It’s no secret that we love Frederick. The food, the community, the creek…there are many reasons to live here. If you’re new to the area and considering relocating to Frederick, here are six reasons why Frederick deserves more than a second look.
1. Different Neighborhoods to Choose
Depending on your ideal living situation, there’s a community in Frederick that’s right for you!
The City of Frederick, which encompasses the downtown area, features classic row houses, attached homes, and apartment buildings. With the majority of the residences built before the year 1939, this extremely walkable neighborhood is loaded with vintage charm.
The Hood College/Rosemont area is a popular choice for students of Hood College and people seeking an urban lifestyle experience. It’s located near Baker Park and Culler Lake, where the city puts on an extravagant Independence Day celebration each year.
As you expand to outside of the City of Frederick, other areas in Frederick include Clover Hill, which is an upscale suburban neighborhood that features larger-than-average homes. Braddock Heights, which has mostly medium-sized homes, and Urbana, a neighborhood mostly comprised of homes built after the year 2,000, many of them in traditional row home style.
2. Best Schools in the Country
With a graduation rate of over 95 percent, the Frederick County Public School district has earned consistent rankings as one of the best in the country. Area employers report that over 99 percent of high school graduates are job ready, and the senior class of 2016 generated more than $44 million dollars in college scholarship offers. Frederick also has its own community college and a small Liberal Arts college called Hood College.
3. Rich History & Heritage
With roots reaching back to 1742 when it was founded by German settlers, Frederick enjoys a rich heritage that shines in its 40-block historic district. One of the remaining remnants of the original settlers is the Evangelical Lutheran Church, which was built in 1752, and construction of other churches soon followed suit. One of Frederick’s defining characteristics is the skyline produced by the spires of the historic churches in its downtown area — this is even portrayed on their official city seal.
Frederick’s placement on the Mason Dixon Line resulted in it becoming a significant hospital center during that war, and Civil War buffs now come from all over the world to visit the National Museum of Civil War Medicine. Frederick’s 40-block historic downtown features over 200 shops, restaurants, coffee shops, museums, art galleries, and other businesses.
American author and poet Francis Scott Key was born and raised in Frederick. You can visit the final resting place of the creator of The Star Spangled Banner at Mount Olivet Cemetery, and if you’re a minor league baseball fan, you can catch a Frederick Keys game at Harry Stone Stadium.
4. Creativity, Culture, & Craft Beer
Frederick also enjoys a well-developed arts scene, with three community theaters, a symphony orchestra that showcases classical masterpieces, a classical ballet school, numerous art galleries, an annual film festival, and an abundance of creative and striking public art. Frederick is designated as an Arts and Entertainment District by the state of Maryland, which basically means that the city enjoys a high concentration of culture and the arts.
Frederick also boasts many fine restaurants, a wine trail covering 90 acres of gently rolling hills and scenic vistas, and some excellent craft beer establishments. The First Saturday in Downtown Frederick is a great way to experience downtown area, with activities planned around specific themes. This event is so popular that it draws guests from neighboring towns and cities.
5. Business-Friendly Climate
While many residents of Frederick enjoy an easy commute to jobs in Baltimore or Washington, D.C., over 34 percent of the city’s workforce is employed in Frederick, and the unemployment rate is lower than the national average. Major employers include the Fort Detrick Campus, Frederick County Board of Education, Frederick Memorial Health Care System, Leidos Biomedical Research, AstraZeneca, and Frederick County Government. Here’s a complete list of the Top 20 Frederick employers.
Frederick also offers a competitive tax structure and business-friendly environment that makes it a great choice for those seeking to start their own enterprises
6. Changing Seasons
f you’re from Maryland, you know that our state offers four distinct seasons, with the average summer highs in the 90s while winters are cool and crisp with snow. Fall foliage color is spectacular throughout the state, and spring brings explosions of flowers and fresh green leaves in all parts of the state. One of the most stunning spring sights exists in nearby Adamstown when the water lilies in Lilypons Water Gardens begin blooming by the thousands in the middle of May.