What it's like to live in Frederick
Frederick is a small city in Colorado with household incomes running above the national average, crime rates well below the national average, a highly educated workforce, and a population that has grown fast since 2020. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Frederick deals with rent well above the national average, home prices well above the national average, commute times longer than most cities, and air quality that falls short of national benchmarks.
The good
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Low crime rates
- Highly educated workforce
- Fast-growing population
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- High home prices
- Above-average commute times
- Air quality concerns
- High student-teacher ratio
- High rent burden for renters
How Frederick compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Frederick
Based on Frederick's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$4,762
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $95,240 a year
- 52% of Frederick renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$113,660
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $56,830
- Homes cost 4.4× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 69% above US
$2,381/mo median rent
Rent is expensive here, at $2,381 a month median and well above the national average. This is the kind of city where housing costs deserve serious budgeting before committing to a move. Home prices are steep, with a median around $568,300. Renting first to get a feel for the city before buying is often the more practical route.
Median home value $568,300 · 52% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
4.3% county unemployment
Unemployment in Weld County is 4.3%, close to the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Weld County (county-wide)
Safety▼ 68% below US
106 violent crimes per 100k
Safety is genuinely one of the selling points here. Both violent and property crime run well below the national average, the kind of numbers that fade into the background after a week of living somewhere.
Property crime 599/100k · Frederick Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▲ 23% above US
32 min average commute
Traffic is a real factor here. The 32 minute average means plenty of commuters are pushing 45 to 60 minutes on a bad day. Proximity to work matters more here than it might elsewhere. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 20% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 88°F, and winters are cold and harsh, with lows dropping to 15°F. It's a dry climate with limited rainfall.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforceNear US average
39% bachelor's degree or higher
Education levels run about average, with 39% college-educated. It's a mix of white-collar and blue-collar work, which can be an asset or a limitation depending on the field.
Schools
6 public schools inside the boundary
There are 6 public schools inside the boundary. The student-to-teacher ratio is 19:1, slightly above the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Rocky Mountain National Park (42 miles away). There are 2 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Frederick's strongest points are household incomes running above the national average and crime rates well below the national average; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and home prices well above the national average. A year of median rent ($2,381/mo) equals 22% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime and remote workers (20% of workers here already work from home). It may be a harder fit for renters on a tight budget and anyone who dislikes long, cold winters.
Other places near Frederick
All Colorado guides →Moving to Firestone →
3 mi away · pop. 18,049
Rent $2,009/mo · Income $120,150
Compare with Frederick →Moving to Lafayette →
10 mi away · pop. 30,602
Rent $2,121/mo · Income $119,040
Compare with Frederick →Not sure Frederick is the one?
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