What is it like to live in Kensington MD?

[Anonymous]

Not the martins additions poster but do think it was a valuable addition to the thread (minus the last line).

We don’t know OPs budget. Maybe she can afford it and is willing to take less house for greater proximity to DC.

We don’t know where OP is moving from or exactly what he/she is looking for. Maybe there are other places that might fit better.

[Anonymous]

Full of musty, overpriced antique stores that no one goes to and the most overpriced lawn and garden store in the DMV. Decent pizza place and gelato store though.

Beautiful area that has potential if a younger, diverse demographic moved in, turned over 80% of the businesses, and built more missing middle housing.

[Anonymous]

Just to add one thing people don't seem to have covered as a newcomer to the area - if you care about a local swim/tennis club you can walk/bike to, Cedarbrook has a 5-7 year waitlist so may not even be an option for you while your kids are little. Same with many local clubs (e.g. CCRA). I had seen these on the map and assumed they'd be an option until I looked into it more. Often, they are not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Full of musty, overpriced antique stores that no one goes to and the most overpriced lawn and garden store in the DMV. Decent pizza place and gelato store though.

Beautiful area that has potential if a younger, diverse demographic moved in, turned over 80% of the businesses, and built more missing middle housing.

I actually think strides are being made in this direction in the past couple of years. At least in the parts zoned for Oakland Terrace there is a huge influx of involved young families.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just to add one thing people don't seem to have covered as a newcomer to the area - if you care about a local swim/tennis club you can walk/bike to, Cedarbrook has a 5-7 year waitlist so may not even be an option for you while your kids are little. Same with many local clubs (e.g. CCRA). I had seen these on the map and assumed they'd be an option until I looked into it more. Often, they are not.

That is not the current situation at all - we received an offer this year after 2 years on the Cedarbrook list. Your 5-7 year waitlist is wildly inaccurate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Full of musty, overpriced antique stores that no one goes to and the most overpriced lawn and garden store in the DMV. Decent pizza place and gelato store though.

Beautiful area that has potential if a younger, diverse demographic moved in, turned over 80% of the businesses, and built more missing middle housing.

I actually think strides are being made in this direction in the past couple of years. At least in the parts zoned for Oakland Terrace there is a huge influx of involved young families.

Counteracted by the senior living they keep adding. Curious to know who is paying over a million dollars for a townhouse built right next to a senior apartment complex at a busy intersection.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Full of musty, overpriced antique stores that no one goes to and the most overpriced lawn and garden store in the DMV. Decent pizza place and gelato store though.

Beautiful area that has potential if a younger, diverse demographic moved in, turned over 80% of the businesses, and built more missing middle housing.

I actually think strides are being made in this direction in the past couple of years. At least in the parts zoned for Oakland Terrace there is a huge influx of involved young families.

Counteracted by the senior living they keep adding. Curious to know who is paying over a million dollars for a townhouse built right next to a senior apartment complex at a busy intersection.

This! Way too many retirement developments are counteracting the occasional non senior housing development that comes along once in a while. The last place a business that’s even halfway interesting wants to open up is in area where retirees are seemingly the largest incoming demographic group.

Kensington Row doesn’t have to become SoHo but at least it could get some more interesting stores. It literally smells like a retirement home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just to add one thing people don't seem to have covered as a newcomer to the area - if you care about a local swim/tennis club you can walk/bike to, Cedarbrook has a 5-7 year waitlist so may not even be an option for you while your kids are little. Same with many local clubs (e.g. CCRA). I had seen these on the map and assumed they'd be an option until I looked into it more. Often, they are not.

There are also many Kensington families that join Kenmont, which does not have a years long wait list.

[Anonymous]

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.

The few blocks around it maybe but not Kensington.

Yes -- the area around Holy Redeemer is a close-knit Catholic community, somewhat conservative politically. But is that actually part of Kensington, or is it part of Chevy Chase? It's called Chevy Chase View, but maybe that's just a real estate designation. In any case, that neighborhood is between Connecticut Avenue and Cedar Lane. On the other side of Cedar Lane is Kensington-Parkwood -- really nice, friendly neighborhood where I'd say most kids go to public schools. There's a swim and tennis club on the Kensington-Parkwood side of Cedar Lane. Many families from both of those neighborhoods belong to the club.
I live in the Town of Chevy Chase, not Kensington, but my kids, who are in HS and college, have friends who live in K-P.

Interesting you say that, because the neighborhoods and areas around the other Catholic church. Holy Cross on Strathmore (closer to 355 and Georgetown Prep), was always known for being politically and socially liberal. I'm basing this on 40+ years of living in the area and being involved in local political campaigns, I still know the demographics, precincts and voting base very well. Dating back to the early 70s, the voters there (many who said they moved so their kids could attend the local parish school) were pro choice voters and very active in local democratic organizations. That trend hasn't changed (according to election results and anecdotal results, aka yard signs).

[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.

The few blocks around it maybe but not Kensington.

Yes -- the area around Holy Redeemer is a close-knit Catholic community, somewhat conservative politically. But is that actually part of Kensington, or is it part of Chevy Chase? It's called Chevy Chase View, but maybe that's just a real estate designation. In any case, that neighborhood is between Connecticut Avenue and Cedar Lane. On the other side of Cedar Lane is Kensington-Parkwood -- really nice, friendly neighborhood where I'd say most kids go to public schools. There's a swim and tennis club on the Kensington-Parkwood side of Cedar Lane. Many families from both of those neighborhoods belong to the club.
I live in the Town of Chevy Chase, not Kensington, but my kids, who are in HS and college, have friends who live in K-P.

Interesting you say that, because the neighborhoods and areas around the other Catholic church. Holy Cross on Strathmore (closer to 355 and Georgetown Prep), was always known for being politically and socially liberal. I'm basing this on 40+ years of living in the area and being involved in local political campaigns, I still know the demographics, precincts and voting base very well. Dating back to the early 70s, the voters there (many who said they moved so their kids could attend the local parish school) were pro choice voters and very active in local democratic organizations. That trend hasn't changed (according to election results and anecdotal results, aka yard signs).

Holy Redeemer is a much more conservative Catholic school than Holy Cross. Most of the families we know who chose HC wanted an alternative to public school, didn’t want to pay a lot for it, and didn’t mind some Catholicism in their kids’ education. That’s very different than families who chose HR, which is more of a lifestyle and a community.

Also, LOL at the yard signs in Garrett Park being indicative of progressiveness. It’s the same issue as in ToK: affluent White people who want you to know how very much Black Lives Matter to them, as long as their kids don’t actually attend school with those same Black kids.

[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.

The few blocks around it maybe but not Kensington.

Yes -- the area around Holy Redeemer is a close-knit Catholic community, somewhat conservative politically. But is that actually part of Kensington, or is it part of Chevy Chase? It's called Chevy Chase View, but maybe that's just a real estate designation. In any case, that neighborhood is between Connecticut Avenue and Cedar Lane. On the other side of Cedar Lane is Kensington-Parkwood -- really nice, friendly neighborhood where I'd say most kids go to public schools. There's a swim and tennis club on the Kensington-Parkwood side of Cedar Lane. Many families from both of those neighborhoods belong to the club.
I live in the Town of Chevy Chase, not Kensington, but my kids, who are in HS and college, have friends who live in K-P.

Interesting you say that, because the neighborhoods and areas around the other Catholic church. Holy Cross on Strathmore (closer to 355 and Georgetown Prep), was always known for being politically and socially liberal. I'm basing this on 40+ years of living in the area and being involved in local political campaigns, I still know the demographics, precincts and voting base very well. Dating back to the early 70s, the voters there (many who said they moved so their kids could attend the local parish school) were pro choice voters and very active in local democratic organizations. That trend hasn't changed (according to election results and anecdotal results, aka yard signs).

Holy Redeemer is a much more conservative Catholic school than Holy Cross. Most of the families we know who chose HC wanted an alternative to public school, didn’t want to pay a lot for it, and didn’t mind some Catholicism in their kids’ education. That’s very different than families who chose HR, which is more of a lifestyle and a community.

Also, LOL at the yard signs in Garrett Park being indicative of progressiveness. It’s the same issue as in ToK: affluent White people who want you to know how very much Black Lives Matter to them, as long as their kids don’t actually attend school with those same Black kids.

Funny. Garrett Park Elementary is less than 40% white.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Full of musty, overpriced antique stores that no one goes to and the most overpriced lawn and garden store in the DMV. Decent pizza place and gelato store though.

Beautiful area that has potential if a younger, diverse demographic moved in, turned over 80% of the businesses, and built more missing middle housing.

I actually think strides are being made in this direction in the past couple of years. At least in the parts zoned for Oakland Terrace there is a huge influx of involved young families.

Counteracted by the senior living they keep adding. Curious to know who is paying over a million dollars for a townhouse built right next to a senior apartment complex at a busy intersection.

This! Way too many retirement developments are counteracting the occasional non senior housing development that comes along once in a while. The last place a business that’s even halfway interesting wants to open up is in area where retirees are seemingly the largest incoming demographic group.

Kensington Row doesn’t have to become SoHo but at least it could get some more interesting stores. It literally smells like a retirement home.

Anti growth types like senior housing because it means less traffic and fewer students. If you want more families, advocate for that

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Whenever I go to the Kensington Safeway, I'm always impressed by the number of 1160 AM Christian Talk radio bumper stickers I see.

Quick report from the field: I was at this Safeway yesterday (Saturday) and I looked at every car in the parking lot (probably at least 50 cars). A bit silly but I was genuinely curious if I was overlooking something in all my years of patronizing businesses in the area. Didn't see a single one of these stickers. Saw a Biden/Harris, MSI, and some other random ones, but none that were religious.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Whenever I go to the Kensington Safeway, I'm always impressed by the number of 1160 AM Christian Talk radio bumper stickers I see.

Quick report from the field: I was at this Safeway yesterday (Saturday) and I looked at every car in the parking lot (probably at least 50 cars). A bit silly but I was genuinely curious if I was overlooking something in all my years of patronizing businesses in the area. Didn't see a single one of these stickers. Saw a Biden/Harris, MSI, and some other random ones, but none that were religious.

That's hilarious, thanks for the recon, PP!

[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.

The few blocks around it maybe but not Kensington.

Yes -- the area around Holy Redeemer is a close-knit Catholic community, somewhat conservative politically. But is that actually part of Kensington, or is it part of Chevy Chase? It's called Chevy Chase View, but maybe that's just a real estate designation. In any case, that neighborhood is between Connecticut Avenue and Cedar Lane. On the other side of Cedar Lane is Kensington-Parkwood -- really nice, friendly neighborhood where I'd say most kids go to public schools. There's a swim and tennis club on the Kensington-Parkwood side of Cedar Lane. Many families from both of those neighborhoods belong to the club.
I live in the Town of Chevy Chase, not Kensington, but my kids, who are in HS and college, have friends who live in K-P.

Interesting you say that, because the neighborhoods and areas around the other Catholic church. Holy Cross on Strathmore (closer to 355 and Georgetown Prep), was always known for being politically and socially liberal. I'm basing this on 40+ years of living in the area and being involved in local political campaigns, I still know the demographics, precincts and voting base very well. Dating back to the early 70s, the voters there (many who said they moved so their kids could attend the local parish school) were pro choice voters and very active in local democratic organizations. That trend hasn't changed (according to election results and anecdotal results, aka yard signs).

The first nuclear-free zone in the US, lol!