Frederick County, Maryland

County Distress Index: Normal · 38.8 | 293,391 people · 20th most distressed in Maryland
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Frederick County, MD falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 38.8 — 2269th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Economic Vitality, where wages are low relative to housing costs, business formation lags, and the local economy lacks dynamism. Within Maryland, it ranks 20th of 24 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Frederick County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 76.3 — worse than roughly 76% of U.S. counties.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 76.3
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 95
Rent-to-Income Ratio 71
Business Formation Rate 32
House Price Change (YoY) 81
Housing Cost Burden 72.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 82
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 73
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 92
Homeownership Rate 35
Legal Distress 43.5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 43
Consumer Credit Distress 24.0
Debt in Collections 20
Medical Debt 33
Auto Loan Delinquency 20
Credit Card Delinquency 32
Uninsured Rate 13
Subprime Credit Population 23
Structural Poverty 7.8
Unemployment Rate 27
Poverty Rate 1
Income vs. State Median 10
Child Poverty Rate 3
Disability Rate 4
Transfer Income Dependency 4

Scores are percentile-based: 50 = national median, higher = more distressed.

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Frederick County
Frederick County, MD 38.8 Normal —
Washington County, MD 58.2 Elevated +19.4
Franklin County, PA 43.9 Normal +5.1
Montgomery County, MD 40.3 Normal +1.6
Adams County, PA 37.5 Normal -1.3
Howard County, MD 34.2 Healthy -4.6
Carroll County, MD 32.3 Healthy -6.5
Loudoun County, VA 25.1 Healthy -13.7

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Frederick County
Kitsap County, WA 38.9 Normal +0.1
Union County, NC 39.1 Normal +0.4
Monmouth County, NJ 39.3 Normal +0.5
Anoka County, MN 38.2 Normal -0.6
Cumberland County, PA 38.2 Normal -0.6

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Frederick County as a CSV file.

Find Help in Frederick County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Frederick County.

THE CITY OF FREDERICK
Frederick
301-600-1506 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingPre-PurchaseHomebuyer Education

See all counselors in Maryland →

Find an Attorney

Maryland State Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

Maryland State Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service 410-685-7878

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Frederick County residents at no cost.

Maryland Legal Aid 410-539-5340
Community Law Center (Baltimore) 410-366-0922
Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service (MVLS) 410-539-6800
Civil Justice (Baltimore) 410-706-0900

American Default Research does not endorse, rate, or rank any provider. Verify attorney credentials with your state bar.

Need legal help? Find a foreclosure defense attorney in Maryland →

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Frederick County, Maryland?

    Frederick County has a County Distress Index score of 38.8 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,269th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 20th in Maryland out of 24 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Frederick County?

    The primary driver of distress in Frederick County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 76.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Frederick County compare to neighboring counties?

    Frederick County (38.8) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Washington County, MD (58.2); Franklin County, PA (43.9); Montgomery County, MD (40.3).

  • How is the County Distress Index calculated?

    The County Distress Index uses PCA-weighted percentile scoring across five statistically derived factors: Consumer Credit Distress (47.5%), Housing Cost Burden (22.3%), Structural Poverty (13.6%), Economic Vitality (9.2%), and Legal Distress (7.4%). Each county's indicators are ranked against all 3,144 U.S. counties. A score of 50 means the county is at the national median; higher scores indicate greater distress.

  • How often is the CDI updated?

    Annually, aligned to Census American Community Survey and Urban Institute Debt in America release windows — the slowest-moving source inputs. Between annual refreshes, faster-cadence indicators (BLS unemployment, QCEW wages) may drive light mid-year updates if a specific component moves meaningfully. Current data compiled April 14, 2026; next full refresh early 2027.

  • What does the Normal zone mean?

    The CDI divides counties into five zones: Healthy (below 46), Normal (46–55), Elevated (55–71), Serious (71–86), and Crisis (86 and above). Frederick County's score of 38.8 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

  • What data sources power Frederick County's CDI score?

    Frederick County's CDI score draws on Urban Institute Debt in America (Equifax credit-bureau panel), U.S. Census Bureau (American Community Survey 5-year, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates), Bureau of Labor Statistics (LAUS, QCEW), U.S. Courts Administrative Office (F-5A bankruptcy filings), and HUD Fair Market Rents. Every number on this page traces to one of these public sources.

  • What is the population of Frederick County?

    Frederick County, Maryland has a population of approximately 293,391 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.