Photo: University of California, Berkeley - College of Environmental Design · Public domainOn CDC estimates, Kensington is among the healthiest U.S. towns
Kensington differs from California on 24 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 22 better, 2 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Kensington. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Kensington
Cancer and arthritis run high in Kensington
1 in 9 adults have had cancer (11.1%), vs 6.4% across California. 1 in 4 adults have arthritis (25.4%), vs 20.8% across California. Conditions ↓
Against towns with similar incomes, Kensington’s lead shrinks
Kensington is healthier than 99% of U.S. towns, but 69% of the 518 towns with similar household incomes ($178K–$296K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
Kensington is an active town
Only 15.2% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 24.6% across California. Habits ↓
Kensington keeps up with checkups
It beats California on four of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (77.7% vs 71.9%) and dentist visits (80.2% vs 62.8%). Checkups ↓
Written from the CDC, Medicare and HRSA data on this page. CDC PLACES 2025 release: modeled estimates for adults, not counts; “higher” and “lower” mean the California figure falls outside Kensington’s likely range.
What’s behind Kensington’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Kensington is among the healthiest U.S. towns, #15 of 847 in California. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is smoking (fewer adults who smoke than almost every town); the weakest is diabetes, still better than 89%.
Health estimates follow income closely across the country: towns with higher household incomes usually score higher (a correlation of 0.77 across 21,157 graded towns). Kensington’s median household income is $237,130; among the 518 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($178K–$296K), it’s healthier than 69%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Kensington adults…
Kensington runs below CA on 4 of 12 conditions and above it on 2. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with California
Share of adults, with the California figure marked.
0.8 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Keeping up with care
Share of Kensington adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks California.
Care in and near Kensington
No hospital or community health center in Kensington itself. These are the nearest.
Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Community health centers charge on a sliding scale by income. Distances are straight-line from the center of Kensington; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
How Kensington adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, Kensington does better than California.
3 in 10 Kensington adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.
Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
3.8% of Kensington adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.6% across California.
Kensington and the towns around it
Kensington has the best Health Grade of the 5 graded towns around it.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kensington | A+ | 23.7% | 9.2% | 5.2% | CDC place |
| El Cerrito | A | 24.4% | 10.1% | 7.3% | CDC place |
| Berkeley | A | 22.2% | 7.4% | 8% | CDC place |
| Richmond | C+ | 32.9% | 12.9% | 11.9% | CDC place |
| Albany | A+ | 20.1% | 7.9% | 6.7% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Kensington adults live with a disability (California 30.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Kensington
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Kensington is better than California on 22 and worse on 2; on the rest, the California figure falls inside Kensington’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Kensington | CA | U.S. | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 11.7%10–13.6 | 22.1% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 9.6%8.3–11.1 | 13.4% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.7%10.2–13.2 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 23.7%19.6–28.1 | 27.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 9.2%7.9–10.6 | 11.7% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 32.1%28.6–35.7 | 30.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 39.1%35.4–42.8 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 25.4%22.5–28.5 | 20.8% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 9.1%8–10.2 | 9.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 11.1%10.1–12.2 | 6.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.6%5–6.3 | 5.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 3.8%3.2–4.5 | 5.1% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.7%2.5–3 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 3.2%2.5–4 | 10.6% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 5.2%4.2–6.3 | 10.9% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 15.2%12.6–18.1 | 24.6% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 14.8%12.4–17.3 | 15.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 28.3%24.3–32.6 | 35.1% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 2.8%2.3–3.3 | 10.6% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 77.7%74.6–80.5 | 71.9% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 80.2%77.9–82.4 | 62.8% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 92.6%91.6–93.6 | 85.4% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 77.1%73.9–80.1 | 71.3% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 74.1%70.2–77.7 | 57.5% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 80.9%74.9–85.9 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 18.7%16.1–21.5 | 20.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 29.1%25.4–33 | 37.3% | 32.5% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 18%15.5–20.8 | 28.6% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 4.7%3.9–5.7 | 17.9% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 4.7%3.9–5.6 | 14.9% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 2.7%2.3–3.2 | 7.3% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 3.6%3.1–4.1 | 9.3% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 3.8%3–4.7 | 15.6% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 21.7%18.7–24.9 | 30.4% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 9.6%8.1–11.2 | 13.8% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 7.8%6.8–8.9 | 14.6% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.1%5.3–6.9 | 5.9% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 2.7%2.4–3 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 4.7%4.1–5.4 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.1%1.9–2.4 | 3.9% | 3.8% | Lower |
Each figure is the share of adults 18+ unless the label says otherwise; small numbers after it are CDC’s likely range (95% interval). “About the same” means the California figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Kensington
Is Kensington a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Kensington is among the healthiest U.S. towns: A+ for health, #15 of 847 in California. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 69%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Kensington?
CDC estimates 23.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 19.6% and 28.1%, against 27.8% across California and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Kensington?
Alta Bates Summit Medical Center - Alta Bates Camp in Berkeley, 3.6 miles in a straight line from Kensington’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Kensington have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 2.8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 2.3–3.3%), against 10.6% across California.
How accurate are these numbers?
They’re modeled estimates: CDC applies national survey answers to each area’s age, sex, race and education mix, so they describe who lives in Kensington more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from A to A+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Kensington.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The California figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. The Health Grade is our own summary of CDC’s estimates, not an official rating. Ages: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau. This page isn’t medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.