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Suburb
Washington, D.C.

Kensington

#1 in Best Places to Raise a Family in Maryland
  • A+
    Overall Grade
  • Suburb in Maryland
  • 10 reviews
A+
Overall Niche Grade
How are grades calculated?
  1. Public Schools
    A+
  2. Crime & Safety
    NG
  3. Housing
    B
  4. Nightlife
    B
  5. Good for Families
    A+
  6. Diversity
    B+
  7. Jobs
    A
  8. Weather
    B
  9. Cost of Living
    C+
  10. Health & Fitness
    A+
  11. Outdoor Activities
    A-
  12. Commute
    A-
View Full Report Card
Kensington is a suburb of Washington, D.C. with a population of 2,171. Kensington is in Montgomery County and is one of the best places to live in Maryland. Living in Kensington offers residents a suburban feel and most residents own their homes. In Kensington there are a lot of coffee shops and parks. Many families live in Kensington and residents tend to have moderate political views. The public schools in Kensington are highly rated.
About Kensington...
Population
2,171

Real Estate

Median Home Value
$675,400
National
$184,700
Median Rent
$1,441
National
$949
Area Feel
Suburban
Rent vs. Own
  • Rent
    41%
  • Own
    59%
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Kensington Rankings

Niche ranks thousands of places to live based on key statistics from the U.S. Census and and expert insights.

Crime & Safety

Crime & Safety
NG
Based on violent and property crime rates.
Violent Crimes
  • Calculated annually per 100,000 residents
National
  • Assault
    —
    283
  • Murder
    —
    6
  • Rape
    —
    41
  • Robbery
    —
    136
Property Crimes
  • Calculated annually per 100,000 residents
National
  • Burglary
    —
    500
  • Theft
    —
    2,043
  • Motor Vehicle Theft
    —
    284
Home Security Options for Kensington
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  • 24/7 Whole home protection with no contract
  • CNET Editor’s choice winner 2018

Residents

Diversity
B+
Based on ethnic and economic diversity.
Age
  • <10 years
    16%
  • 10-17 years
    11%
  • 18-24 years
    6%
  • 25-34 years
    8%
  • 35-44 years
    16%
  • 45-54 years
    17%
  • 55-64 years
    12%
  • 65+ years
    15%
Education Levels
National
  • Master's degree or higher
    46%
    12%
  • Bachelor's degree
    29%
    19%
  • Some college or associate's degree
    13%
    29%
  • High school diploma or equivalent
    9%
    28%
  • Less than high school diploma
    3%
    13%

Working in Kensington

Jobs
A
Based on employment rates, job and business growth, and cost of living.
Median Household Income
$127,000
National
$55,322
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Places to Work in Kensington

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Kensington Reviews

10 reviews
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Kensington is a small suburb about eight miles from the Capitol dome as a bird flies. It has lots of schools and churches etc., and most people are pretty well off (not everyone). It does not have a lot of diversity. And people can pretty much ignore what is going on in the world around them if they want to. There are parks and a pretty nice downtown you can walk to from most parts of town. (Finally got a Chipotle and Five Guys - now there are three places to hang out, including Continental PIzza - at least til 8 pm.) That 's one problem; no place to hang out unless you go down to Bethesda or out to one of the malls, and that means driving or getting a ride. I have good friends in Kensington, and I have had a good life there. I just wish it were more welcoming to more kinds of people. Maybe it is just time to move out of the little pond and into the big wide ocean!
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The Town of Kensington involves a strong sense of community. It seems that the majority of households have school-age children. Parents accompany their kids to the park and kids sporting events which is a good place for them to meet other parents/residents and/or catch up with friends. The public schools are excellent and parents are very involved. The community "Listserv", a community discussion group where subscribers can post messages, is an ideal place for residents to keep up with what is going on in the Town. The Town Council is comprised of residents and communication between the Town and residents is excellent. The Town provides it's own trash (including bulk trash), recycling, snow removal and public area landscaping which far exceeds the service levels that the County is able to provide. There is a full-time administrative staff available every day at the Town Hall. Very few younger families move out of the Town of Kensington to upgrade their lifestyle. Turnover is slow to moderate, mostly due to older residents moving on, or due to professional relocation. It's a great place to live.
As in any community, there is crime, and there is a certain level of that in the Town of Kensington, albeit largely petty. From time to time, we hear about unlocked cars having items stolen from them, but I hear about very little serious crime taking place within the town. Having said that, being a "close-in" community to Washington, DC., located within a densely populated, culturally and economically diverse part of the County, adjacent to major County traffic corridors, there is always potential for crime to spill over into our community. As a result, police are visible and are reportedly very responsive when needed. We don't sleep with our doors unlocked, but we enjoy a reasonable sense of security.