Suburb
Kensington
- A+Overall Grade
- Suburb in Maryland
- 9 reviews
- Public SchoolsA+
- Crime & SafetyNG
- HousingB
- NightlifeB
- Good for FamiliesA+
- DiversityB+
- JobsA
- WeatherB
- Cost of LivingC+
- Health & FitnessA+
- Outdoor ActivitiesA-
- CommuteA-
Real Estate
Median Home Value
$662,900
National
$184,700Median Rent
$1,356
National
$949Sponsored Mortgage Options for Kensington
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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.
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.
Median Household Income
$132,750
National
$55,322Children
24%
Top Public Schools Serving Kensington
- A+
Walter Johnson High School
- Montgomery County Public Schools, MD
- 9-12
- 377 reviews
- A+
Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School
- Montgomery County Public Schools, MD
- 9-12
- 371 reviews
- A
North Bethesda Middle School
- Montgomery County Public Schools, MD
- 6-8
- 1 review
- A
Westland Middle School
- Montgomery County Public Schools, MD
- 6-8
- 1 review
- A
North Chevy Chase Elementary School
- Montgomery County Public Schools, MD
- 3-6
Top Private Schools in Kensington
Kensington Reviews
9 reviews
All Categories
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!
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.