Property Tax in Frederick County, Maryland
Homeowners in Frederick County, Maryland pay a median of $4,463 a year in real estate taxes, on a median home value of $437,700. Those are the Census Bureau's published medians for the county (US Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates, 2023) — the typical bill and the typical home value for owner-occupied households.
What the Frederick County numbers mean
A median is the middle household: half of owner-occupied households in Frederick County pay more than $4,463, and half pay less. Your own bill is set by your home's assessed value, the exemptions you qualify for, and the local taxing districts your property sits in — so individual bills vary widely around the median.
Dividing the median tax by the median home value gives a derived effective rate of 1.02% for Frederick County. It is an estimate built from two survey medians, not the county's official rate, but it is a fair way to compare the local tax burden with other counties where home values are very different.
The key figures for Frederick County
| Measure | Frederick County |
|---|---|
| Median real estate taxes paid per year | $4,463 |
| Median home value | $437,700 |
| Derived effective rate* | 1.02% |
| Equivalent monthly tax | $372 |
| Tax per $100,000 of value (derived) | $1,020 |
| Illustrative tax on a $400,000 home (derived rate) | $4,080 |
For context, the Maryland medians are $3,989 of tax on $397,700 of value, and the US medians are $2,969 on $303,400. *Derived figures are estimates from Census medians, not official rates.
Frederick County at a glance
- Median tax rank in Maryland: #4 of 24 counties
- Median home value rank in Maryland: #6 of 24
- Population rank in Maryland: #7 of 24 (280,341 residents)
- Population density rank: #9 of 24 (424 people per square mile)
- Land area rank in Maryland: #1 of 24 (660 sq mi, 6.8% of the combined county land area)
- Median tax as a monthly figure: $372; per $1,000 of home value: $1.02
How Frederick County compares
Set against its state, Frederick County's median bill of $4,463 is about 12% higher than the Maryland median ($3,989). Against the country as a whole it is about 50% higher than the US median ($2,969). That places the county #4 of 24 Maryland counties ranked by median taxes paid.
Remember what drives the ranking: bills follow home values as much as rates. Frederick County's median home, at $437,700, ranks #6 by value in Maryland, while its derived rate of 1.02% compares with a derived US figure of 0.98%.
Some extra context for Frederick County: the median bill works out to about $372 a month, and the derived rate equals roughly $1,020 of tax per $100,000 of home value. The county is home to 280,341 people — the #7 most populous county in Maryland, spread over 660 square miles, a density of about 424 people per square mile. Its median home value, $437,700, ranks #6 among the state's 24 counties with data.
Zooming out: of 3133 counties nationwide with published Census figures, only 169 record a higher median tax bill than Frederick County — it sits in the top 5% nationally. The county holds roughly 4.5% of Maryland's people. Its homes are worth more than the state norm (median $437,700 versus $397,700), and a decade at the derived rate of 1.02% adds up to about 10.20% of the median home's value in tax. The cheapest county in the state, Somerset County, medians $1,603 — $2,860 less than Frederick County per year.
Counties nearest Frederick County in the Maryland ranking
| County | Median tax paid | Median home value | Derived rate* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Montgomery County, MD | $5,341 | $615,200 | 0.87% |
| Prince George's County, MD | $4,662 | $404,300 | 1.15% |
| Charles County, MD | $4,179 | $402,300 | 1.04% |
| Calvert County, MD | $3,858 | $440,200 | 0.88% |
How the tax is worked out
As an illustration of the arithmetic: at Frederick County's derived rate of 1.02%, a home valued at $400,000 would carry a tax bill of roughly $4,080 a year. That is only an illustration using the derived rate — a real bill is computed from the property's assessed value, its exemptions, and the combined rates of its specific taxing districts, so it can be higher or lower.
The usual sequence is: the local assessor values the property; exemptions are applied; the taxable value is multiplied by the combined local rates; and the county bills and collects the tax, distributing it to the schools, municipalities and districts that levied it.
Checking your assessment in Frederick County
Most successful appeals are won on facts, not arguments. Start with the property record card held by the Frederick County assessor: wrong square footage, an extra room, or a missing homestead exemption are common and fixable. Next, line your assessed value up against recent sales of genuinely similar homes nearby. Many disputes end at an informal conversation with the assessor's office; if yours does not, file the formal appeal with the review board named on your notice before its deadline, evidence attached, and keep paying the bill in the meantime so penalties do not build up.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the median property tax in Frederick County, Maryland?
The median real estate tax paid in Frederick County, Maryland is $4,463 per year, on a median home value of $437,700 (US Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates, 2023).
What is the effective property tax rate in Frederick County, Maryland?
Dividing Frederick County's median tax bill ($4,463) by its median home value ($437,700) gives a derived effective rate of 1.02%. This is an estimate computed from two Census survey medians — it is not the county's official tax rate.
How does Frederick County compare with the rest of Maryland?
By median taxes paid, Frederick County stands at #4 among the 24 Maryland counties the Census publishes figures for. Its $4,463 median bill is about 12% higher than the state median ($3,989), and 3 counties in the state record a higher median.
How are property taxes calculated in Frederick County, Maryland?
The assessor estimates your property's market value; exemptions (such as a homestead exemption) reduce the taxable amount; and the result is multiplied by the combined rates of the local taxing districts — county, municipality, school district and any special districts. In Frederick County, the median outcome of that process is a bill of $4,463 on a median home value of $437,700.
Can I appeal my property tax assessment in Frederick County, Maryland?
Yes — appeals are handled locally. Start with the Frederick County assessor's property record card for your home, correct any factual errors, and back your case with comparable recent sales. Formal appeals go to the review board named on your assessment notice and must be filed by its deadline, typically within 30 to 90 days.