Living in Kettering, Ohio

Overview of Kettering

The land that is now Kettering was settled from the late 1700s to the mid-1800s, mostly as farmland, and became part of Van Buren Township in 1841. In November 1952, township voters approved incorporating as the Village of Kettering, and by 1955 the population had grown to 38,118, enough to qualify for city status, which the state proclaimed on June 24, 1955, according to Wikipedia. The city is named for inventor Charles F. Kettering, who lived at his home, Ridgeleigh Terrace, from 1914 until his death in 1958.

Kettering grew quickly from the 1950s through the 1970s as residents moved out from Dayton after World War II. The Census Bureau counted 56,163 residents in 2010 and 57,862 in 2020, and its July 1, 2025 estimate is 57,396, down 0.8 percent from the April 2020 base. The city covers about 18.72 square miles of land (U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts).

Wikipedia describes the city's borders this way: Dayton, Riverside, and Oakwood to the north; West Carrollton and Moraine to the west; Miami Township to the southwest; Centerville and Washington Township to the south; and Beavercreek and Sugarcreek Township to the east. Wikipedia's Greene County article lists Kettering as mostly in Montgomery County, so a small part of the city crosses into Greene County.

Kettering has 20 parks covering 284 acres, according to Wikipedia, and it is home to the Fraze Pavilion, an outdoor venue that also hosts the Dayton Philharmonic's summer concerts. Other city landmarks include the Rosewood Arts Center, Pondview Park with its trails and six ponds, and the Town and Country Shopping Center near Far Hills Avenue and Stroop Road. Kettering College is in the city, the Dayton Metro Library has two branches here, and the Greater Dayton Regional Transit Authority runs bus service.

Property taxes in Kettering

Ohio property tax depends on the taxing district a parcel sits in, and Kettering has more than one.

For tax year 2025, payable in 2026, the Montgomery County Treasurer lists an effective residential rate of 69.89 mills for the main Kettering City taxing district (code N64). Ohio taxes homes on 35 percent of the county Auditor's market value, so 69.89 mills works out to about $2,446 a year for each $100,000 of market value, before credits such as the homestead exemption or the owner-occupancy reduction where they apply.

The same Treasurer rate sheet lists other Kettering City districts at rates from 60.75 mills to 67.58 mills, or about $2,126 to $2,365 a year per $100,000 of market value. Parcels in the Greene County part of the city are valued by the Greene County Auditor and billed at Greene County rates, which this guide does not list. Check the exact parcel before you budget.

Kettering also has a municipal income tax of 2.25 percent, in effect since January 1, 2007, according to the City of Kettering and the Ohio Department of Taxation. If you work in another Ohio city, ask your employer or a tax professional how credits for tax paid elsewhere apply to you.

Who Kettering suits

Kettering draws buyers from many backgrounds. It tends to fit people who want:

• A short drive to downtown Dayton. At about 5 miles from the city government center, Kettering works for buyers who commute into the city or who want easy access to downtown events.
• Reasonable access to Wright-Patterson AFB. Service members and civilian employees often compare Kettering with Beavercreek and Fairborn. Amanda's guide to VA loans near Wright-Patterson AFB and her overview of Wright-Patterson AFB BAH rates cover the basics for military buyers.
• Established housing with parks nearby. With 20 city parks and a large stock of mid-century homes, buyers can compare many similar houses side by side.
• A long-distance move. Buyers relocating from another state or from overseas can review neighborhoods and comparable sales and plan an offer remotely. Amanda's relocation services page explains how that works.

Explore nearby guides

About Amanda Mullins

Amanda Mullins, MBA, SRES, REALTOR® with eXp Realty in Springfield, Ohio, spent more than 13 years in residential appraisal management before she started helping buyers and sellers, so she reads a house and its comparable sales the way an appraisal reviewer would. She was named the 2026 RateMyAgent Agent of the Year for Champaign County and a 2026 RateMyAgent Top 5 Agent for Clark County, and she is a member of the Ohio REALTORS President's Sales Club (2024, 2025, and 2026).