Rent vs buy in Kettering, OH
In Kettering, Ohio, the typical rent is $1,355 /mo and the typical home is $244,185.
Over 7 years, renting comes out ahead by $34k
Using Kettering's typical rent and home value, plus 20% down and the mortgage rate today. No break-even point appears within 30 years.
An opinion, clearly labelled, with the math shown. These are estimates, not quotes. Adjust any number and the stamp changes with it.
- Renting leads by
- $34k after 7 years
- Break-even point
- 30+ years owning never catches up sooner
- Real cost of owning
- $2,339 /mo year 1, against $1,355 rent
Change my numbers
The stamp pulls its figures from Kettering's typical home value and typical rent. Change your rent, price or years, and the result can flip.
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Does renting or buying cost less in Kettering?
Across 7 years, renting saves $33,690 after counting the money you get back when you sell. Through all the years shown, renting's net cost is lower than owning's, and owning never makes up the gap within 30 years.
Rent. Buy. Cumulative net cost for each year.
Kettering: average rent against mortgage payment
The rent and mortgage aren't the whole story. Every monthly cost for year 1 appears below at Kettering's typical price.
| Each month, year 1 | Amount | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Rent | $1,355 | All of it, every month |
| Mortgage payment | $1,331 | $1,173 of it is interest in year 1 |
| Property tax | $372 | 1.83% of the value a year |
| Insurance | $91 | Census median for the city |
| Upkeep | $203 | 1% of the value a year |
| Owning, cash out | $1,998 | $158 of it builds equity |
| Lost return on the down payment | $397 | What your cash would earn yearly at 8.3% |
| Buying costs, spread out | $102 | 3.5% of the price over 7 years |
| True cost of owning | $2,339 | Cash out minus equity, then add the two lines above |
What numbers drive the Kettering verdict
- Typical home valueZillow ZHVI, September 2026
- $244,185
- Typical rentZillow ZORI, September 2026
- $1,355 /mo
- Down payment20% avoids private mortgage insurance, which the engine does not model
- 20%
- Mortgage rateFreddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (FRED MORTGAGE30US)
- 7.24%
- Home price growthFHFA house price index, Ohio, 1995 to 2025
- 3.5% a year
- Rent growthCPI rent of primary residence, yearly growth 2006 to 2026
- 3.5% a year
- Return on savings60% S&P 500 with dividends and 40% 10-year Treasuries, rebalanced yearly, 1928 to 2025
- 8.3% a year
- Property taxCensus ACS 2020-2024, Kettering
- 1.83% of value
- Home insuranceCensus ACS 2020-2024, Kettering
- $91 /mo
- MaintenanceFannie Mae, low end of 1% to 4%
- 1% of value a year
- Buying costsFreddie Mac, middle of 2% to 5%
- 3.5% of price
- Selling costsAgent commission plus closing costs
- 6% of price
In Kettering, what would flip it?
Each line marks the point where Kettering's 7-year verdict flips, while everything else stays as it is.
Renting wins if
- Home prices grow less than 5.3% yearly (we use 3.5%, a long-run rate taken from Ohio's history).
- The mortgage rate remains above 4.77%.
- A similar home rents for under $1,720 each month; the typical figure here is $1,355.
- Moving at any time during the next 30 years means owning never catches up with these figures.
Buying wins if
- Home prices rise by more than 5.3% a year.
- You lock in a mortgage rate under 4.77% (today's is 7.24%).
- For the same home, monthly rent would run more than $1,720.
How Kettering compares with the other 812 cities
| Measure | Kettering | Median city |
|---|---|---|
| Typical home value | $244,185 | $422,451 |
| Typical rent | $1,355 /mo | $1,837 /mo |
| Price-to-rent ratio | 15.0 (#622 of 813) | 18.5 |
| Home prices, last 10 years | 7.1% a year | 6.2% a year |
| Rents, last 5 years | 5.1% a year | 4% a year |
| Property tax | 1.83% | 0.87% |
| Households that rent | 35% | 42% |
Sources: Zillow ZHVI and ZORI, Census ACS 2020-2024.
Other Ohio cities
- Rent. Columbus, OH. Renting is ahead by $12k.
- Buy. Cleveland, OH. Buying is ahead by $49k.
- Rent. Cincinnati, OH. Renting is ahead by $19k.
- Buy. Toledo, OH. Buying is ahead by $21k.
- Buy. Akron, OH. Buying is ahead by $19k.
- Buy. Dayton, OH. Buying is ahead by $25k.
- Rent. Parma, OH. Renting is ahead by $25k.
- Toss-up. Canton, OH. It's a toss-up, with renting $2k ahead.
- Buy. Lorain, OH. Buying comes out $7k ahead.
- Rent. Hamilton, OH. Renting is ahead by $44k.
- Buy. Youngstown, OH. Buying is ahead by $54k.
- Toss-up. Springfield, OH. It's a toss-up, with renting ahead by $713.