What is it like to live in Kensington MD?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, just fyi I believe the Marc train at Kensington does not run on weekends , and on weekends it is one way - into DC in the morning and out of DC in the afternoon. The Metro (there is a Metro station in Bethesda, also in Wheaton nearish to Kensington) rubs both ways and on weekends (though there are frequent service interruptions).

Sorry, on weekdays, not weekends, it is one way)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kensington is somewhat dominated by the Catholic school/parish Holy Redeemer. If you are Catholic, it’s a very tight knit community.

I’ve always heard this, but it must be a small area of Kensington. I’m in north Kensington and don’t know anyone who is Catholic. I don’t think I’ve met any any families with kids that don’t send their kids to Rock View.

North Kensington isn’t Kensington.

And this is the problem with Kensington. It's split into three different school zones (really four if you add in Holy Redeemer) and there is definitely a pecking order with Town of Kensington thinking they are at the top and North Kensington being degraded to "basically being Wheaton" by anyone who lives in a non-Einstein area. They can't stand that middle-class people claim to live there, even though Kensington is basically seen as the poor man's Bethesda/Chevy Chase. It's one of the reasons we moved from Kensington. Nice place to live but I hated the pissing contest.

What’s wrong with Wheaton?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kensington is somewhat dominated by the Catholic school/parish Holy Redeemer. If you are Catholic, it’s a very tight knit community.

I’ve always heard this, but it must be a small area of Kensington. I’m in north Kensington and don’t know anyone who is Catholic. I don’t think I’ve met any any families with kids that don’t send their kids to Rock View.

North Kensington isn’t Kensington.

And this is the problem with Kensington. It's split into three different school zones (really four if you add in Holy Redeemer) and there is definitely a pecking order with Town of Kensington thinking they are at the top and North Kensington being degraded to "basically being Wheaton" by anyone who lives in a non-Einstein area. They can't stand that middle-class people claim to live there, even though Kensington is basically seen as the poor man's Bethesda/Chevy Chase. It's one of the reasons we moved from Kensington. Nice place to live but I hated the pissing contest.

Huh, I live in Kensington Heights (in other words, "basically Wheaton" and that's something I'm proud of) and everyone I've met from ToK has been perfectly nice. But we chose where we live very intentionally, so I'm not really sensitive to people who feel superior about where they live.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kensington is somewhat dominated by the Catholic school/parish Holy Redeemer. If you are Catholic, it’s a very tight knit community.

I’ve always heard this, but it must be a small area of Kensington. I’m in north Kensington and don’t know anyone who is Catholic. I don’t think I’ve met any any families with kids that don’t send their kids to Rock View.

North Kensington isn’t Kensington.

And this is the problem with Kensington. It's split into three different school zones (really four if you add in Holy Redeemer) and there is definitely a pecking order with Town of Kensington thinking they are at the top and North Kensington being degraded to "basically being Wheaton" by anyone who lives in a non-Einstein area. They can't stand that middle-class people claim to live there, even though Kensington is basically seen as the poor man's Bethesda/Chevy Chase. It's one of the reasons we moved from Kensington. Nice place to live but I hated the pissing contest.

Huh, I live in Kensington Heights (in other words, "basically Wheaton" and that's something I'm proud of) and everyone I've met from ToK has been perfectly nice. But we chose where we live very intentionally, so I'm not really sensitive to people who feel superior about where they live.

Oh, they're nice. To your face. But if they don't know which part of Kensington you live in, and assume you live in ToK or South Kensington, the claws come out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kensington is somewhat dominated by the Catholic school/parish Holy Redeemer. If you are Catholic, it’s a very tight knit community.

I’ve always heard this, but it must be a small area of Kensington. I’m in north Kensington and don’t know anyone who is Catholic. I don’t think I’ve met any any families with kids that don’t send their kids to Rock View.

North Kensington isn’t Kensington.

And this is the problem with Kensington. It's split into three different school zones (really four if you add in Holy Redeemer) and there is definitely a pecking order with Town of Kensington thinking they are at the top and North Kensington being degraded to "basically being Wheaton" by anyone who lives in a non-Einstein area. They can't stand that middle-class people claim to live there, even though Kensington is basically seen as the poor man's Bethesda/Chevy Chase. It's one of the reasons we moved from Kensington. Nice place to live but I hated the pissing contest.

Huh, I live in Kensington Heights (in other words, "basically Wheaton" and that's something I'm proud of) and everyone I've met from ToK has been perfectly nice. But we chose where we live very intentionally, so I'm not really sensitive to people who feel superior about where they live.

Oh, they're nice. To your face. But if they don't know which part of Kensington you live in, and assume you live in ToK or South Kensington, the claws come out.

Lol that's sad

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kensington is somewhat dominated by the Catholic school/parish Holy Redeemer. If you are Catholic, it’s a very tight knit community.

I’ve always heard this, but it must be a small area of Kensington. I’m in north Kensington and don’t know anyone who is Catholic. I don’t think I’ve met any any families with kids that don’t send their kids to Rock View.

North Kensington isn’t Kensington.

And this is the problem with Kensington. It's split into three different school zones (really four if you add in Holy Redeemer) and there is definitely a pecking order with Town of Kensington thinking they are at the top and North Kensington being degraded to "basically being Wheaton" by anyone who lives in a non-Einstein area. They can't stand that middle-class people claim to live there, even though Kensington is basically seen as the poor man's Bethesda/Chevy Chase. It's one of the reasons we moved from Kensington. Nice place to live but I hated the pissing contest.

I live in North Kensington, but I think this pissing contest you speak of is mostly played out on DCUM and less so IRL. We love the neighborhood including TOK. Lots of community engagement and there were a ton of Rock View families at the 4th of July bike parade, Juneteenth celebration, movie nights, farmers market etc.

It is true that Rock View-Newport Mill- Einstein have a larger proportion of low income, ELL, and non-white. Rock View also is a Learning Center, where kids with learning disabilities are brought in from around Silver Spring. While Rock View is very different than Kensington-Parkwood, we have a lot of school pride, there are opportunities for civic engagement, and I feel that my child is getting a solid education there that is setting him up for success.

Re: location, I disagree that we're far from everything. In no rush hour (I know, rare!) I can get to my office by the white house in 25 minutes. We're equidistant to 3 red line stops (Grosvenor on the West side, Wheaton and Forest Glen on the East side). We are 15 minutes in any direction to Rockville, Bethesda, or Downtown Silver Spring. Right off the beltway. Convenient to all 3 airports

Housing prices are lower than Parkwood even though the housing stock for original 1950's homes is comparable. Parkwood has more teardowns. However, new builds in our neighborhood are still going for $1m+.

TLDR: All parts of Kensington have good things and not-so good things, but all in all I love living here.

[Anonymous]

OP here! Thank you all for your thoughtful responses and tips. We have a lot to think about and still need to finish researching the area before finalizing our decision. However, Kensington overall sounds like a really lovely place to live!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kensington is somewhat dominated by the Catholic school/parish Holy Redeemer. If you are Catholic, it’s a very tight knit community.

I’ve always heard this, but it must be a small area of Kensington. I’m in north Kensington and don’t know anyone who is Catholic. I don’t think I’ve met any any families with kids that don’t send their kids to Rock View.

North Kensington isn’t Kensington.

And this is the problem with Kensington. It's split into three different school zones (really four if you add in Holy Redeemer) and there is definitely a pecking order with Town of Kensington thinking they are at the top and North Kensington being degraded to "basically being Wheaton" by anyone who lives in a non-Einstein area. They can't stand that middle-class people claim to live there, even though Kensington is basically seen as the poor man's Bethesda/Chevy Chase. It's one of the reasons we moved from Kensington. Nice place to live but I hated the pissing contest.

I live in North Kensington, but I think this pissing contest you speak of is mostly played out on DCUM and less so IRL. We love the neighborhood including TOK. Lots of community engagement and there were a ton of Rock View families at the 4th of July bike parade, Juneteenth celebration, movie nights, farmers market etc.

It is true that Rock View-Newport Mill- Einstein have a larger proportion of low income, ELL, and non-white. Rock View also is a Learning Center, where kids with learning disabilities are brought in from around Silver Spring. While Rock View is very different than Kensington-Parkwood, we have a lot of school pride, there are opportunities for civic engagement, and I feel that my child is getting a solid education there that is setting him up for success.

Re: location, I disagree that we're far from everything. In no rush hour (I know, rare!) I can get to my office by the white house in 25 minutes. We're equidistant to 3 red line stops (Grosvenor on the West side, Wheaton and Forest Glen on the East side). We are 15 minutes in any direction to Rockville, Bethesda, or Downtown Silver Spring. Right off the beltway. Convenient to all 3 airports

Housing prices are lower than Parkwood even though the housing stock for original 1950's homes is comparable. Parkwood has more teardowns. However, new builds in our neighborhood are still going for $1m+.

TLDR: All parts of Kensington have good things and not-so good things, but all in all I love living here.

DP with kids at Oakland Terrace: we enjoy all the same things as you, and it's not like fisticuffs are erupting at the Farmers Market regularly. But I have had multiple encounters at St. Paul Park that begin with friendly interactions with other parents, and turn cool once they learn where our kids go to school. It's a fake smile and then they move on. I think that's what PPs might be referring to. That doesn't happen with everyone, mind you; the families we know from Kenmont with kids at KP are genuinely friendly (but then again, they're willing to join Kenmont).

We're happy where we live and I have zero interest in moving. If the OP wants to buy in a non-WJ or -BCC zoned neighborhood, though, and is sensitive to these kinds of interactions, it's worth knowing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kensington is somewhat dominated by the Catholic school/parish Holy Redeemer. If you are Catholic, it’s a very tight knit community.

I’ve always heard this, but it must be a small area of Kensington. I’m in north Kensington and don’t know anyone who is Catholic. I don’t think I’ve met any any families with kids that don’t send their kids to Rock View.

North Kensington isn’t Kensington.

And this is the problem with Kensington. It's split into three different school zones (really four if you add in Holy Redeemer) and there is definitely a pecking order with Town of Kensington thinking they are at the top and North Kensington being degraded to "basically being Wheaton" by anyone who lives in a non-Einstein area. They can't stand that middle-class people claim to live there, even though Kensington is basically seen as the poor man's Bethesda/Chevy Chase. It's one of the reasons we moved from Kensington. Nice place to live but I hated the pissing contest.

I live in North Kensington, but I think this pissing contest you speak of is mostly played out on DCUM and less so IRL. We love the neighborhood including TOK. Lots of community engagement and there were a ton of Rock View families at the 4th of July bike parade, Juneteenth celebration, movie nights, farmers market etc.

It is true that Rock View-Newport Mill- Einstein have a larger proportion of low income, ELL, and non-white. Rock View also is a Learning Center, where kids with learning disabilities are brought in from around Silver Spring. While Rock View is very different than Kensington-Parkwood, we have a lot of school pride, there are opportunities for civic engagement, and I feel that my child is getting a solid education there that is setting him up for success.

Re: location, I disagree that we're far from everything. In no rush hour (I know, rare!) I can get to my office by the white house in 25 minutes. We're equidistant to 3 red line stops (Grosvenor on the West side, Wheaton and Forest Glen on the East side). We are 15 minutes in any direction to Rockville, Bethesda, or Downtown Silver Spring. Right off the beltway. Convenient to all 3 airports

Housing prices are lower than Parkwood even though the housing stock for original 1950's homes is comparable. Parkwood has more teardowns. However, new builds in our neighborhood are still going for $1m+.

TLDR: All parts of Kensington have good things and not-so good things, but all in all I love living here.

DP with kids at Oakland Terrace: we enjoy all the same things as you, and it's not like fisticuffs are erupting at the Farmers Market regularly. But I have had multiple encounters at St. Paul Park that begin with friendly interactions with other parents, and turn cool once they learn where our kids go to school. It's a fake smile and then they move on. I think that's what PPs might be referring to. That doesn't happen with everyone, mind you; the families we know from Kenmont with kids at KP are genuinely friendly (but then again, they're willing to join Kenmont).

We're happy where we live and I have zero interest in moving. If the OP wants to buy in a non-WJ or -BCC zoned neighborhood, though, and is sensitive to these kinds of interactions, it's worth knowing.

Fair enough; there will always be families from wealthier areas (Potomac, Bethesda, Chevy Chase, and yes parts of Kensington) that will look down their noses at people who live in places they think aren't "up to snuff" including North Kensington, Wheaton, Silver Spring, or anywhere that's not part of their enclave. I'm sure that there are families like that in TOK/Parkwood who feel that way about our neighborhoods adjacent to them, but that's their own biases and stereotypes and not based in fact.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kensington is somewhat dominated by the Catholic school/parish Holy Redeemer. If you are Catholic, it’s a very tight knit community.

I’ve always heard this, but it must be a small area of Kensington. I’m in north Kensington and don’t know anyone who is Catholic. I don’t think I’ve met any any families with kids that don’t send their kids to Rock View.

North Kensington isn’t Kensington.

And this is the problem with Kensington. It's split into three different school zones (really four if you add in Holy Redeemer) and there is definitely a pecking order with Town of Kensington thinking they are at the top and North Kensington being degraded to "basically being Wheaton" by anyone who lives in a non-Einstein area. They can't stand that middle-class people claim to live there, even though Kensington is basically seen as the poor man's Bethesda/Chevy Chase. It's one of the reasons we moved from Kensington. Nice place to live but I hated the pissing contest.

I live in North Kensington, but I think this pissing contest you speak of is mostly played out on DCUM and less so IRL. We love the neighborhood including TOK. Lots of community engagement and there were a ton of Rock View families at the 4th of July bike parade, Juneteenth celebration, movie nights, farmers market etc.

It is true that Rock View-Newport Mill- Einstein have a larger proportion of low income, ELL, and non-white. Rock View also is a Learning Center, where kids with learning disabilities are brought in from around Silver Spring. While Rock View is very different than Kensington-Parkwood, we have a lot of school pride, there are opportunities for civic engagement, and I feel that my child is getting a solid education there that is setting him up for success.

Re: location, I disagree that we're far from everything. In no rush hour (I know, rare!) I can get to my office by the white house in 25 minutes. We're equidistant to 3 red line stops (Grosvenor on the West side, Wheaton and Forest Glen on the East side). We are 15 minutes in any direction to Rockville, Bethesda, or Downtown Silver Spring. Right off the beltway. Convenient to all 3 airports

Housing prices are lower than Parkwood even though the housing stock for original 1950's homes is comparable. Parkwood has more teardowns. However, new builds in our neighborhood are still going for $1m+.

TLDR: All parts of Kensington have good things and not-so good things, but all in all I love living here.

DP with kids at Oakland Terrace: we enjoy all the same things as you, and it's not like fisticuffs are erupting at the Farmers Market regularly. But I have had multiple encounters at St. Paul Park that begin with friendly interactions with other parents, and turn cool once they learn where our kids go to school. It's a fake smile and then they move on. I think that's what PPs might be referring to. That doesn't happen with everyone, mind you; the families we know from Kenmont with kids at KP are genuinely friendly (but then again, they're willing to join Kenmont).

We're happy where we live and I have zero interest in moving. If the OP wants to buy in a non-WJ or -BCC zoned neighborhood, though, and is sensitive to these kinds of interactions, it's worth knowing.

Fair enough; there will always be families from wealthier areas (Potomac, Bethesda, Chevy Chase, and yes parts of Kensington) that will look down their noses at people who live in places they think aren't "up to snuff" including North Kensington, Wheaton, Silver Spring, or anywhere that's not part of their enclave. I'm sure that there are families like that in TOK/Parkwood who feel that way about our neighborhoods adjacent to them, but that's their own biases and stereotypes and not based in fact.

Sure, but in Kensington, it's easier to feel the condescension because it's a smaller place. I don't hang out in Potomac on the weekends; it can be irritating to get shade when you're just going to your local park. Also, IME many folks who live in ToK pride themselves on being good liberals and see themselves as more down to earth than Bethesda or Potomac. That doesn't square with the snobbery of "Kensington Heights isn't Kensington."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kensington is somewhat dominated by the Catholic school/parish Holy Redeemer. If you are Catholic, it’s a very tight knit community.

I’ve always heard this, but it must be a small area of Kensington. I’m in north Kensington and don’t know anyone who is Catholic. I don’t think I’ve met any any families with kids that don’t send their kids to Rock View.

North Kensington isn’t Kensington.

And this is the problem with Kensington. It's split into three different school zones (really four if you add in Holy Redeemer) and there is definitely a pecking order with Town of Kensington thinking they are at the top and North Kensington being degraded to "basically being Wheaton" by anyone who lives in a non-Einstein area. They can't stand that middle-class people claim to live there, even though Kensington is basically seen as the poor man's Bethesda/Chevy Chase. It's one of the reasons we moved from Kensington. Nice place to live but I hated the pissing contest.

I live in North Kensington, but I think this pissing contest you speak of is mostly played out on DCUM and less so IRL. We love the neighborhood including TOK. Lots of community engagement and there were a ton of Rock View families at the 4th of July bike parade, Juneteenth celebration, movie nights, farmers market etc.

It is true that Rock View-Newport Mill- Einstein have a larger proportion of low income, ELL, and non-white. Rock View also is a Learning Center, where kids with learning disabilities are brought in from around Silver Spring. While Rock View is very different than Kensington-Parkwood, we have a lot of school pride, there are opportunities for civic engagement, and I feel that my child is getting a solid education there that is setting him up for success.

Re: location, I disagree that we're far from everything. In no rush hour (I know, rare!) I can get to my office by the white house in 25 minutes. We're equidistant to 3 red line stops (Grosvenor on the West side, Wheaton and Forest Glen on the East side). We are 15 minutes in any direction to Rockville, Bethesda, or Downtown Silver Spring. Right off the beltway. Convenient to all 3 airports

Housing prices are lower than Parkwood even though the housing stock for original 1950's homes is comparable. Parkwood has more teardowns. However, new builds in our neighborhood are still going for $1m+.

TLDR: All parts of Kensington have good things and not-so good things, but all in all I love living here.

DP with kids at Oakland Terrace: we enjoy all the same things as you, and it's not like fisticuffs are erupting at the Farmers Market regularly. But I have had multiple encounters at St. Paul Park that begin with friendly interactions with other parents, and turn cool once they learn where our kids go to school. It's a fake smile and then they move on. I think that's what PPs might be referring to. That doesn't happen with everyone, mind you; the families we know from Kenmont with kids at KP are genuinely friendly (but then again, they're willing to join Kenmont).

We're happy where we live and I have zero interest in moving. If the OP wants to buy in a non-WJ or -BCC zoned neighborhood, though, and is sensitive to these kinds of interactions, it's worth knowing.

Fair enough; there will always be families from wealthier areas (Potomac, Bethesda, Chevy Chase, and yes parts of Kensington) that will look down their noses at people who live in places they think aren't "up to snuff" including North Kensington, Wheaton, Silver Spring, or anywhere that's not part of their enclave. I'm sure that there are families like that in TOK/Parkwood who feel that way about our neighborhoods adjacent to them, but that's their own biases and stereotypes and not based in fact.

Sure, but in Kensington, it's easier to feel the condescension because it's a smaller place. I don't hang out in Potomac on the weekends; it can be irritating to get shade when you're just going to your local park. Also, IME many folks who live in ToK pride themselves on being good liberals and see themselves as more down to earth than Bethesda or Potomac. That doesn't square with the snobbery of "Kensington Heights isn't Kensington."

That's true and a good thing to highlight to OP

[Anonymous]

Depends on what part of kensington. There’s Chevy chase view which is very nice but schools aren’t great. There’s The north side of Kensington which is more middle class and has terrible schools then there is the area around holy redeemer where everyone got to that catholic school, then there’s Parkwood which is normal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Depends on what part of kensington. There’s Chevy chase view which is very nice but schools aren’t great. There’s The north side of Kensington which is more middle class and has terrible schools then there is the area around holy redeemer where everyone got to that catholic school, then there’s Parkwood which is normal.

Wow, PP

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Depends on what part of kensington. There’s Chevy chase view which is very nice but schools aren’t great. There’s The north side of Kensington which is more middle class and has terrible schools then there is the area around holy redeemer where everyone got to that catholic school, then there’s Parkwood which is normal.

Wow, PP

Meaning they aren’t going to shun you for not being catholic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Depends on what part of kensington. There’s Chevy chase view which is very nice but schools aren’t great. There’s The north side of Kensington which is more middle class and has terrible schools then there is the area around holy redeemer where everyone got to that catholic school, then there’s Parkwood which is normal.

Wow, PP

NP and it was hard to know what to wow in that post!