Is Kent, OH a Good Place to Live?
Kent is a small city of 27,336 in Ohio, with a median household income of $37,505 and a 10.7% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 93 (US average = 100), which is 7% below the national average.
Strengths: Kent stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (B), a well-educated population, short average commutes.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Kent is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Kent city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 92.8Kent's overall cost of living index is 92.8, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Kent costs roughly 7% less than the average American city.
| Metric | Kent, OH | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $201,000 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $898 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 42.7% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $37,505 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Very SafeKent's violent crime rate is 127.2 per 100,000 residents — 67% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Kent is served primarily by Kent City. The student-to-teacher ratio is 17.8:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Kent, OH | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Kent City | — |
| Elementary Schools | 4 | — |
| Middle Schools | 1 | — |
| High Schools | 1 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 17.8:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 44.5% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 95.0% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Kent sees average highs of 33.9°F in January and 84.5°F in July, with 42.2 inches of annual precipitation and 45.0 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Kent, OH |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 33.9°F |
| Average High — July | 84.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 42.2" |
| Annual Snowfall | 45.0" |
Demographics
| Metric | Kent, OH | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 27,336 | — |
| Median Age | 23.8 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 10.7% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 21.7 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 81.4% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 8.8% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 1.9% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 3.2% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 13.7% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 10.7% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Kent
Kent, OH is covered by 2 ZIP codes: