Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 2,955, settled in 1722.
Prince Frederick's standout: natural-hazard risk is low. Overall it grades A−, 75th of 259 graded towns in Maryland. Its public schools beat 80% of Maryland towns on state tests and graduation and it is easier to get around on foot or by transit than 83% of U.S. towns. Prince Frederick’s typical journey to work is 40 minutes, against 32 minutes in Maryland’s towns and 25 minutes across U.S. towns. Cedar Hill and Cornehill is on the National Register of Historic Places.
Where Prince Frederick beats most towns.
Its founding year, 1722, comes before those of 96% of the Maryland towns we grade with a known year.
The archive holds 12 old photos and papers going back to 1987 and 7 maps from 1892 on.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Maryland), ordered by how far Prince Frederick is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Prince Frederick is unincorporated, so Calvert County and regional agencies provide most services.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Mar 11, 2026.
Ordered by what stands out in Prince Frederick.
Prince Frederick draws workers from Chesapeake Ranch Estates and beyond and is healthy by national standards but behind most towns in Maryland.
5,970 jobs are based in Prince Frederick, 4.4 for every working resident, so most of the people who work here commute in. The average commute takes 39.5 minutes, against 31.1 across Maryland.
The share of residents in Prince Frederick who live below the poverty line: 11%. Only 16% of working residents stay in Prince Frederick for work; the rest commute out. Jobs in Prince Frederick grew by 2,144 from 2013 to 2023, reaching 5,970. Its median household income is $80,000.
| Prince Frederick | Maryland towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 16% | 3.1% | 8% |
| Median household income | $80,000 | $113,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 11% | 7% | 9.6% |
| Work from home | 13% | 18% | 11% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Two of its 4 schools are below, each with the reason it’s listed. The largest public high school is Calvert High, with 1,080 students. The Calvert County Public Schools runs its public schools.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calvert MiddleLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8 | Grades 6–8 | 607 | B |
| Calvert HighLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 1,080 | A |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MD on state tests and graduation
One declared disaster, in 2003, has brought federal aid to Prince Frederick households. Prince Frederick’s natural-hazard score from FEMA stands at 2 of 100. FEMA puts a third of the town’s expected hazard losses down to hurricanes, and 32% to inland flooding.
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Across 2 parks and preserves: 1.7 miles of trail. In Prince Frederick, the density of trails is 0.5 miles per square mile.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. King Memorial Park | — | 6 |
| 2. Calvert Historical Society Park | — | 4 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
A winter brings about 15 inches of snow, with January nights at 27° and July afternoons at 88°.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
A home in Prince Frederick typically sold within 34 days of listing. For households locally, the share who live in a home they own is 48%. The town’s rent at the middle of the market comes in at $1,377 a month.
| Prince Frederick | Maryland towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 48% | 74% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,377 a month | $1,810 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Within Maryland it is less healthy than 73% of the 261 graded towns: Maryland sets a high bar.
In Prince Frederick, a fifth of adults have been diagnosed with depression. Among adults locally, 40% have high blood pressure and 39% have obesity.
| Prince Frederick | Maryland towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 41% | 38% | 36% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 40% | 35% | 35% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 39% | 36% | 35% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 35% | 34% | 33% |
| What stands out | Prince Frederick | MD |
|---|---|---|
| More adults with COPD | 6.9% | 5.9% |
| More adults with arthritis | 29.3% | 25.8% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Prince Frederick. Close and well known come first.
Big draw34 mi National park siteWhite House311K visitors a year
Big draw34 mi National MemorialWashington Monument204K visitors a year
Big draw35 mi LandmarkArlington National Cemetery
Big draw35 mi LandmarkUnited States Triumphal Arch
Big draw34 mi MuseumSmithsonian Institution30.0M visitors a year
Big draw29 mi Stadium & arenaNorthwest StadiumWhite House: This image or media was taken or created by Matt H. Wade. To see his entire port, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Washington Monument: Oren Rozen, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Arlington National Cemetery: Protoant, Public domain · United States Triumphal Arch: Hstoops, CC0 · Smithsonian Institution: Highsmith, Carol M., 1946-, photographer, Public domain · Northwest Stadium: Maryland GovPics, CC BY 2.0
None within 15 miles of Prince Frederick; the nearest are
About 4 of every 100 Prince Frederick residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across Maryland.
2,538 counted in 2010 and 3,226 in 2020.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts
4 notable people were born in Prince Frederick.
Census-designated place in Maryland, United States
Prince Frederick is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Calvert County, Maryland, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of Prince Frederick was 3,226, up from 2,538 in 2010. It is the county seat of Calvert County.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
By most measures, yes. Prince Frederick grades A− overall, better than 84% of U.S. towns and #75 of 259 in Maryland. It grades B− for health and A− for schools.
That is 3.8 years of the area's median household income ($126,256 across the Lexington Park, MD metro area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B−.
4 notable people were born here, including Louis L. Goldstein and Sally Y. Jameson.
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