Kent, OH

Census place 3939872 · pop 27,116

D−43/ 100
🫤 Rough
D−
in OH
📍 Ohio ranks #28 of 50 states →
🏆 Disaster53/100 · top 12%
🚽 Mental23.9% · bottom 1%
💡 Did you know?

Home of Kent State University and the site of the 1970 Kent State shootings, when National Guardsmen killed four student protesters.

Source ↗
Taxes
1.57% property · US 0.99%7.29% sales · US 7.00%2.75% flat income · US 4.63%

Sales & income are statewide.

The breakdown — worst first

Poor mental health23.9%1

U.S. median 17.4% · worse than most cities

23.9% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).

Population growth (5yr)-9.0%3

U.S. median +2.4% · worse than most cities

-9.0% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?

Median household income$42,9645

U.S. median $67,857 · worse than most cities

$42,964 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.

Homeownership40.8%5

U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities

40.8% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.

Poverty rate27.1%6

U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities

27.1% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.

Income inequality0.517

U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities

Gini 0.51 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).

Broadband access85.4%14

U.S. median 90.0% · worse than most cities

85.4% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Unemployment rateCounty-level4.7%16

U.S. median 3.6% · worse than most cities

4.7% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Property-tax burden1.57%23

U.S. median 0.99% · worse than most cities

1.57% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.

Adult smoking14.0%43

U.S. median 14.6% · worse than most cities

14.0% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.

Physical inactivity26.2%44

U.S. median 26.5% · worse than most cities

26.2% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.

Air quality (AQI)County-level43 AQI51

U.S. median 42 AQI · better than most cities

43 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Unhealthy air daysCounty-level2 days51

U.S. median 1 days · better than most cities

2 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Uninsured adults8.5%61

U.S. median 9.3% · better than most cities

8.5% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.

Adult obesity33.0%61

U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities

33.0% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).

Housing cost$219,90066

U.S. median $214,900 · better than most cities

$219,900 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.

Commute time21 min71

U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities

21 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.

Rent$1,359/mo78

U.S. median $1,756/mo · better than most cities

$1,359/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).

Bachelor's degree or higher47.1%79

U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities

47.1% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.

Natural disaster riskCounty-level53/10088

U.S. median 77/100 · better than most cities

53/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Not measured for Kent: Crime, Property crime. Not every public source covers every city — EPA air monitors and Zillow rent only reach some places, and national crime data is still being added.

Frequently asked

Is Kent, OH a good place to live?
By the numbers, Kent scores 43/100 — a D− (Rough) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 20 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is natural disaster risk and its weakest is poor mental health. Ohio overall ranks #28 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
Is Kent, OH expensive to live in?
Kent has a median home value of $219,900 and typical rent around $1,359/mo — more affordable than most U.S. cities.
What's the biggest downside of living in Kent, OH?
Its weakest measured area is poor mental health (23.9%) — 1/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
What is Kent, OH best at?
Its strongest measured area is natural disaster risk (53/100) — 88/100, better than most U.S. cities. (A county-level figure.) Fun fact: Home of Kent State University and the site of the 1970 Kent State shootings, when National Guardsmen killed four student protesters.

Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.