Kensington, Maryland Population, Hospitals, Airports, and Schools

Kensington, Maryland is a small city located in Montgomery County. It is close to Washington, DC and only a 20 minute drive away from downtown. The city has a population of around 2,000 people and is known for its quaint charm and small-town feel. Geographically, Kensington is located on an elevation of 200 feet above sea level, with the highest point in the city being at about 500 feet. The city has a humid subtropical climate with hot summers and mild winters.

The history of Kensington dates back to 1783 when it was founded by Joseph Gales Jr., who named it after his hometown of Kensington, England. Since then, the town has developed into a modern suburb of Washington D.C., although it still retains its old-world charm. Politically, Kensington is part of Montgomery County and follows county policies and regulations. As for the economy, Kensington’s main industry is tourism due to its proximity to Washington D.C., as well as its many historical sites such as the National Park Service’s Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park which runs through the town center.

Kensington also boasts some excellent schools including Blake High School and Albert Einstein High School which offer strong academic programs in addition to extracurricular activities like sports teams and clubs for students to get involved in. Moreover, there are numerous private schools in Kensington that cater to families looking for more specialized education options for their children.

In terms of landmarks, there are some great attractions in Kensington such as the Historic District which features buildings from the late 19th century that have been preserved over time; Rock Creek Park which offers spectacular views and plenty of recreational activities; and Strathmore Hall Arts Center which hosts various performing arts events throughout the year including concerts, plays and dance performances among others. Additionally there are several monuments throughout town commemorating important figures from the Revolutionary War era or other historical events related to this area such as General Montgomery’s Monument or Luther Place Memorial Church which was built in 1873 by freed slaves after they were emancipated following the Civil War.

Population: 1,873. Estimated population in July 2024: 1,920 (+2.5% change)
Males: 879 (46.9%), Females: 994 (53.1%)

Zip codes: 20895.

Demographics

Median resident age: 41.7 years
Median household income: $76,716
Median house value: $278,600

Population by Race

Races in Kensington:

  • White Non-Hispanic (87.0%)
  • Hispanic (4.6%)
  • Black (2.5%)
  • Two or more races (2.5%)
  • Other race (1.5%)
  • American Indian (1.2%)
  • Filipino (0.8%)
  • Other Asian (0.6%)

Ancestries: Irish (21.9%), English (15.6%), German (13.3%), Polish (5.3%), Italian (4.9%), Russian (4.6%).

Land area: 0.5 square miles

Map of Kensington, MD

Population by Education

Kensington, Maryland is a small town located in Montgomery County. It has a population of 2,213 people as of 2019. The majority of the population is white, making up 83.4% of the population. African Americans make up 8.4% and Asians make up 5.8%. Other races make up the remaining 2.4%.

The median age in Kensington is 45 years old with a gender ratio that is slightly female-dominant at 51% female and 49% male. The median household income for Kensington was $108,802 in 2018 and the per capita income was $48,118 in 2018. The unemployment rate for Kensington was 3% in 2019 which is lower than the national average of 3.7%.

Kensington has a great diversity of housing options ranging from single family homes to condos and townhouses to apartments and senior living facilities. The median home value was $564,400 in 2018 which is higher than the state average of $431,500 but still much lower than some other areas in Montgomery County such as Potomac or Bethesda where home values are over one million dollars on average.

For population 25 years and over in Kensington

  • High school or higher: 93.2%
  • Bachelor’s degree or higher: 58.8%
  • Graduate or professional degree: 28.6%
  • Unemployed: 2.8%
  • Mean travel time to work: 28.5 minutes

For population 15 years and over in Kensington town

  • Never married: 21.7%
  • Now married: 62.0%
  • Separated: 2.2%
  • Widowed: 7.1%
  • Divorced: 7.1%

15.0% Foreign born (5.2% Europe, 4.6% Latin America, 2.2% Africa).

Population change in the 1990s: +126 (+7.2%).

Hospitals

Hospitals/medical centers near Kensington:

  • SUBURBAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION (about 3 miles; BETHESDA, MD)
  • HOLY CROSS HOSPITAL (about 4 miles; SILVER SPRING, MD)
  • WASHINGTON ADVENTIST HOSP (about 6 miles; TAKOMA PARK, MD)

Airports

Airports certified for carrier operations nearest to Kensington:

  • RONALD REAGAN WASHINGTON NATIONAL (about 13 miles; WASHINGTON, DC; Abbreviation: DCA)
  • ANDREWS AFB (about 22 miles; CAMP SPRINGS, MD; Abbreviation: ADW)
  • WASHINGTON DULLES INTERNATIONAL (about 27 miles; WASHINGTON, DC; Abbreviation: IAD)

Other public-use airports nearest to Kensington:

  • MONTGOMERY COUNTY AIRPARK (about 12 miles; GAITHERSBURG, MD; Abbreviation: GAI)
  • COLLEGE PARK (about 12 miles; COLLEGE PARK, MD; Abbreviation: CGS)
  • SOUTH CAPITOL STREET (about 13 miles; WASHINGTON, DC; Abbreviation: 09W)

Amtrak stations near Kensington:

  • 7 miles: ROCKVILLE (HUNGERFORD DR. & PARK ST.). Services: partially wheelchair accessible, public payphones, paid short-term parking, paid long-term parking, call for taxi service, public transit connection.
  • 10 miles: WASHINGTON (50 MASSACHUSETTS AVE. N.E.). Services: ticket office, fully wheelchair accessible, enclosed waiting area, public restrooms, public payphones, full-service food facilities and snack bar, ATM, paid short-term parking, paid long-term parking, car rental agency, taxi stand, public transit connection.
  • 16 miles: ALEXANDRIA (110 CALLAHAN DR.). Services: ticket office, partially wheelchair accessible, enclosed waiting area, public restrooms, public payphones, vending machines, ATM, free short-term parking, free long-term parking, call for car rental service, call for taxi service, public transit connection.

Colleges and Universities

Colleges/universities with over 2000 students nearest to Kensington:

  • AMERICAN UNIVERSITY (about 6 miles; WASHINGTON, DC; Full-time enrollment: 8,859)
  • UNIVERSITY OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA (about 7 miles; WASHINGTON, DC; Full-time enrollment: 3,223)
  • UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND-UNIVERSITY COLLEGE (about 8 miles; Adelphi, MD; Full-time enrollment: 8,434)
  • MONTGOMERY COLLEGE (about 9 miles; ROCKVILLE, MD; Full-time enrollment: 11,829)
  • CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA (about 9 miles; WASHINGTON, DC; Full-time enrollment: 4,472)
  • GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY (about 9 miles; WASHINGTON, DC; Full-time enrollment: 16,045)
  • MARYMOUNT UNIVERSITY (about 10 miles; ARLINGTON, VA; Full-time enrollment: 2,479)

Schools

Public high school in Kensington:

  • ALBERT EINSTEIN HIGH (Students: 1,815; Location: 11135 NEWPORT MILL RD; Grades: 09 – 12)

Private high schools in Kensington:

  • THE NEWPORT SCHOOL (Students: 506; Location: 11311 NEWPORT MILL ROAD; Grades: PK – 12)
  • ACADEMY OF THE HOLY CROSS (Students: 454; Location: 4920 STRATHMORE AVENUE; Grades: 9 – 12; Girls only)

Public primary/middle schools in Kensington:

  • NEWPORT MILL MIDDLE (Students: 663; Location: 11311 NEWPORT MILL RD; Grades: 06 – 08)
  • ROCK VIEW ELEMENTARY (Students: 515; Location: 3901 DENFELD AVE; Grades: PK – 05)
  • KENSINGTON PARKWOOD ELEMENTARY (Students: 406; Location: 4710 SAUL RD; Grades: KG – 05)
  • STEPHEN KNOLLS SCHOOL (Students: 137; Location: 10731 ST MARGARETS WAY; Grades: PK – 12)

Private primary/middle schools in Kensington:

  • HOLY REDEEMER ELEM SCHOOL (Students: 584; Location: 9715 SUMMIT AVENUE; Grades: PK – 8)
  • EVERGREEN MONTESSORI SCHOOL (Students: 90; Location: 10101 CONNECTICUT AVENUE; Grades: PK – 6)