What to know before you move: cost, market timing, who it fits.
If you're considering a move to Kensington, CA, the most important variables are the local housing market, the cost structure (taxes, insurance, utilities), and how well the city fits your day-to-day life. This page summarizes the housing market read; pair it with the cost of living page for the full picture.
Kensington is a city in Contra Costa County, California, with an estimated population of 5,428. It anchors the San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley metro area. The median home value in Kensington is $1,522,000 as of 2026-04, down 1.1% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +2.6% annual growth (-6.2% from the 5-year peak). Rents in Kensington average $4,148 per month. The composite momentum score is 51 of 100 (Stable). Conditions are neither hot nor cold, so the local fit matters more than market timing.
Sideways market (-1.1% YoY). No urgency to time the macro trend — focus on the home and neighborhood.
Reasons people move here
- The data is the data: Kensington has at least 5 years of Zillow tracking, full Census identification, and is included in the 1-criteria momentum score on this page.
- Data is sourced from public datasets (Zillow, US Census) with full citations on the methodology page.
Things to know first
- Expensive AND not growing: median home $1,522,000 with only -1.1% YoY. You're paying premium pricing for a flat trend.
- Thin housing market: small population means fewer transactions and slower resale. Liquidity risk on exit.
More about Kensington
Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.