North Kensington is a Democratic stronghold. About 79% of voters here vote Democratic and 21% Republican.
About 81% of adults in North Kensington typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in North Kensington, ~64% vote Democratic, ~17% Republican, and ~19% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How North Kensington compares
Among neighborhoods within 5 miles, North Kensington leans more Democratic than 3 of 6 neighbors.
North Kensington runs about 30 points more Democratic than Maryland as a whole.
Politics vary noticeably by block within North Kensington. The southeast side is the most Democratic-leaning (D+74) and the north side is the least Democratic-leaning (D+52), a spread of about 23 points.
Why North Kensington leans the way it does
This analysis examined 14,881 data points per neighborhood to find what predicts political lean and turnout. The items below are a few correlations that stood out for North Kensington, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Areas with high college attainment vote Democratic. About 62% of adults in North Kensington hold a bachelor's degree, about 34 points above the U.S. average of 28%.
Park access and Democratic lean
Places with heavy park coverage tend to lean Democratic; North Kensington, Kensington, MD sits in the top quarter nationally on this measure. Park access does not change how people vote; it tends to track denser, higher-income areas.
Why turnout in North Kensington looks the way it does
Areas with strong routine healthcare access turn out at higher rates. North Kensington is in the top quarter nationally for routine-care measures such as insurance coverage, preventive screenings, and dental visits. The dental-visit rate here is about 73%, about 13 points above the U.S. average of 60%. Learn more about the findings and methodology on the political spectrum map.
Nearby Neighborhoods
- Wheaton-Glenmont, Wheaton, MD D+51
- Forest Glen, Silver Spring, MD D+75
- Silver Rock, Rockville, MD D+46
- Takoma Park, Washington, DC D+84
- Barnaby Woods, Washington, DC D+74
- Croydon Park, Rockville, MD D+46
- Carroll Manor, Takoma Park, MD D+84
- New Hampshire Gardens, Takoma Park, MD D+78
- Hillandale, Silver Spring, MD D+53
- West End Park, Rockville, MD D+55
Neighborhoods with Similar Populations
- View Ridge, Seattle, WA D+70
- Saint Francis Wood, San Francisco, CA D+55
- Five Points, Great Lakes, IL D+42
- Oakwood, Waco, TX Even
- Southwestern Hills, Des Moines, IA D+18
- Tarrytown, Austin, TX D+27
- Mission Hills, Pittsburgh, PA D+37
- Lyons Tradewinds Park, Coconut Creek, FL D+6
- Waverley Square, Belmont, MA D+62
- Sans Souci, Jacksonville, FL R+14
Sources and methodology
Precinct-level voting records used to fit the model come from Maryland State Board of Elections, distributed by the Voting and Election Science Team. Demographic inputs come from the U.S. Census Bureau (ACS 5-year estimates and the 2020 Decennial Census). Health and environmental inputs come from the CDC (PLACES and the Environmental Justice Index). Land cover comes from the USGS and EPA. Election-day and lead-up weather come from PRISM 4km daily grids and the NOAA Global Historical Climatology Network. Mail-voting and election-administration patterns come from the MIT Election Lab's Survey of the Performance of American Elections. Block-group crime detail comes from CrimeGrade. Internet data and modeling support provided by ISPreports.org.
Modeling and analysis by the BestNeighborhood data science team. Full methodology and findings: political spectrum map.
Methodology reviewed by the BestNeighborhood data team. Last updated May 2026.