederick rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Frederick. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Frederick
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Frederick is $2,155/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,883/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $2,168/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,925/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $2,713/mo.
At 27% of local median household income ($97,069/yr), Frederick ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 2.9% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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Which Frederick neighborhoods have the lowest rent?
How does Frederick rent compare to other cities in Maryland?
Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Frederick?
At $2,155/mo, rent takes ~27% of Frederick's median household income ($97,069/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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