Population 20,612 · Census ACS 2020–24
Choose a measure to map it.Tap a measure to map it. Swipe the row for more. Arrows show the change since 2006–10.
Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
Younger residents
Older residents
Colorblind friendly
off
More maps of Kensington: Best Neighborhoods · Walk Grade · Household income · Home prices · Race · Politics · Traffic noise · Internet
Population and households in Kensington
Household size in Kensington
| Period | Kensington | Philadelphia area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.82 | 2.64 | 2.51 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.79 | 2.68 | 2.53 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.69 | 2.65 | 2.50 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.24 | 2.57 | 2.46 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.58 | −0.07 | −0.05 | −0.03 |
Households in Kensington are small: just 2.24 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Household size has dropped from 2.82 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Kensington
| Period | Kensington | Philadelphia area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 32.3 | 38.5 | 40.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 32.7 | 39.3 | 41.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 33.5 | 40.3 | 41.8 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 34.8 | 40.4 | 42.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.5 | +1.9 | +1.7 | +2.3 |
With a median age of just 34.8, Kensington is far younger than the country as a whole (40.1), a population that tilts toward young adults, many of them living alone or as couples. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 32.3, in line with the national trend.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Kensington
| Period | Kensington | Philadelphia area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 24.4% | 12.2% | 10.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 16.1% | 11.8% | 10.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 13.2% | 11.7% | 10.5% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 11.2% | 12.1% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −13.2 pts | −0.1 pts | +0.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head just over one in ten households in Kensington (11.2%), close to the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share has fallen 13.2 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Kensington
Renters in Kensington
| Period | Kensington | Philadelphia area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 46.3% | 30.2% | 29.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 46.7% | 32.1% | 30.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 40.0% | 32.7% | 31.1% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 48.4% | 33.2% | 30.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | +2.0 pts | +3.0 pts | +1.7 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is far more common in Kensington than nationally: 48.4% of households rent their homes, against 34.8%. Among homeowners, 32.6% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the center; owners are most common in the southeast. The renter share has risen 2.0 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Kensington
| Period | Kensington | Philadelphia area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 19.1% | 9.1% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 16.8% | 9.2% | 10.5% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 15.5% | 9.0% | 10.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 11.2% | 6.9% | 9.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −7.9 pts | −2.2 pts | −1.2 pts | −1.8 pts |
A few more homes sit empty in Kensington than nationally: 11.2%, against 9.6%. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 7.9 points, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Kensington
| Period | Kensington | Philadelphia area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1939 | 1964 | 1963 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1940 | 1965 | 1964 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1939 | 1965 | 1965 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1954 | 1968 | 1967 | 1980 |
| Change | +15 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
The housing in Kensington is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1954, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. The median year built has moved up from 1939 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the center, the oldest in the east.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Kensington
| Period | Kensington | Philadelphia area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $763 | $1,049 | $829 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $881 | $1,147 | $923 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,085 | $1,281 | $1,039 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,549 | $1,631 | $1,323 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$786 | +$582 | +$494 | +$606 |
The median renter in Kensington pays $1,549 a month for rent and utilities, close to the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $786 a month since 2006–10, up 103%, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 28.3% of the typical renter's income, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. The priciest rents are in the southeast; the most affordable are in the north.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Kensington
Bachelor's degrees in Kensington
| Period | Kensington | Philadelphia area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.5% | 32.7% | 27.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 20.4% | 34.4% | 28.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 30.4% | 37.9% | 31.8% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 48.6% | 42.3% | 35.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +35.2 pts | +9.6 pts | +8.3 pts | +7.2 pts |
Kensington is highly educated: about half of adults 25 and older (48.6%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 35.2 points, a much bigger shift than nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the east and least in the northwest.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Kensington
| Period | Kensington | Philadelphia area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 66.1% | 87.5% | 87.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 67.3% | 88.9% | 88.8% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 74.9% | 90.5% | 90.3% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 85.3% | 91.9% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +19.2 pts | +4.4 pts | +4.5 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in seven adults in Kensington never finished high school, more than nationally: 85.3% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 19.2 points, a much bigger shift than nationally.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Kensington
| Period | Kensington | Philadelphia area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.0% | 8.4% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 18.5% | 10.2% | 8.8% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.3% | 6.3% | 5.5% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.5% | 6.1% | 5.4% | 5.4% |
| Change | −9.5 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little harder to find in Kensington than nationally: unemployment was 6.5%, against 5.4%. Unemployment is down 9.5 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Kensington compared with nearby neighborhoods
| Neighborhood | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kensington | 2.24 | 34.8 | 11.2% | 48.4% | 11.2% | 1954 | $1,549 | 48.6% | 85.3% | 6.5% |
| Fishtown | 1.91 | 33.8 | 2.9% | 51.9% | 7.1% | 1976 | $2,022 | 75.8% | 96.4% | 2.7% |
| Hartranft | 2.44 | 33.7 | 25.5% | 69.5% | 15.2% | 1965 | $1,118 | 16.5% | 78.7% | 16.1% |
| Fairhill | 3.46 | 36.2 | 26.9% | 56.2% | 11.6% | 1946 | $1,002 | 7.3% | 61.7% | 18.9% |
| Harrowgate | 3.07 | 33.8 | 21.6% | 49.0% | 15.1% | 1941 | $1,192 | 8.2% | 66.8% | 6.6% |
| Richmond | 2.44 | 36.9 | 19.2% | 36.9% | 11.9% | 1940 | $1,305 | 26.1% | 81.6% | 6.1% |
| Poplar-Ludlow-Yorktowne | 2.08 | 27.9 | 13.6% | 76.7% | 9.3% | 1976 | $1,152 | 35.0% | 87.7% | 12.1% |
| North Central | 2.44 | 25.0 | 31.4% | 70.3% | 16.5% | 1977 | $1,149 | 23.6% | 81.5% | 12.3% |
| Hunting Park | 3.00 | 35.2 | 27.9% | 42.2% | 10.3% | 1941 | $1,222 | 10.5% | 70.6% | 16.8% |
| Pyne Poynt | 2.66 | 40.3 | 24.6% | 75.5% | 9.1% | 1958 | $606 | 4.6% | 60.1% | 20.4% |
| Tioga-Nicetown | 2.29 | 38.9 | 26.2% | 47.2% | 12.0% | 1945 | $1,171 | 11.7% | 81.6% | 14.9% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Airport, Honolulu, HI · Woodlawn, Alexandria, VA · Weston Ranch, Stockton, CA · West Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV · West Central, Pasadena, CA · Upper Vailsburg, Newark, NJ · The Waterfront, Jersey City, NJ · Summerdale, Philadelphia, PA · Southwestern Outer Drive, Dearborn, MI · South, Raleigh, NC
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Kensington. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
No other site shows detail at this level for free. We are able to keep this site free by receiving a small commission from the referring links on this page. Please share or cite this page if you aren’t able to otherwise support our work.