It takes about 27 minutes to travel from Frederick Md to Charles Town West Virginia. And Charles Town is similar to Frederick but on a much smaller scale.  Lots of civil war history – beautiful old buildings – an active downtown with homes in the downtown area.  But there are some differences.

Both of these towns tend to appeal to people that like the amenities of living near an area with some small town charm, walkability, nearby restaurants and shopping,

There’s several towns in the Eastern Panhandle that fits that description but Charles Town is the closest to Frederick which may be more appealing if you commute to that area. So here’s 8 things to consider if you are thinking about crossing the border from MD to WV.

  1. Population Density. One of the main differences between these 2 towns is the population density.  3000 people per sq mile in Frederick compared to 1000 in Charles Town – so you’ve got more breathing room between people in Charles Town  which translates into less traffic and congestion and more of a small town feel.
  2. Growth. Even though Charles Town is less dense, it is growing at a higher rate than Frederick.  From 2000 to now, Charles Town has grown at a rate of 109% compared to 38% in Frederick.  So more people are opting to move here <6> probably in part because there is less congestion.  And that’s true for the Eastern Panhandle in general as compared to Maryland.
  3. Employment.  The unemployment rate is lower in Charles Town 3.8%   Frederick 5.4%.  And here’s something interesting I found on bestplaces.net. The projected job growth Going out 10 years, Charles Town is predicted for a 13% job growth while Frederick is at 4.6%. 
  4. Cost of living.  The main difference between Charles Town and Frederick as far as cost go, is the real estate taxes and home prices.  A $500 home in Frederick will pay around $5800 a year in real estate taxes A <10> $500K house will be around $2500 a year in Charles Town – so that’s about half.  Frederick Average home price $400 vs $350 in Charles Town. So housing is going to cost less in Charles Town.
  5.  Type of housing.  Frederick has some beautiful large single family homes just outside town with some historic homes – as does Charles Town but on a smaller scale. Frederick also has options to live right downtown which is mostly going to be attached townhomes and condominiums. And prices can range from $300 for a 1 bedroom condo to almost a million for a large townhome in town.   There’s no condominiums or townhomes in downtown Charles Town. There’s no condominiums at all in the Eastern Panhandle, yet. There are newer townhome developments a few miles from downtown Charles Town. So Frederick will offer more options for in town living.  But There are neighborhoods  in  Charles Town that are within walking distance of town.
  6. Nightlife.  There’s more single people in Frederick and a more active night life than Charles Town.  The streets in Frederick are pretty alive in warm weather. around 10 oclock at night. on weekends there’s music, some bars and restaurants still busy.  Charles Town – not so much.  There’s a few bars in town but come 10 pm, it’s pretty quiet.
  7. Politics. Frederick is pretty much divided down the middle between Democrats and Republicans.  Charles Town leans a little more toward the Republican side. 54% Republican 38% Democrat. But both towns don’t have a strong leaning in either direction.
  8. Safety.  According to bestplaces.net, Charles Town wins by far with only a 10% crime rate compared to 33% in Frederick.  The US in total has a crime rate of 27%.  Another website crimegrade.org gives Charles Town a grade of A.  Frederick is a C-.  So, that’s a pretty dramatic difference.  Charles Town is one of the safest towns in West Virginia and according to several  resources a much safer place to live than Frederick

    So wrapping all this Up. leave graphic up till end of sentence “Charles Town is the best choice>   If you prefer a less densely populated area that is a good investment because it’s growing both in population and job opportunities then Charles Town is the best choice.  Also, if a low crime rate and lower home prices appeal to you, then again Charles Town is the best choice.  End of broll 20) 
    But if you’re a party animal and night life with more going on appeals to you, then you may find Charles Town a little low key and so Frederick wins on that score.  So Those are the main differences between Frederick and Charles Town that stand out to me…   And If you are thinking of moving to this area, give us a call.  We’d love to answer any questions and guide you through that process.  304-264-2828.