The Town FilesKensington, California
Community in Contra Costa County · population 5,428 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $1,539,000
- Household income
- $237,130
- Jan low / Jul high
- 43° / 74°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 46.6
Kensington is a community of 5,428 people in Contra Costa County, California. The median home is worth $1,539,000, above the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks more upscale than 99% of California towns, hipper than 98% of California towns, better for cycling than 98% of California towns.
- #1 in The 50 Most Walkable Small Towns in America With Little Snow
- #2 in The 25 Most Walkable Small Towns in California
- #2 in 25 Small Towns in California With the Most Remote Workers
- #2 in 25 Small Towns in California With the Oldest Homes
- #2 in The 25 Most Walkable Historic Small Towns in California
- #4 in 50 Small Towns in America With the Most Remote Workers
How Kensington ranks
Percentile among California towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of California towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Kensington is worth $1,539,000, above the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 6.5 times the median household income of $237,130, which is more affordable than 49% of California towns. Median rent is $3,501 a month. 86.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Kensington | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $1,539,000 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $3,501 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $237,130 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 6.5× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 86.8% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1945 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.3% | — |
Who lives in Kensington
| People | Kensington | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 46.6 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 23.5% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 21.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 83.8% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 3.6% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 2.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 13.9% | — |
| Work from home | 54.0% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 32.7 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 97.8% | 93.3% |
Weather in Kensington
July highs average 74.2°F and January lows 43.3°F. About 26.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 6 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 1 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Kensington since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. The strongest, an F0, struck on December 5, 1998 about 4.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on December 5, 1998.
Severe weather in Contra Costa County since 1996
Contra Costa County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 14, 2023 | Flood | DR-4683: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| January 9, 2023 | Flood | EM-3591: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| March 22, 2020 | Biological | DR-4482: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3428: Covid-19 |
| April 1, 2017 | Flood | DR-4308: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in Contra Costa County
Contra Costa County had 373,992 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $86,234 a year. Unemployment was 4.1% in 2023; in Kensington itself the ACS puts it at 7.6%.
Public schools in Kensington
1 public school with 454 students, about 25.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kensington Elementary | K-6 | 454 | 25.2 |
Towns near Kensington
- El Cerrito, CA1.4 mi · 25,962 people · home $1,124,400
- Albany, CA2.1 mi · 20,271 people · home $1,202,200
- Berkeley, CA2.8 mi · 124,321 people · home $1,413,900
- East Richmond Heights, CA3.2 mi · 3,460 people · home $915,400
- Emeryville, CA4.7 mi · 12,905 people · home $604,800
- El Sobrante, CA4.8 mi · 15,524 people · home $758,800
- Rollingwood, CA4.9 mi · 3,015 people · home $600,000
- San Pablo, CA5.1 mi · 32,127 people · home $551,700
Kensington questions
Is Kensington, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Kensington scores better for retirees than 70% of California towns and quieter than 45%. 23.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 46.6).
How much does a house cost in Kensington?
The median owner-occupied home in Kensington is valued at $1,539,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $237,130, so homes cost about 6.5 times income. Median rent is $3,501 a month.
What is the weather like in Kensington?
July highs average 74.2°F and January lows 43.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 26.1 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Kensington get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Kensington since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F0 on December 5, 1998. The typical California town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)