Kent vs Stow
Kent, Ohio versus Stow, Ohio: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Kent and Stow score about the same overall (48 vs 48 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Kent | Stow |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $38k | $90k |
| Cost of Living | $45k | $43k |
| Home Value | $201k | $227k |
| Monthly Rent | $898 | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.61% | 1.58% |
| Income Tax | 5.50% | 5.50% |
| Sales Tax | 7.24% | 7.24% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 16.49% | 11.89% |
| Unemployment | 10.7% | 4.4% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 29°F | 29°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 74°F | 74°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 42.3 in | 41.6 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 45.0 in | 45.0 in |
| Sunny Days | 163 days | 163 days |
| Summer Humidity | 62°F | 62°F |
| Comfortable Days | 97 days | 97 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 36.0 | 11.6 |
| Air Quality | 55 AQI | 59 AQI |
| School Quality | 84.3 | 43.8 |
| Violent Crime | 700/100k | 657/100k |
| Property Crime | 1187/100k | 1419/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 27,336 | 34,459 |
| Median Age | 23.8 | 39.7 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.33 | 0.20 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.87 | 0.97 |
| Political Leaning | R+13 | Even |
| White (%) | 80.2% | 88.5% |
| Black (%) | 8.1% | 3.3% |
| Hispanic (%) | 2.8% | 1.0% |
| Asian (%) | 3.2% | 3.3% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 5.7% | 3.9% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 22 min | 25 min |
| Walkability | 8.1/20 | 7.4/20 |
| Airport Distance | 32 mi | 27 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 83.1% | 93.7% |
| Amenities Nearby | 72.43 | 106.79 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | Good |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Kent or Stow more affordable?
- Stow has the lower cost of living: its index is $43k, compared with Kent's $45k and Stow's $43k. Median rent is $898 in Kent versus $1k in Stow.
- Is Kent or Stow safer?
- Stow has the lower violent crime rate. Kent reports 700/100k and Stow reports 657/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Kent or Stow?
- The median home value is $201k in Kent and $227k in Stow, so homes are more affordable in Kent.