Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 14,014.
Kettering grades C+ overall, 184th of 259 graded towns in Maryland, with clear strengths and some subjects that lag. It is more walkable than 92% of U.S. towns and natural-hazard risk is low. On the other side, its schools rank behind 92% of the state's. Kettering’s average trip to work is 41 minutes, where Maryland’s towns sit at 32 minutes and U.S. towns at 25 minutes. Only 4 of Maryland’s 329 towns score lower on history. Watkins Regional Park, at 640 acres with 5.2 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve.
Where Kettering beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
| School | Grades | Students |
|---|---|---|
| Perrywood Elementary | K–5 | 529 |
| Kettering Elementary | PK–5 | 415 |
| Kettering Middle | 6–8 | 874 |
12,790 counted in 2010 and 14,424 in 2020.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Maryland), ordered by how far Kettering is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 11,008 in 2000, 14,424 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and 7 maps from 1900 on.
Explore the history →Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Kettering. Close and well known come first.
Big draw13 mi National park siteWhite House311K visitors a year
Big draw13 mi National MemorialWashington Monument204K visitors a year
Big draw13 mi MuseumSmithsonian Institution30.0M visitors a year
Big draw15 mi LandmarkArlington National Cemetery
Big draw4 mi Stadium & arenaNorthwest Stadium
Big draw15 mi LandmarkUnited States Triumphal ArchWhite House: This image or media was taken or created by Matt H. Wade. To see his entire port, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Washington Monument: Oren Rozen, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Smithsonian Institution: Highsmith, Carol M., 1946-, photographer, Public domain · Arlington National Cemetery: Protoant, Public domain · Northwest Stadium: Maryland GovPics, CC BY 2.0 · United States Triumphal Arch: Hstoops, CC0
Kettering is unincorporated, so Prince George's County and regional agencies provide most services.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Mar 11, 2026.
Ordered by what stands out in Kettering.
Kettering sends many workers across the state line to Arlington and is healthy by national standards but mid-pack in Maryland.
8.1 miles of trail in 1 park or preserve. The trail density in Kettering is 1.5 miles per square mile.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Watkins Regional Park | 5.2 mi | 640 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Its public schools are run by the Prince George's County Public Schools. One of its 3 schools is below, with why it’s listed.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kettering MiddleLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8 | Grades 6–8 | 874 | C+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MD on state tests and graduation
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 85% of U.S. communities. Since 2008, 5 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Kettering.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
34% of working residents cross a state line to work, Arlington among the top destinations. Kettering has 1,561 jobs for its 6,363 working residents: even if every job went to a resident, most would still commute out.
Most working residents leave Kettering for work: only 1% work in town. Kettering’s median household income is $127,000. Since 2013, Kettering has lost 151 jobs, to 1,561 in 2023.
| Kettering | Maryland towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $127,000 | $113,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 0.7% | 3.2% | 8% |
| Work from home | 18% | 18% | 11% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.7% | 7% | 9.6% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Kettering has chilly winters and warm summers. July afternoons reach 88°, January nights drop to 26° and about 16 inches of snow falls in a winter.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
People 65 and older are 25% of residents (17% statewide); adults 18 to 34 are 16% of residents (22% statewide). 42% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 44% across Maryland.
| Kettering | Maryland towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 49.4 years | 39.4 years | 40.5 years |
| Aged 65 or older | 25% | 16% | 18% |
| Under 18 | 17% | 23% | 22% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 42% | 42% | 29% |
57% women, 43% men
About 76 men for every 100 women (the survey’s margin: ±2.8 points). Across Maryland, 51.3% of residents are women.
| Kettering | MD | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 9.9% | 11.9% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 7.2% | 10.3% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 5.1% | 8.5% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 10.6% | 13.2% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 13.3% | 13.6% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 11% | 12.6% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 17.8% | 13.3% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 15.2% | 9.9% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 9.8% | 6.8% | 7% |
| No diploma | 4.4% | 8.9% | 10.4% |
| High school | 19.1% | 23.4% | 26% |
| Some college | 27.4% | 17.4% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 7.5% | 6.8% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 17.8% | 22.7% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 23.8% | 20.8% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
Within Maryland it is less healthy than 65% of the 261 graded towns: Maryland sets a high bar. Against the 4,867 U.S. towns with household incomes like Kettering’s, it is less healthy than 79%: its national edge comes with its incomes.
10% of adults binge drink in Kettering. Kettering beats the Maryland average on 11 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 10. 44% of adults sleep under 7 hours in Kettering.
| Kettering | Maryland towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 10% | 14% | 16% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 20% | 23% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 45% | 35% | 35% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 44% | 38% | 36% |
| What stands out | Kettering | MD |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults with depression | 13.4% | 19.4% |
| Fewer binge drinkers | 10.3% | 14.1% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 12.6% | 9.9% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
86% of Kettering households own their home.
| Kettering | Maryland towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $2,297 a month | $1,809 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 86% | 74% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
22 within 15 miles of the center of Kettering
About 7 of every 100 Kettering residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Maryland.
Where Kettering’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
Census-designated place in Maryland, United States
Kettering is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. At the 2020 United States census, the population was 14,424. Kettering is adjacent to Prince George's Community College, the upscale gated community of Woodmore, Six Flags America, Evangel Temple megachurch, and the community of Largo at the end of the Washington Metro’s Blue and Silver Lines. Watkins Regional Park in Kettering offers a large playground, a colorful carousel, miniature golf, a miniature train ride, and various animals.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
6 towns share a border with Kettering.
| Town | MD rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kettering | #184 | C+ | C | — | D | B |
| Brock Hall | #187 | C+ | C− | — | D | A− |
| Largo | #180 | C+ | C | — | D | B |
| Woodmore | #209 | C | D | — | D | B+ |
| Lake Arbor | #169 | B− | C− | — | D | B+ |
| Bowie | #173 | C+ | C | C | D | A− |
| Mitchellville | #182 | C+ | D | — | D | B+ |
Kettering, Brock Hall, Largo, Woodmore, Lake Arbor and Mitchellville report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Kettering with a neighbor →
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Kettering grades C+ overall, better than 39% of U.S. towns and #184 of 259 in Maryland. It grades B for health and D for schools. Schools is its weak spot, with a D.
The typical home is worth about $419,000, 2% below the Maryland typical home. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C.
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