Montgomery County, MD
Kensington, MD Real Estate: Historic Homes and Small-Town Living
Kensington is a historic town inside the Beltway with Queen Anne and Victorian homes on tree-lined streets, Antique Row along Howard Avenue, a MARC stop downtown, and a Saturday farmers market that anchors the week. If you want a real small town at the edge of the DC Metro Area, this is where to start.
Neighborhood Overview
Welcome to Kensington
Kensington began in the 1890s as a planned railroad community and has kept the character that started it. The old town center, protected as a historic district, is a compact grid of curving, tree-lined streets anchored by Antique Row on Howard Avenue, one of the largest and oldest antiquing districts in the DC Metro Area. The MARC train still stops at the 1891 station downtown, and the Kensington Farmers Market brings the whole town out every Saturday.
For buyers, the appeal is a combination that is hard to find inside the Beltway: real architectural character, a walkable village center, respected schools, and a commute that does not eat the day. Much of the housing stock is Victorian and early 20th century, with wraparound porches, deep lots, and mature canopies. Warner Circle Park, centered on the historic Warner Mansion, sits at the heart of the town and anchors a green network of pocket parks and the Rock Creek stream valley.
Kensington draws a wide range of buyers for such a small town: growing households moving up from condos, empty nesters and right-sizers who want single-level living with the village within walking distance, and sellers who value a market that rewards a well-prepared, strategically priced home. Whether you are comparing a Queen Anne in Old Town or a mid-century rambler on a shaded lot, I can show you what each street offers and how the numbers pencil out.
Harry's Perspective
Harry's Take on Kensington
“Kensington is one of the most walkable small towns inside the Beltway, and it keeps surprising buyers who arrive expecting an ordinary suburb. The old town has Antique Row, a Saturday farmers market, a train station that has sat downtown since 1891, and Warner Circle Park at its heart. My job is to help you understand the tradeoffs street by street, from school boundaries to lot sizes, so you can navigate the local market with confidence. That is the education I love to give.”
Harry Moore, REALTOR | A.I. Certified Agent | Harry Moore HOME | eXp Realty | DC SP 98376 · VA 0225037887 · MD 505462
Live Market Data Coming Soon
Market data for Kensington is being finalized and will be updated shortly.
Housing Stock
Types of Homes in Kensington
Kensington's inventory is anchored by historic single-family homes in the old town, with renovated and rebuilt properties, townhomes, and condos rounding out the market.
Historic Town Homes
The old town is built on Queen Anne and Victorian singles from the late 1800s and early 1900s, with wraparound porches, deep lots, and mature tree canopies. These are the homes that define Kensington, and well-preserved examples command a premium for their architectural character.
Price Range
$900K to $1.2M
Renovated and Rebuilt Homes
Properties renovated or rebuilt to modern standards, with updated kitchens and baths, finished lower levels, and modern systems, sit at the top of the Kensington market. Buyers who want historic charm with move-in-ready condition focus here.
Price Range
Renovated homes reaching $1.5M to $2M
The Broader 20895 Market
Across the full 20895 ZIP, which includes North Kensington, Parkwood, and the surrounding neighborhoods, the median home value reflects a mix of historic singles, mid-century homes, and newer construction.
20895 ZIP Median
$780K to $900K
Townhomes
A smaller close-in stock of townhomes sits along the edges of the old town and the surrounding neighborhoods, offering lower maintenance and often a more attainable entry into the Kensington market while keeping the village within reach.
Price Range
Mid-$500Ks to low $1Ms
In the current market, homes typically go under contract in 18 to 35 days, so strategic pricing and strong preparation are what most directly shape the outcome for both buyers and sellers.
Explore Kensington
Explore Kensington.
Five things that make Kensington one of the DC Metro Area's most distinctive and livable communities.
Schools
Kensington sits at the meeting point of three respected Montgomery County Public Schools high school clusters: Bethesda-Chevy Chase, Albert Einstein, and Walter Johnson. Elementary and middle feeders vary street by street, from Kensington-Parkwood, Garrett Park, and Rock View elementaries to Silver Creek and Newport Mill middle schools. Which path a home follows depends on its exact address, so I confirm the assignment for every home we shortlist rather than trusting the town name.
MCPS School Assignment ToolDining and Shopping
Kensington's dining and coffee scene is compact but genuinely local, centered on Connecticut Avenue and the old town. Java Nation is a neighborhood coffee shop on Connecticut Avenue with a loyal following, Frankly...Pizza! is a local pizzeria on Armory Avenue just off the old town, and Moby Dick House of Kabob serves Persian-style kabobs right on Connecticut Avenue. The Saturday farmers market on Howard Avenue adds fresh produce, baked goods, and prepared food to the mix each week, and Antique Row's shops make it a full weekend destination without a car.
Parks and Recreation
Warner Circle Park sits at the heart of the old town, centered on the historic Warner Mansion and its circular lawn and walking loop, and it carries the town's evening strolls and weekend picnics. Clum-Kennedy, Flinn, Howard Avenue Park, and St. Paul Park dot the town with playgrounds, picnic tables, and open lawn, so Kensington's green space is everyday rather than ceremonial. The Rock Creek stream valley trail links the area south toward Rock Creek Park and the wider trail network across the DC Metro Area.
Warner Circle Park at Montgomery Parks
Things To Do
Antique Row along Howard Avenue is the largest and oldest antiquing district in the DC Metro Area, with dozens of owner-operated shops selling furniture, books, jewelry, art, and treasures. It anchors a weekend plan that needs no car and no planning.
The historic Warner Mansion at Warner Circle, built for the town's founder, is being converted into condominiums, with plans moving forward toward a 2026 conversion. The town's landmark is taking on new residential life while the park around it stays open to everyone.
The Kensington Farmers Market runs every Saturday, rain or shine, near the old town center with local produce, baked goods, and prepared food. It is the town's weekly gathering point and the easiest introduction to Kensington's sense of place.
Getting Around
The 1891 Kensington station still stops right at the old town center on the MARC Brunswick Line, with weekday service to Washington Union Station in about 30 minutes. There is no Metro inside the town, but Forest Glen on the Red Line sits about a 30-minute walk, just under 1.5 miles, along Connecticut Avenue, with Wheaton station a short drive north. By car, Rock Creek Parkway and Connecticut Avenue run straight into the District, and I-495 sits a few minutes north, so most residents reach the region's job corridors in about half an hour.
Buying
How to Buy a Home in Kensington
Verify Schools by Address, Not by Town Name
Kensington feeds into different MCPS clusters depending on the exact street, spanning the Bethesda-Chevy Chase, Albert Einstein, and Walter Johnson clusters. The school assignment for a home is never a given, so I run the address through the MCPS School Assignment Tool for every home we shortlist.
Get Pre-Approved Before You Tour
Kensington's well-priced historic homes draw interest quickly, and sellers expect to see a pre-approval letter before confirming many showings. Getting that in place first means you can move when the right home comes up.
Act on Street-Specific Data
The Kensington market varies block to block: a Queen Anne on a historic district block and a mid-century rambler on a larger lot can be a world apart. I run comparable sales for the specific home and street so you know exactly what a property is worth before you negotiate.
Selling
Selling Your Kensington Home
Kensington sellers benefit from a buyer pool that includes right-sizers from larger suburban homes, growing households moving up from condos and townhomes, and buyers relocating into the DC Metro Area who specifically want historic character with a walkable village and respected schools. Historic and renovated homes at the top of the market attract serious, well-qualified buyers, and a well-prepared, strategically priced listing performs consistently. I bring professional staging consultation, architectural photography, and targeted digital marketing across the platforms where Kensington buyers are actively searching, plus outreach to buyers already researching this specific town.
Nearby Communities
Explore More Montgomery County Communities
Montgomery County
Bethesda
A premier suburban downtown with world-class dining, strong school clusters, and direct Red Line Metro access.
Read the guideMontgomery County
Silver Spring
A transit-rich urban center along the Red Line with a vibrant downtown, strong dining, and easy access to DC.
Read the guideMontgomery County
Rockville
Montgomery County's county seat, with a real downtown and two Red Line stations.
Read the guideMontgomery County
Gaithersburg
Montgomery County's largest city, home to Kentlands, Lakelands, Crown, and Quince Orchard.
Read the guideMontgomery County
Potomac
Quiet, private estate country on one-acre lots, with the C&O Canal nearby.
Read the guideMontgomery County
Chevy Chase
A historic community along Connecticut Avenue with a small-town core and sought-after school clusters.
Read the guideFAQ
Frequently Asked Questions.
What schools do Kensington homes feed into?
Kensington sits at the meeting point of three respected MCPS high school clusters: Bethesda-Chevy Chase, Albert Einstein, and Walter Johnson. Elementary and middle feeders also vary street by street, from Kensington-Parkwood, Garrett Park, and Rock View elementaries to Silver Creek and Newport Mill middle schools. The assignment depends on your exact address, so I verify the feeder for every home we shortlist and you can confirm any address directly with the MCPS School Assignment Tool.
What does a home cost in Kensington?
Historic town homes generally run $900K to $1.2M, renovated and rebuilt properties reach $1.5M to $2M, and the broader 20895 ZIP median sits in the $780K to $900K range. Townhomes run from the mid-$500Ks to the low $1Ms. In the current market, homes typically go under contract in 18 to 35 days, so strategic pricing and strong preparation are what most directly shape the outcome for both buyers and sellers.
Is Kensington walkable?
The old town core genuinely is: Howard Avenue, Antique Row, the farmers market, the MARC station, parks, and several restaurants and coffee shops are all within a walk of the compact center. The surrounding neighborhood streets are curving residential loops, so unless you are in the core you will still drive for most errands. I match the street to how you actually live.
How do I commute from Kensington?
Two honest ways: the MARC Brunswick Line from the 1891 station downtown, a direct ride to Union Station in about 30 minutes, or the Red Line at Forest Glen about a 30-minute walk away. By car, Rock Creek Parkway and Connecticut Avenue run straight into the District, with I-495 a few minutes north. Most residents reach the region’s job corridors in about half an hour, and the train door at the town center makes it one of the easier commutes in the DC Metro Area.
Is Kensington a good fit for downsizers?
Yes, and the fine print is worth knowing. A right-sizer here trades the big suburban yard for the avenue, the market, the park, and the train, with the village within walking distance. One honest caveat: much of the historic stock is two-story, so if single-level living matters, we target the ramblers, townhomes, and the few single-story streets specifically.
The Agent
Your Kensington Expert
I'm Harry Moore, a Realtor with eXp Realty LLC and an A.I. Certified Agent. With 32 years of experience serving the DC Metro Area, I bring deep local knowledge of Kensington and the surrounding towns to every transaction. My focus is to educate my clients and guide them through the process, because an educated consumer is my best customer. Whether you are buying your first home in Kensington or selling a historic property, I provide the data, insights, and modern solutions you need to succeed.
Explore My Selling Solutions
- 14-Day Stress-Free Home Sale
- Traditional Market Sale
- Cash+ Offer
- Trade-In
- Renovate and Sell
- Sell and Stay
Get Started
Ready to Buy or Sell in Kensington?
Harry Moore is an A.I. Certified Agent with eXp Realty serving the DC Metro Area, with deep local knowledge of Kensington and the surrounding towns. Whether you are buying, selling, or planning your next move, a no-pressure conversation now costs nothing and puts you in position to act when you are ready.