Photo by Sam Yu According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Frederick is the third largest city in Maryland. This photo taken Friday shows downtown Frederick looking north with development along Carroll Creek going from left to right at the bottom.
	SEARCHABLE DATABASE POPULATION ESTIMATES Frederick remains the third largest city in the state, according to July 1, 2008, population estimates released today by the U.S. Census Bureau.

Baltimore and Rockville are the top two most populated in the state, and Gaithersburg follows Frederick at No. 4, according to the estimates.

Populations of Rockville and Frederick are so close that no one will know for certain which is larger until the 2010 Census figures come in, according to Mark Goldstein, an economist at the Maryland Department of Planning. Rockville has held second place since 2005, when its population surpassed Frederick 's.

Frederick city's population is estimated at 59,213 as of July 1, 2008, slightly higher than the July 1, 2007, estimate of 59,149.

Since the beginning of the decade, the bureau estimates the City of Frederick has grown by about 12.1 percent to 59,213 from 52,816 on July 1, 2000.

Since the 2000 Census, Frederick city has seen the second highest increase in the number of residents, a total of 6,446, of all municipalities in the state, Goldstein said. Only Rockville saw a greater increase.

Several unincorporated areas also have high population concentrations, including Columbia and Ellicott City.

The estimates released today are prepared annually by the Census Bureau using building permits, estimates of construction where no building permits are reported, mobile home shipments and estimates of housing unit loss since the 2000 Census.

Frederick Mayor Jeff Holtzinger believes the city population numbers sound accurate. He predicted the city will keep growing over the next decade, though not as quickly as five or six years ago.

Frederick will likely stay at third largest or move up to second because the city has more room to expand than other municipalities in Maryland, he said.

"We will work very closely with the county, making sure we have adequate services," Holtzinger said.

Countywide, Frederick had the highest population estimate, followed by Mount Airy , Thurmont and Walkersville .