Kensington, San Diego: Community Spotlight
Kensington is a quaint and gorgeous neighborhood just east of Normal Heights and north of City Heights in San Diego. This corner of San Diego has been dubbed “The Only Real Neighborhood in San Diego” by the San Diego Reader due to its walkability, friendly neighborly vibes, and the overwhelming amount of locally-owned shops and restaurants. Kensington has tons of charm, delicious food, and great coffee. Quite simply, it is a great place to build your life. Enough about our gushing opinions, though. We want to show you the vital information you should know before looking in Kensington for your new home.
Things to Do
Kensington may be small, but the neighborhood packs a big punch when it comes to things to do. Movie buff? Head the Landmark Ken Cinema where you can catch indie films, midnight showings of Rocky Horror Picture Show, or admire the historic marquee. If you are more of a grab-a-cocktail kind of person, you will love Bleu Boheme, Ponce’s, Village Vino, Clem’s Taphouse, or any of the other fantastic options in Kensington. Pizza lover? The Haven Pizzeria, Pappalecco, and Cucina Sorella all offer different, delicious versions of the dish. For coffee, Kensington Cafe offers a wide range of delicious sips. You can even catch stand up comedy and live music in the Kensington area. That, along with community-led events like the famous Trick-or-Treating event, the Kensington Talmadge Business Association’s annual Walkabout, and the other community events and parades throughout the year will leave you with tons of things to do in Kensington and a surefire way to meet your new best friends.
Walkability
Arguably one of the best things about living in Kensington is its walkability—and this is not by accident. When the developers were building downtown Kensington, they were intentional about that by building the parking lots behind stores, so that sidewalks lined the front. There isn’t a ton of through traffic in this community either. The lack of traffic makes the park next to the Kensington Library incredibly accessible to families from Talmadge and Normal heights to enjoy without worrying about cars buzzing through. It is easy to make your way to Adams Avenue for a quick bite to eat, or take a walk over to Normal Heights. In Kensington, you will find tree-lined streets with beautiful historic Spanish colonial homes, custom sidewalk paintings of some of the houses, and tiny libraries to grab your next free read, all making your walk a little more beautiful.
Demographics
The median age in Kensington is 41.6 years old, a little older than San Diego as a whole which lands at 34.2 years of age. Though older, it is filled with families, single people, and couples without children. The median household income is a bit above $91,000 compared to San Diego as a whole, which comes in at just over $71,000.00. The neighborhood is known for being affluent, which makes the housing prices in this area pretty steep. But, if this is where you want to start your San Diego home search, we can go over your goals and come up with a plan to find you your perfect Kensington home.
Schools
If you are raising a family in San Diego, it is essential to know about the school district where you want to buy your home. Take a look at this map created by Voice of San Diego that shows you information about public schools all over the county.
Freeway Access
Situated near the I-15 and just south of the I-8, getting in and out of Kensington is a breeze. Any home you choose will be just a minute or so away from the interstate. But, once you live here, you may find that you don’t need to access those freeways much at all. Adams Avenue connects Kensington, Talmadge, Normal Heights, and University Heights and has a whole bunch of shops, restaurants, cafes, and bars for you to enjoy. On the southern side of Kensington, you can hop onto El Cajon Boulevard which connects El Cajon, La Mesa, College Area, City Heights, North Park, and University Heights.
If the “Only Real Neighborhood” sounds like exactly what you are looking for, contact us. We would love to help you with your real estate needs, whether you are buying, selling, remodeling, or leasing your home. We cannot wait to get to know you!
To find out more about some other incredible San Diego neighborhoods, click the links below: