Population 4,015 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Kensington-San Francisco
Household size in Kensington-San Francisco
| Period | Kensington-San Francisco | Berkeley | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.23 | 2.24 | 2.74 | 3.04 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.41 | 2.29 | 2.79 | 3.10 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.43 | 2.44 | 2.83 | 3.09 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.35 | 2.33 | 2.75 | 3.01 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.12 | +0.09 | +0.01 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Households in Kensington-San Francisco are small: just 2.35 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. Since 2006–10, household size has climbed from 2.23, but in a place this small, much of that may be survey noise rather than real change.
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-San Francisco
| Period | Kensington-San Francisco | Berkeley | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 52.0 | 35.8 | 38.6 | 35.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 47.4 | 35.4 | 39.4 | 36.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 50.5 | 35.9 | 40.1 | 37.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 50.2 | 37.5 | 41.3 | 39.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | −1.8 | +1.7 | +2.7 | +3.1 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 50.2, Kensington-San Francisco is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. Only one other Berkeley neighborhood is older.
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-San Francisco
| Period | Kensington-San Francisco | Berkeley | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.6% | 6.8% | 10.3% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 6.7% | 6.4% | 9.9% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 4.8% | 6.0% | 9.1% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.2% | 5.4% | 8.8% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | +1.6 pts | −1.3 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 5.2% of households in Kensington-San Francisco, well below the national share of 11.6%. Berkeley as a whole looks much the same.
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-San Francisco
Renters in Kensington-San Francisco
| Period | Kensington-San Francisco | Berkeley | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.9% | 54.1% | 43.7% | 42.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 13.2% | 55.7% | 46.2% | 45.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 15.3% | 54.6% | 45.3% | 45.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 12.8% | 53.4% | 44.5% | 44.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | +3.0 pts | −0.7 pts | +0.8 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Kensington-San Francisco is overwhelmingly a place of homeowners: only 12.8% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Just over a third of owners (34.7%) have paid off their mortgages, below the national share of 39.8%. Kensington-San Francisco has the lowest share of renters of any Berkeley neighborhood.
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-San Francisco
| Period | Kensington-San Francisco | Berkeley | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.4% | 8.5% | 8.6% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 4.7% | 8.4% | 7.1% | 8.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.2% | 8.9% | 6.5% | 7.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 4.2% | 13.2% | 7.5% | 7.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | −4.1 pts | +4.7 pts | −1.1 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Only 4.2% of homes in Kensington-San Francisco are vacant, far below the national rate of 9.6%, which usually means strong demand for housing. Only one other Berkeley neighborhood has a lower vacancy rate.
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-San Francisco
| Period | Kensington-San Francisco | Berkeley | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1943 | 1946 | 1964 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1945 | 1949 | 1965 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1945 | 1949 | 1966 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1945 | 1953 | 1968 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +2 | +7 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
Kensington-San Francisco is a place of older homes: half were built before 1945, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating.
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-San Francisco
| Period | Kensington-San Francisco | Berkeley | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,795 | $1,305 | $1,452 | $1,298 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,878 | $1,432 | $1,551 | $1,379 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $2,690 | $1,846 | $2,139 | $1,721 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $3,349 | $2,378 | $2,666 | $2,229 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,554 | +$1,073 | +$1,214 | +$931 | +$606 |
The median renter in Kensington-San Francisco pays $3,349 a month for rent and utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. The typical renter here spends 26.5% of household income on rent, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. Kensington-San Francisco has the highest rents of any Berkeley neighborhood.
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-San Francisco
Bachelor's degrees in Kensington-San Francisco
| Period | Kensington-San Francisco | Berkeley | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 73.0% | 68.9% | 42.5% | 29.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 78.5% | 69.9% | 44.1% | 30.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 84.3% | 73.5% | 48.9% | 32.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 84.8% | 74.8% | 52.2% | 36.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +11.8 pts | +5.9 pts | +9.7 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
Kensington-San Francisco is highly educated: just over eight in ten adults 25 and older (84.8%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. Of Berkeley's 12 neighborhoods, only two have a higher share of college graduates.
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-San Francisco
| Period | Kensington-San Francisco | Berkeley | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 97.4% | 94.7% | 86.8% | 79.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 99.0% | 95.6% | 87.5% | 80.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 98.3% | 96.5% | 88.8% | 82.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 99.5% | 96.1% | 89.1% | 84.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.1 pts | +1.4 pts | +2.3 pts | +4.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Kensington-San Francisco: 99.5% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. No other Berkeley neighborhood has a higher share of high school graduates.
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-San Francisco
| Period | Kensington-San Francisco | Berkeley | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.7% | 7.1% | 7.8% | 9.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.2% | 8.9% | 8.9% | 11.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.0% | 5.8% | 4.6% | 6.3% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.3% | 5.9% | 5.8% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | +2.6 pts | −1.2 pts | −2.0 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment runs high in Kensington-San Francisco: 7.3% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Of Berkeley's 12 neighborhoods, only two have higher unemployment. 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-San Francisco 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-San Francisco | 2.35 | 50.2 | 5.2% | 12.8% | 4.2% | 1945 | $3,349 | 84.8% | 99.5% | 7.3% |
| Thousand Oaks | 2.24 | 56.8 | 4.9% | 14.7% | 2.8% | 1938 | $2,287 | 88.1% | 98.5% | 3.9% |
| Berkeley Hills | 2.54 | 49.2 | 6.2% | 13.4% | 6.0% | 1942 | $2,914 | 87.7% | 98.6% | 3.9% |
| Richmond Annex | 2.47 | 36.0 | 4.1% | 64.6% | 5.5% | 1958 | $2,264 | 49.8% | 90.1% | 10.0% |
| Westbrae | 2.52 | 42.9 | 7.9% | 37.3% | 8.9% | 1944 | $2,550 | 77.4% | 97.1% | 3.6% |
| North Berkeley | 2.05 | 35.0 | 3.0% | 67.5% | 13.3% | 1946 | $2,210 | 79.5% | 95.7% | 4.4% |
| Northwest Berkeley | 2.29 | 46.9 | 5.4% | 44.2% | 16.1% | 1948 | $2,412 | 65.0% | 93.1% | 3.9% |
| Central Berkeley | 2.14 | 38.2 | 7.0% | 61.3% | 11.6% | 1951 | $2,197 | 74.2% | 95.1% | 5.4% |
| Downtown Berkeley | 2.10 | 26.8 | 3.4% | 95.5% | 20.1% | 1966 | $2,059 | 64.8% | 98.6% | 5.0% |
| SouthWest Berkeley | 2.28 | 40.4 | 7.1% | 57.8% | 11.1% | 1955 | $2,187 | 58.5% | 91.5% | 5.1% |
| East Richmond | 2.66 | 44.9 | 8.4% | 23.5% | 7.2% | 1950 | $2,163 | 52.7% | 89.6% | 6.6% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Angels Triangle, El Paso, TX · Avondale, Sacramento, CA · Westside Development, Tucson, AZ · Mullford Gardens, San Leandro, CA · NE-Sterling, San Bernardino, CA · Near Eastside, Syracuse, NY · New Horizons, Santa Ana, CA · Newland, Huntington Beach, CA · Nollville, Martinsburg, WV · Norkirk, Kirkland, WA
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-San Francisco. 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.
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