City Profile

Kettering, Ohio

USA · Comprehensive city data and intelligence

Overall Score

Kettering, Ohio is a well-established, primarily residential suburb located just south of Dayton in Montgomery County, with a portion extending into Greene County. Named after industrialist and inventor Charles F. Kettering, the city has evolved from a post-WWII housing boom into a stable and community-focused municipality known for its exceptional parks and tree-lined neighborhoods. Families and retirees are frequently drawn to Kettering due to its blend of suburban quiet, strong local services, and close proximity to the greater Dayton metropolitan employment and cultural hubs.

About Ohio

Ohio, located in the Midwest, is characterized by a blend of urban centers and rural landscapes, offering a balance of city amenities and small-town charm. The state's economy is robust and diverse, with manufacturing being a significant sector, particularly in plastics, rubber, fabricated metals, and automobiles. Other major industries include financial activities, healthcare, education, and bioscience, with growing technology and logistics sectors. Living in Ohio is generally affordable, with the cost of living, especially housing, being lower than the national average. The climate is continental, featuring four distinct seasons with hot, humid summers and cold, snowy winters, and precipitation occurring year-round.

57,862

Population

$58K

Avg Salary

Cost Index

65.8

Quality Score

How this 66/100 was calculated five components, with every reading behind them

Component	Readings used	Points	Weight	Contributes
Safety	Safety score: 78 / 100	78.0	30%	23.4
Affordability	Cost of living index (100 = national baseline): 91.0	55.0	25%	13.8
Economy & jobs	Median household income: $68,500 Income needed to live here: $48,000 Unemployment rate: 3.8%	77.9	20%	15.6
Growth	Population growth rate: no usable reading Job growth rate: 1.1%	42.0	15%	6.3
Business climate assessment	Business climate assessment: 68 / 100	68.0	10%	6.8
Overall score				65.8

Provenance. These figures were produced by the research pass recorded as Tier 1 (fast) (q=52, partial — below threshold), last refreshed 16 October 2026. They are researched estimates drawn from public sources, not a licensed data feed.

Each component is scored against fixed published endpoints, so this number is comparable with any other city and does not move as the dataset grows. Scoring framework 2026.10 — full methodology, weights and accepted ranges.

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Performance

Quality Scores

Business

Livability

Affordability

Growth

Expenses

Cost of Living

The cost of living in Kettering consistently tracks below the national average, making it an attractive destination for budget-conscious families and professionals. Housing costs, including both median home values and average apartment rents, remain notably more affordable compared to larger Ohio metros like Columbus or Cincinnati. Everyday expenses such as utilities, groceries, and transportation also lean lower than the United States baseline, allowing residents to stretch their household budgets further.

Average Rent

$1,150/mo

Groceries

$380/mo

Transport

$110/mo

Utilities

$175/mo

Healthcare

$230/mo

Gym membership (monthly)

$40.00

Cinema ticket

$12.00

Restaurant meal (mid-range)

$20.00

Monthly groceries

$380.00

Doctor visit (without insurance)

$130.00

Income

Salary Insights

Kettering's local economy is deeply tied to the broader Dayton region, benefiting from a diverse commercial base that includes healthcare, education, manufacturing, and advanced aerospace research. Major local employers include Kettering Health Network and the Kettering City School District, providing robust career opportunities in healthcare administration, nursing, and education. Additionally, the city's proximity to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base drives a steady influx of defense contractors, engineering firms, and high-tech remote and hybrid professionals.

The average salary in Kettering is $58,000 per year. You would need approximately $48,000 to live comfortably.

Employment

Top Industries

Retail Trade +0.50% Manufacturing +0.80% Healthcare +2.30% Educational Services +1.00% Professional and Technical Services +1.90%

Weather

Climate

🌡️

53°F

Avg Temp

☀️

83°F

Summer High

❄️

21°F

Winter Low

🌧️

44.00"

Annual Rain

💧

68.00%

Humidity

🌤️

237

Sunny Days

Mobility

Transport

Kettering is a primarily car-dependent suburban community, where most residents rely on personal vehicles to commute to jobs throughout the Dayton metropolitan area. Public transportation is provided by the Greater Dayton Regional Transit Authority (RTA), which operates several bus routes connecting Kettering to downtown Dayton and surrounding suburbs. While major thoroughfares can experience moderate traffic congestion during peak morning and evening rush hours, overall commute times remain manageable compared to major national metros.

22 min

Avg Commute

42.00/10

Transit Score

45.00/10

Walkability

High

Car Dependency

At a Glance

Pros & Cons

Advantages

Median home prices and overall cost of living remain comfortably below the national average per Zillow and DataUSA data.

Exceptional local parks and recreation facilities, including the renowned Kettering Recreation Complex.

Strong public safety profile with violent and property crime rates well below national medians.

Proximity to major regional employment drivers including Kettering Health and Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.

Well-rated local public school district offering robust academic and extracurricular programs.

Drawbacks

Aging housing stock in many neighborhoods may require ongoing maintenance and energy-efficiency updates.

Public transit options are limited, resulting in high reliance on personal automobiles for daily errands.

Modest job growth rate compared to booming southern or western metropolitan hubs.

Winters can be cold and grey, requiring regular snow removal and property maintenance.

Limited nightlife and entertainment options within city limits, often requiring travel into downtown Dayton.

Head to Head

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Kettering VS New York City Kettering VS Alamogordo Kettering VS Cincinnati Kettering VS Syracuse

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Nearby Cities

Springfield

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Community Q&A

Questions about Kettering

What people ask about living in and moving to Kettering, Ohio.

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Gathering the most common questions about Kettering…

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Urblytica benchmarks its Cost of Living Index against a United States national average baseline of 100. A score of 115 means a city is approximately 15% more expensive than the national average, while a score of 85 indicates it is 15% more affordable. This composite calculation is weighted across six primary expenditure categories: housing, utilities, grocery items, transportation, healthcare, and miscellaneous goods.

Urblytica aggregates housing data from multiple authoritative sources, including Multiple Listing Service (MLS) feeds, municipal property tax registries, the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS), and verified historical deed transactions. This multi-tier aggregation ensures precision in tracking median home values and rental rates.

A municipality must meet minimum data-density thresholds—including consistent reporting population samples from the U.S. Census and active residential or commercial real estate transaction feeds—to ensure statistical significance before a complete scoring profile is published.

When primary agencies (such as the Bureau of Labor Statistics or U.S. Census Bureau) issue historical data revisions or benchmark corrections, Urblytica's data pipeline automatically re-indexes affected historical archives to maintain longitudinal trend accuracy.

U.S. affordability calculations incorporate federal income tax brackets, state-specific income tax rates, and local municipal tax variations to evaluate the true net tax drag on median household earnings across different states and cities.

Local county and municipal property tax millage rates are factored directly into the housing component of the cost-of-living index to reflect recurring annual tax burdens for homeowners.

The platform aggregates state sales taxes alongside county and city surtaxes to measure consumer basket purchasing power parity accurately across different retail jurisdictions.

Utility calculations apply regional seasonal consumption weightings, incorporating high summer air conditioning loads in southern states and heavy winter heating demands in northern states.

The index tracks average out-of-pocket healthcare expenses, routine outpatient visit costs, and regional health insurance premium benchmarks published by federal health agencies.

Educational metrics aggregate state standardized testing benchmarks, student-to-teacher ratios, high school graduation rates, and per-pupil expenditure data published by state departments of education.

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