Medicare in Frederick County by the numbers
| Frederick County | Maryland | |
|---|---|---|
| Residents age 65 and older | 45,824 | 1,066,384 statewide |
| Share of residents age 65+ | 15.6% | 17.3% statewide |
| People with Medicare | 53,809 | 1,206,222 statewide |
| Enrolled in Medicare Advantage | 10,900 | 298,863 statewide |
| Medicare Advantage share | 20.3% | 24.8% statewide |
Figures come from the Census Bureau and CMS (September 2026).
With roughly 45,824 residents age 65 and older, Frederick County is 8th among 24 Maryland counties for older residents. That group is 15.6% of its population, compared with 17.3% across Maryland. Another 18,427 residents are age 60 to 64 and will reach Medicare eligibility within about five years (see our turning 65 guide). By age, the 65-and-older group splits 58% ages 65 to 74, 31% ages 75 to 84 and 11% age 85 and up (Census 2023). About 20.3% of people with Medicare in Frederick County are enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan. That is close to the Maryland average of 24.8%. Averages cannot choose a plan for you. Medicare Advantage and Original Medicare with a Medigap plan each suit different people, depending on doctors, medicines and how you prefer to handle costs, and we compare both at your ZIP code.
Who has Medicare in Frederick County
Frederick County is a metro county; the U.S. Department of Agriculture describes it as: counties in metro areas of 1 million population or more. Metro counties usually have more hospitals and more insurers competing for Medicare members, so there can be more plans to compare.
CMS counts 50,797 Medicare beneficiaries in Frederick County (2023). Their average age is 73, about the same as the Maryland average of 73. About 12% are “dual eligible,” meaning they have both Medicare and Medicaid, lower than the state figure of 17%.
Among people in Original Medicare in Frederick County, CMS reported about 482 emergency room visits and 200 inpatient hospital stays per 1,000 beneficiaries in 2023, which is lower than the state average for emergency visits (555) and close to it for hospital stays (217). About 9% received home health care. These figures describe how people use care under Original Medicare; they do not show what any plan covers or costs.
Sources: CMS Medicare Geographic Variation, 2023; USDA Rural-Urban Continuum Codes, 2023.
Where you live decides which Medicare Advantage and Part D plans you can join, and Frederick County may have a different set of plans than the counties around it. We are not based in Frederick County; we help Frederick County residents by phone or video call.
Hospitals located in Frederick County
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) lists this hospital in Frederick County:
- Frederick Health Hospital — Frederick (acute care; nonprofit; emergency services; CMS overall rating 3 of 5)
Being located in the county is not the same as being in your plan’s network. Each Medicare Advantage plan builds its own network, so we confirm that your hospital and your doctors are included before you choose. Ratings are CMS Care Compare overall hospital star ratings; they describe the hospital, not whether a plan covers it. Source: CMS Hospital General Information.
Where people live in Frederick County
Census Bureau 2023 estimates put the biggest communities in Frederick County at Frederick (85,793), Brunswick (8,309), Thurmont (6,680), Walkersville (6,610), Middletown (5,307), Mount Airy (3,613), counting only the part of each community inside the county.
We look up plans by ZIP code. In Frederick County, that means areas such as 21701, 21702, 21703, 21704, 21705, 21710, 21714, 21716, 21717, 21718, 21727, 21754, 21755, 21758 and 14 more, based on Census ZIP Code Tabulation Areas that lie mostly in the county.
Questions about Medicare in Frederick County?
Reach out to us: fill out our short form or call (571) 354-0146, and a licensed agent will compare the plans available to you, check your doctors and drugs, and stay with you each year at renewal. For general Medicare information, the federal helpline is 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).
Medicare resources from official sources
- Medicare Plan Finder on Medicare.gov, searchable by ZIP code.
- Social Security: Medicare to enroll or check status.
- Medicare.gov: Medigap on how Medicare Supplement works.
- Maryland Health Connection, Maryland’s own health insurance exchange, if you are not yet on Medicare.
- Maryland Insurance Administration: Maryland’s insurance regulator, including agent license lookup.
Coverage we offer Frederick County residents
Here is what we can help Frederick County residents with, drawing on plans from many insurers: Medicare Advantage, Medicare Supplement (Medigap), Part D drug plans, ACA health insurance, ICHRA, group health insurance, life insurance, final expense insurance and annuities.
Let’s check your Frederick County options together
We confirm your doctors and prescriptions before you enroll, at no cost to you.
Get my plan comparisonPlain-English Medicare answers
- What happens if you do nothing during open enrollment?
- Can I change my Medicare plan after December 7?
- Why a Medicare Advantage plan drops a doctor or drug
- Medigap Plan G vs. Plan N
Frederick County compared with similar Maryland counties
| County | Residents 65+ | Medicare Advantage share | Dual eligible share | Area type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harford County | 47,686 | 24.8% | 12% | Metro |
| Howard County | 53,280 | 19.3% | 15% | Metro |
| Carroll County | 32,310 | 20.5% | 11% | Metro |
| Washington County | 28,617 | 24.1% | 20% | Metro |
| Charles County | 24,347 | 25.0% | 14% | Metro |
| Cecil County | 18,651 | 21.8% | 16% | Metro |
See every Maryland county in our Maryland directory or go to our Maryland Medicare hub.