Short answer: Kensington is an unincorporated Contra Costa County community of 5,428 people on one square mile of hillside above Berkeley. It has no city council, its own police district, a 10/10-rated elementary school and no city transfer tax. Home values run roughly $1.52 million to $1.80 million, and the data is thin because very little ever lists.
A town of 5,428 people with no city government
Kensington is a census-designated place, not a city. It covers 1.0 square mile and recorded 5,428 residents in the 2020 census, down from a 1950 peak of 6,601. There is no mayor and no city council.
Function | Who provides it |
|---|---|
Police, parks, refuse | Kensington Police Protection & Community Services District (KPPCSD), a five-member elected board |
Fire | Kensington Fire Protection District, its own elected board, which contracts service from the City of El Cerrito |
Land use review | A county-appointed Municipal Advisory Council |
Everything else | Contra Costa County |
KPPCSD is one of very few unincorporated communities in California running its own police department, and LAFCO has been processing an annexation of the fire district into it. Local decisions here get made by special district boards rather than a city hall.
The name dates to 1911, after South Kensington in London. The street grid grew up around Key System streetcar line #7, which ran until 1948 and left a network of public pedestrian pathways and stairs still in daily use. Shops cluster on Arlington and Colusa Avenues. J. Robert Oppenheimer lived at 10 Kenilworth Court during World War II.
What homes cost, and why we quote a range
We publish a range on purpose. One square mile with roughly 5,400 residents does not generate enough transactions in a quarter for a median anyone should rely on. Zillow's home value index put Kensington at $1,520,628 as of May 31, 2026, up 0.4% year over year, and that is an index of all homes rather than a sale median. Other sources put the typical Kensington sale as high as $1.80 million.
The honest answer is roughly $1.52 million to $1.80 million, and where a house lands in that band depends more on view, lot and condition than on any market-wide trend. Anyone quoting a precise Kensington median is quoting a handful of sales. Nearby, El Cerrito and Albany both have real transaction volume and share the same BART station.
The transfer tax difference is real money
Kensington is unincorporated, so there is no city transfer tax. Sellers pay only the Contra Costa County documentary transfer tax of $0.55 per $500, rounded up to the nearest $500. On a $1,600,000 sale:
Location | City transfer tax | County transfer tax | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
Kensington | None | $1,760 | $1,760 |
El Cerrito | $19,200 | $1,760 | $20,960 |
Richmond | $20,000 | $1,760 | $21,760 |
Berkeley | $24,000 | $1,760 | $25,760 |
Albany | $24,000 | $1,760 | $25,760 |
Berkeley and Albany sit in Alameda County, whose documentary transfer tax is also $0.55 per $500, so the gap above is entirely the city layer. Berkeley's is rising: under Measure W the same sale moves to a 2.5% city rate on January 1, 2027, covered in our post on the Berkeley transfer tax increase. Transfer tax is customarily negotiable between buyer and seller. Confirm figures with your title officer and tax treatment with your CPA.
The schools question, answered honestly
Kensington Elementary, roughly 473 students in grades K through 6, is rated 10 out of 10 by GreatSchools, and it is why many families move here. But Kensington sits in West Contra Costa Unified, and that school feeds into El Cerrito schools: Korematsu Middle School, rated 4 to 5 out of 10, and El Cerrito High School, rated 7 out of 10. The district has 63 schools and 29,284 students.
Families often move to Kensington for its exceptional, top-rated elementary school, which provides a stellar academic foundation for roughly 473 students from kindergarten through sixth grade. As part of the West Contra Costa Unified School District, students naturally transition into El Cerrito's beautifully upgraded secondary schools, which feature incredible community investments. Fred T. Korematsu Middle School offers a modern $45 million campus complete with advanced STEAM spaces and innovative green roofs, while El Cerrito High School boasts a state-of-the-art $116 million facility featuring a professional performing arts center and cutting-edge solar power. While these secondary schools offer wonderful resources and modern learning environments, their overall test-based ratings do dip compared to Kensington Elementary. To ensure your child's long-term educational path perfectly aligns with your specific academic expectations, it is highly recommended to proactively research and plan your 7th-grade options—whether continuing into the local public stream or exploring private alternatives—before buying your home.
Getting around, and the change coming to BART
Kensington is served by El Cerrito Plaza BART, which opened January 29, 1973 and runs on the Orange and Red lines. The station averaged 2,268 weekday riders in 2025 and serves southern El Cerrito, northern Albany, Kensington and parts of Berkeley and Richmond.
It is about to change substantially. The approved transit-oriented development is roughly 750 residential units across six buildings, with station parking cut from 761 spaces to 145. The north lot closed starting in November 2025 and the build runs roughly four years. If you drive to BART today, that is a material change to your commute. We will cover it in our post on the El Cerrito Plaza BART development. Within Kensington, the streetcar-era paths and stairs remain the fastest route between many streets.
Fire risk is part of owning here
Kensington is hillside, and parcels here commonly fall in Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones. As reported, the California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection approved final Zone 0 defensible-space regulations on August 19, 2026, creating an ember-resistant zone in the first five feet around a structure, where firewood, dead vegetation, mulch and new combustible fences are prohibited. That reporting comes from news outlets rather than the Board itself, so confirm the final text and effective dates at bof.fire.ca.gov. Our Zone 0 guide covers the phase-in schedule.
Insurance is the other half. Ask for the seller's current policy and premium history early in escrow, and talk to a broker before you remove contingencies.
Frequently asked questions
Is Kensington, CA its own city?
No. Kensington is an unincorporated census-designated place in Contra Costa County covering 1.0 square mile, with 5,428 residents as of the 2020 census. It has no mayor and no city council. A five-member elected KPPCSD board handles police, parks and refuse, a separate elected fire district board handles fire, and a county-appointed Municipal Advisory Council reviews land use.
How much does a house cost in Kensington?
Roughly $1.52 million to $1.80 million. Zillow's home value index showed $1,520,628 as of May 31, 2026, up 0.4% year over year, while other sources put the typical sale nearer $1.80 million. Kensington produces too few sales in a quarter for a reliable median, so a range is the honest way to state it.
What schools serve Kensington?
Kensington Elementary, about 473 students in grades K through 6, is rated 10 out of 10 by GreatSchools. It feeds into Korematsu Middle School, rated 4 to 5 out of 10, and El Cerrito High School, rated 7 out of 10, both in West Contra Costa Unified. That elementary-to-secondary gap is the main thing families should plan around before buying here.
Does Kensington have a city transfer tax?
No. Because Kensington is unincorporated, there is no city transfer tax. Sellers pay only the Contra Costa County documentary transfer tax of $0.55 per $500 of sale price, rounded up to the nearest $500, which is about $1,760 on a $1.6 million sale. Neighboring Berkeley would charge $24,000 in city tax at the same price. Confirm figures with your title officer.
Does Kensington have its own police and fire departments?
Kensington has its own police department, run by the KPPCSD, which is unusual for an unincorporated California community. Fire is different: a separate Kensington Fire Protection District board contracts fire service from the City of El Cerrito. Contra Costa LAFCO has been processing an annexation of that district into KPPCSD.
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census, Kensington CDP — data.census.gov
- Kensington Police Protection & Community Services District — kppcsd.org
- GreatSchools ratings, 2026 — greatschools.org
- Zillow Home Value Index, Kensington, May 31, 2026 — zillow.com
- Contra Costa County Clerk-Recorder, documentary transfer tax, 2026 — contracosta.ca.gov
- BART, El Cerrito Plaza station profile and 2025 ridership — bart.gov
- California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection, Zone 0 regulations approved August 19, 2026, as reported — bof.fire.ca.gov
Mark Lederer leads The Lederer Team at Red Oak Realty, with 25+ years and more than 1,000 closed transactions across Kensington, El Cerrito, Berkeley and the greater East Bay. Kensington data is genuinely thin, so get a real read on the specific house at theledererteam.com/home-valuation or start a conversation at theledererteam.com/contact. Call 510-774-4231 or email [email protected].
