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Living in
Kettering.
Kettering is an unincorporated community in Prince George's County, MD. It has no city government: the county runs it, and the Census counts it as its own place.
About
Life in Kettering
Living in Kettering means settling into a solidly middle-to-upper-middle-class African-American community just outside Washington, D.C., where you get suburban stability without the intensity of the city itself. Your commute to D.C. jobs typically runs about 37 minutes, and with the Metro's Blue and Silver Lines ending right at Largo (adjacent to Kettering), you have a genuine public transit option if you're willing to use it, though most residents drive. The job market is solid with unemployment at just 4.4%, and you'll find some economic anchor in nearby Prince George's Community College and government jobs that characterize the broader county, but this isn't a booming job hub—most people here work elsewhere and commute in.
Kettering at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
49.4 yrs
Poverty Rate
8.7%
Foreign-Born
16.7%
Broadband Internet
95.6%
of households
Population Growth
+2.5%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics16.7% foreign-born, most often from Egypt
Who lives in Kettering: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Kettering, the largest foreign-born group is from Egypt (13.1%), and 4.7% of residents speak Other at home.
Under 18
17.1%
of residents
65 and Older
25.0%
of residents
Households with Kids
22.6%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
38.6%
of households
Married Couples
29.0%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.35
people
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 35% above MD average
Rent, home values, and income in Kettering
In Kettering, rent runs 35% above the MD average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
28.9%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
7.8%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
108.9
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$4,541
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
85.6%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1989
median year built
Vacant Homes
1.2%
of housing units
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.4 pts above MD average
Unemployment in Kettering and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Prince George's County, which includes Kettering, is 0.4 percentage points higher than the MD average.
Unemployment rate
Kettering: Prince George's County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Prince George's County (county-wide) · Annual averages
Kettering is about 1% of Prince George's County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
What Kettering Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area
Commute40.7 min avg
How Kettering residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Kettering, most residents drive alone to work (66%), and 32% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 12 mi
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA)
Major hub12.0M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 19% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in the area policed by the Prince George's County Police Department, which covers Kettering, runs 19% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
265.4
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,919.2
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Policed by Prince George's County Police Department (county-wide rate)
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 25 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
93.2 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Prince George's County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Prince George's County, which includes Kettering, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 25 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 25 | Thunderstorm Wind | $118,000 |
| 2024 | 10 | Thunderstorm Wind | $273,000 |
| 2023 | 15 | Thunderstorm Wind | $122,000 |
| 2022 | 23 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1.9M |
| 2021 | 29 | Thunderstorm Wind | $462,000 |
| 2020 | 45 | Flood | $127,250 |
| 2019 | 42 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2018 | 41 | Flood | $1,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
1 earthquake of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Prince George's County, county-wide
Kettering is about 1% of Prince George's County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Air Quality40 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Prince George's County, which includes Kettering, is typically good — 306 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
40
Good Days
306
per year
Moderate Days
56
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Prince George's County, county-wide
Kettering is about 1% of Prince George's County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate86°F summers, 26°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Kettering has warm summers (avg high 86°F) and cold winters (avg low 26°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
65°/43°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
86°/65°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
69°/46°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
46°/26°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
45.0"
Annual Snowfall
15.9"
Hot Days/Year
32
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
103
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
111
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 44°F | 25°F | 2.96" |
| Feb | 47°F | 26°F | 2.66" |
| Mar | 55°F | 33°F | 3.92" |
| Apr | 67°F | 44°F | 3.38" |
| May | 75°F | 54°F | 4.11" |
| Jun | 84°F | 63°F | 4.20" |
| Jul | 88°F | 67°F | 4.22" |
| Aug | 86°F | 65°F | 4.12" |
| Sep | 80°F | 58°F | 4.51" |
| Oct | 69°F | 46°F | 4.13" |
| Nov | 58°F | 36°F | 3.25" |
| Dec | 48°F | 29°F | 3.55" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Kettering
Uninsured
1.7%
of residents
No hospitals inside Kettering's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
University of MD Capital Region Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 1.7 mi away · Upper Marlboro
Luminis Health Doctors Community Medical Ctr, Inc.
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 7.2 mi away · Lanham
United Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 9.7 mi away · Washington
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education14.0:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Kettering
Kettering's student/teacher ratio is 14.0:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 41.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
3
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
41.6%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
14.0:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Kettering (within 15 miles)
University of Maryland Global Campus
2.6 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 49,664 students · in-state tuition $8,280 · 32% graduate · median earnings $68,110 (10 yrs after entry)
University of Maryland-College Park
10 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 30,760 students · in-state tuition $12,290 · 86% graduate · median earnings $89,228 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 11,182 students · in-state tuition $70,170 · 86% graduate · median earnings $96,691 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 10,108 students · in-state tuition $38,936 · 69% graduate · median earnings $69,682 (10 yrs after entry)
Strayer University-Global Region
11.9 mi awayPrivate for-profit · 4-year · 9,376 students · in-state tuition $13,920 · 14% graduate · median earnings $44,016 (10 yrs after entry)
Prince George's Community College
0.6 mi awayPublic · 2-year · 8,815 students · in-state tuition $4,034 · 13% graduate · median earnings $52,882 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Fort Dupont Park, 7 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Kettering
Kettering has 8 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Fort Dupont Park (7 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Fort Dupont Park
National Park Site
7 mi awayKenilworth Park & Aquatic Gardens
National Park Site
7 mi awayAnacostia Park
Park
8 mi awayGreenbelt Park
Park
8 mi awayCapitol Hill Parks
National Park Site
9 mi awayFrederick Douglass National Historic Site
National Historic Site
9 mi awayBaltimore-Washington Parkway
Parkway
10 mi awayBelmont-Paul Women's Equality National Monument
National Monument
10 mi awayCities Near Kettering
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Kettering?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Kettering FAQ
Is Kettering, Maryland affordable?⌄
Kettering's median rent is $2,297/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $126,938/year. Median home value is $418,500.
Is Kettering, Maryland safe?⌄
Kettering is policed by the Prince George's County Police Department, whose violent crime rate across its service area was 265 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is below the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1919 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Kettering, Maryland?⌄
Prince George's County, which includes Kettering, has an unemployment rate of 4.4%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Kettering, Maryland?⌄
The cost of living in Kettering is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $2,297/month and median household income is $126,938/year. The median home value is $418,500. About 29% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Kettering, Maryland?⌄
The average commute in Kettering is 41 minutes, which is significantly longer than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from