Kettering is a city in Montgomery County, Ohio, USA. It's like a close-by neighborhood of the bigger city, Dayton. In 2020, about 57,862 people lived here. This makes Kettering the biggest suburb around Dayton.

History of Kettering
Geography and Location
Kettering's Population
- Population in 2010
Parks and Fun Places
Education in Kettering
- Colleges and Higher Learning
Transportation
City Services
Famous People from Kettering
Sister Cities
Images for kids
See also

History of Kettering

The land where Kettering is today was first settled between the late 1700s and mid-1800s. It was mostly used for farms. As more people moved in, a new area called Van Buren Township was created in 1841.

In November 1952, people living in the township voted to become the Village of Kettering. A small part of the village later separated and became the City of Moraine. By 1955, Kettering's population grew to 38,118. This large number meant it could become a city, which happened officially on June 24.

The city is named after a famous inventor, Charles F. Kettering. He lived in Kettering at his home, Ridgeleigh Terrace, from 1914 until he passed away in 1958. Charles Kettering was known for many inventions that helped the Dayton area.

From the 1950s to the 1970s, Kettering's population kept growing. Over 30,000 new residents moved in. Many people moved from nearby Dayton after World War II. Since the 1980s, Kettering's population has slowly decreased. This is partly because people are getting older and some manufacturing jobs have left the area.

Geography and Location

An aerial view showing Kettering Fairmont High School

Kettering covers about 18.75 square miles (48.56 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a very small amount of water.

The city shares its borders with several other towns and townships. To the north, it borders Dayton, Riverside, and Oakwood. To the west, you'll find West Carrollton and Moraine. South of Kettering are Miami Township, Centerville, and Washington Township. Finally, to the east, Kettering borders Beavercreek and Sugarcreek Township.

Kettering's Population

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1960	54,462	—
1970	69,599	27.8%
1980	61,223	−12.0%
1990	60,569	−1.1%
2000	57,502	−5.1%
2010	56,163	−2.3%
2020	57,862	3.0%
Sources:

Population in 2010

In 2010, about 56,163 people lived in Kettering. There were 25,427 households, which are groups of people living together. The city had about 3,006 people per square mile.

Most residents, 92.6%, were White. About 3.3% were African American, and 1.3% were Asian. People of Hispanic or Latino background made up 2.1% of the population.

About 26.3% of households had children under 18 living with them. Many households (43.4%) were married couples. The average household had 2.19 people. The average family had 2.83 people.

The average age in Kettering was 40.9 years old. About 21% of residents were under 18. About 18% were 65 years or older. The city had slightly more females (52.3%) than males (47.7%).

Parks and Fun Places

The Patterson Memorial in Hills and Dales MetroPark

Kettering has 20 parks that cover a total of 284 acres (1.15 square kilometers). These parks offer many places to play and relax.

Fraze Pavilion

The Fraze Pavilion is a big outdoor place for concerts and shows. The Dayton Philharmonic also holds its summer concerts here.

Sports and Skateboarding

The James S. Trent Arena opened in 2005. It can hold 4,400 people for events. For sports championships, it seats 3,650 fans. This arena is located at Fairmont High School.

Skate Plaza is a large skateboard park, about 40,000 square feet (3,716 square meters). It opened in 2005. This park was a team effort between the City of Kettering and Rob Dyrdek. Rob Dyrdek is a professional skateboarder who grew up in Kettering.

Arts and Nature

The Rosewood Arts Center used to be an elementary school. Now, it welcomes 100,000 visitors each year. It offers art classes, shows, and an art gallery. It also hosts the Art on the Commons festival.

The Town and Country Shopping Center is a shopping area. It has both indoor and outdoor shops. It's in the middle of Kettering.

Pondview Park is a special park where you can explore nature on your own. It has trails, six ponds, and a butterfly garden. It's a great place to see beautiful scenery.

Education in Kettering

The Kettering City School District has several schools. It includes Kettering Fairmont High School. There are also two middle schools, Van Buren and Kettering. The district has eight elementary schools: Beavertown, Greenmont, Indian Riffle, J.E. Prass, J.F. Kennedy, Oakview, Orchard Park, and Southdale. In 2009–2010, Kettering schools met all state standards. They earned the highest state rating, "Excellent with Distinction."

Kettering also has several private schools. These include Alexandria Montessori School, Archbishop Alter High School, Ascension School, Emmanuel Christian Academy, St. Albert The Great School, and St. Charles Borromeo School.

Colleges and Higher Learning

Kettering College offers two-year and four-year college degrees. You can study subjects like Nursing, Sonography, and Radiology Technology. They also have master's degrees. The Modern College of Design offers two-year degrees in graphic design.

The main office for the Driving Schools Association of the Americas (DSAA) is in Kettering. The DSAA is a large group that teaches people how to drive safely. They help make roads safer for everyone.

Kettering has two public libraries. Both are part of the Dayton Metro Library system.

Transportation

The Greater Dayton Regional Transit Authority provides bus service in Kettering. This helps people get around the city without a car.

City Services

Kettering has its own fire department. The Kettering Fire Department is in charge of fire protection. It has six fire stations and many firefighters. The department is changing to have five stations in the future.

The Kettering Police Department provides police protection. It has 83 police officers. This police department is special because it has two important accreditations. This means it meets high standards for law enforcement and corrections.

Famous People from Kettering

Many notable people have connections to Kettering:

Richard Black, an artist who created the Mr. Clean mascot.
Chris Borland, a former NFL linebacker.
Tony Campana, a former MLB player.
Nancy Cartwright, a voice actress famous for playing Bart Simpson on The Simpsons.
Andrew Chafin, an MLB Pitcher.
Brooklyn Decker, a model who appeared in Sports Illustrated.
Rob Dyrdek, a professional skateboarder and TV personality.
Tony P. Hall, a former member of the U.S. House of Representatives.
A. J. Hawk, a former NFL linebacker.
Brady Hoke, a football coach.
Jeff Long, a director of athletics at the University of Arkansas.
Jim Paxson, a former NBA player and general manager.
John Paxson, a former NBA player and basketball executive.
Nathan W. Pyle, a cartoonist known for Strange Planet.
Ted Rall, an editorial cartoonist and writer.
Chris Rolfe, a former MLS player.
Gary Sandy, an actor from the TV show WKRP in Cincinnati.
Sherri Saum, an actress.
Malik Zaire, a college Quarterback.