KensingtonPrince Edward Island
With 2,016 residents, it is a town on Prince Edward Island. It is part of Prince, a census division.
Is Kensington a good place to live?
Fewer journeys need a car (A). The weak point is cost of living (C). Its other grades sit near the middle: C+ for safety, B for health and C+ for jobs & income. Hazard risk is lower than in most Canadian towns (A−).
Kensington is graded subject by subject, but Canadian towns need 2,500 residents for an overall grade.
This town's rent is the 2021 census rent scaled to 2025 by its province's ratio of surveyed to census rents: no rental survey covers it, so its Cost Grade is less sure. No School Grade: this province doesn't publish comparable results school by school. Health is graded on the health region's survey figures and life expectancy, with the distance to hospital giving the town its own spread.
How Kensington grades
Each subject compares Kensington with Canadian towns of 2,500 or more, ordered by how far it is from the middle. Towns in other countries are graded separately.
Kensington is graded subject by subject, but Canadian towns need 2,500 residents for an overall grade.
How TownRatings grades Canadian towns →
What makes Kensington stand out
The 3 things Kensington does most differently from other towns.
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Kensington.
The nearest high school to Kensington is 74 km away
Young children have 55 km to the nearest elementary school, near Prince Edward Island’s towns (56 km) and higher than Canadian towns (0.5 km).
| School | Level | Students | System |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kensington Intermediate Senior High SchoolIn KensingtonElementary | Elementary | – | English public |
| Schools within 3 km | Kensington | Prince Edward Island | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nearest secondary school | 74 km | 76 km | 1.2 km |
| Nearest elementary school | 55 km | 56 km | 0.5 km |
Statistics Canada’s Open Database of Educational Facilities · Why no schools grade on Prince Edward Island? The province publishes no results school by school.
Flood mapping exists for Kensington: 2 on record, latest by Department of Environment, Energy and Climate Action - Government of Prince Edward Island
For earthquakes Kensington is middling, $0.032 a year per $1,000 against $0.030 for the typical town. Radon is lower than usual: 3.5% of tested homes in the survey area topped the guideline, against 6.6% for the typical town. Nobody publishes radon tests for Kensington alone, so this card uses the figure for the Prince Edward Island Health Region.
Radon tests above the guideline · share of tested homes, 200 Bq/m³
| Hazards | Kensington | Prince Edward Island | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Radon tests above the guideline | 3.5% | 3.5% | 6.6% |
| Earthquake loss per $1,000 of buildings a year | $0.032 | $0.020 | $0.030 |
NRCan seismic risk model and burned areas, Health Canada radon survey, the Flood Hazard Map Inventory
Rent takes more of local pay in Kensington than in Prince Edward Island’s towns or Canadian towns: 25% of household income
18% of households spent 30% or more of their income on shelter, about level with Canadian towns (18%) and above Prince Edward Island’s towns (11%). The median home value was $200,000, below Prince Edward Island’s towns ($288,000) and Canadian towns ($406,000) alike.
What homes were worth · The median owner’s estimate at the 2021 census
| Census 2021 | Kensington | Prince Edward Island | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent as a share of income | 25% | 18% | 20% |
| Median home value, 2021 | $200,000 | $288,000 | $406,000 |
| Households spending 30%+ on shelter | 18% | 11% | 18% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021; CMHC Rental Market Survey via Statistics Canada · The 2021 census asked owners what their home was worth; those values, and 2020 incomes, are what this compares.
More rain and snow fall on Kensington than on 92% of Canadian towns: 1,252 mm a year
December is the wettest month, with 138 mm of rain and snow on average. A normal winter brings 292 cm of snow, near Prince Edward Island’s towns (285 cm) and higher than Canadian towns (141 cm). Summer highs in Kensington reach 24.1°C in July. January is the snowiest month, with 67 cm on average.
Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Normals, 1991–2020 | Kensington | Prince Edward Island | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snowfall a year | 292 cm | 285 cm | 141 cm |
| Precipitation a year | 1,252 mm | 1,136 mm | 883 mm |
| July afternoon high | 24.1°C | 23.7°C | 25.5°C |
| January night low | −11.3°C | −11.4°C | −13.5°C |
Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020 (Summerside)
Trips to work from Kensington are shorter than from Prince Edward Island’s towns or Canadian towns: 21 min on average
The car took 92% of commuters, in line with Prince Edward Island’s towns (95%) and Canadian towns (89%).
How working residents got to work · census 2021
| Census 2021 | Kensington | Prince Edward Island | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip | 21 min | 23 min | 26 min |
| Car or van | 92% | 95% | 89% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021 (labour and commuting) · The 2021 census was taken in May 2021, during COVID-19 restrictions: more people than usual worked from home or were off work.
Around Kensington, 51% of adults call their health very good or excellent
Measured across the Prince Edward Island health region: health survey and life expectancy
Measured from where people live, the nearest hospital is 11 km away, above both Prince Edward Island’s towns (8.5 km) and Canadian towns (3.7 km). Across the region, life runs to 81.2 years on average: women 83.3, men 79.1, in 2022/2024. A pharmacy is nearer: 0.5 km on average, with 1.0 within 3 km of the typical home.
Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised
| Health | Kensington | Prince Edward Island | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Very good or excellent health | 51% | 51% | 52% |
| Life expectancy at birth | 81.2 | 81.2 | 81.5 |
Statistics Canada, Canadian Community Health Survey 2023/2024 and life expectancy 2022/2024; Open Database of Healthcare Facilities
Older than 85% of Canadian towns: half of Kensington is over 50
5% of residents belong to a visible minority, above Prince Edward Island’s towns (3.4%) but below Canadian towns (15%). Immigrants make up 5.2% of residents, between Prince Edward Island’s towns (4.9%) and Canadian towns (6.4%).
Ages · Share of residents in each age group, Census 2021
Schooling · Highest qualification, residents 15 and over
Women and men · all residents
Women make up 53.6% of Kensington
In 2021 there were 970 women to 840 men; Canada as a whole is 50.9% women.
| Kensington | Prince Edward Island | Canada | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 14% | 17% | 16% |
| 15 to 64 | 58% | 63% | 64% |
| 65+ | 27% | 19% | 19% |
| No certificate, diploma or degree | 22% | 14% | 16% |
| Postsecondary qualification | 46% | 61% | 56% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021; Prince Edward Island and Canada: medians of towns of 2,500+
Kensington is graded a C+ for safety
For violence alone the index was 48, below Prince Edward Island’s towns (54) and Canadian towns (86) alike. Property crime accounts for 26.8 incidents per 1,000 residents a year.
Year by year · Crime Severity Index for each year
| 2023–2025 | Kensington | Prince Edward Island | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime Severity Index | 48 | 54 | 86 |
| Property crime per 1,000 | 26.8 | 19.4 | 31.2 |
Statistics Canada, Uniform Crime Reporting Survey, 2023–2025 average
What November brings in Kensington: freezing at night, 7°C by day
A normal November brings 130 mm of rain and snow. Looking ahead to December, expect highs near 1°C and lows near −6°C. Snowfall in a normal November: 19 cm. The forecast on the Weather page is ECCC’s for Maple Plains.
Normal highs, the months ahead · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Season | High | Low | Rain and snow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter | −2°C | −10°C | 339 mm |
| Spring | 8°C | −1°C | 270 mm |
| Summer | 23°C | 13°C | 262 mm |
| Autumn | 13°C | 5°C | 381 mm |
ECCC normals, 1991–2020 (Summerside); the forecast is on the Weather page
75% of electors voted in Malpeque in 2021, more than in 99% of Canada’s ridings
With no licence on the Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island’s ridings map, Kensington isn’t placed in a riding here.
Wikidata, MAMH, MMAH, Statistics Canada
Kensington has one public library, Kensington Heritage Library
It stands 0.6 km from the centre of Kensington.
Provincial library statistics, OpenStreetMap, the CRA and Statistics Canada
Prince Edward Island National Park lies 13 km beyond Kensington’s edge
The nearest provincial park, Amherst Shore Provincial Park, is 55 km away. Scallop Buffer Zone (SFA 22) (285,278 ha) is the biggest, 8.3 km from town. 8 areas within 10 km are protected for nature. Protected areas cover 1.5% of the land within 10 km; for the typical Canadian town it is 2.3%.
Protected land · of the land within 10 km
| Outdoors | Kensington | Prince Edward Island | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protected land within 10 km | 1.5% | 4% | 2.3% |
| Public protected areas within 10 km | 1 | 7 | 4 |
Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD), OpenStreetMap routes and beaches
Kensington’s 1 historic place is a top designation
Older housing, built before 1961, accounts for 28% of homes, higher than both Prince Edward Island’s towns (21%) and Canadian towns (18%).
Historic places by designation · inside the town
Among them
| Heritage | Kensington | Prince Edward Island | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1961 | 28% | 21% | 18% |
Canadian Register of Historic Places, Directory of Federal Heritage Designations, Québec’s Répertoire du patrimoine culturel, Wikidata; Census 2021 homes by period
Everything we know about Kensington
Haunted Mansion and 2 more in and around Kensington
From museums to parks and historic sites: Kensington’s places to visit and those just beyond its edge, most famous first.
Famous people from around Kensington
2 notable people were born in Kensington; with them, the best known born in the towns around it.
Photo credits
Heather Moyse: Vincent Lions for Prince Edward Island Potatoes Board; cropped by Blackcat, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Gerard Gallant: Michael Miller, CC BY-SA 4.0
About Kensington
Town in Prince Edward Island
Statistics Canada treats Kensington as a single census subdivision on Prince Edward Island, and TownRatings keeps to that line.
Statistics Canada: population estimates 2025 (17-10-0155), Census of Population 2021, 2021 census boundaries.
- Population
- 2,016 (people, 2025 estimate)
- Province or territory
- Prince Edward Island
- Census division
- Prince
- Census subdivision
- 1103014
Kensington’s neighbours
The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Statistics Canada
| Town | People | km | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kensington | 2,016 | — | — | C | C+ | B |
| Kensington, Part 1 | 3,357 | 0.8 | — | B+ | — | B |
| Malpeque Bay | 1,351 | 7.6 | — | A− | — | B− |
| New London | 1,443 | 7.8 | — | B− | A− | B− |
| Kinkora | 1,416 | 9.7 | — | — | — | B− |
| Summerside | 19,006 | 12 | C− | C− | C− | B+ |
| Miscouche | 1,113 | 17 | — | B− | — | B |
People: Statistics Canada, Census 2021. Distances: centre to centre.
Questions about Kensington
Has Kensington grown?
Yes: the census counted 1,619 in 2016 and 1,812 in 2021, a rise of 11.9%, against 4.1% for the median of Canadian towns. The 2025 estimate is 2,016.
How old are the people of Kensington?
At 50, its median age compares with 45.2 across Canadian towns. Children make up 14% of the population and seniors 27%.
Who are the people of Kensington?
At the 2021 census, 5% were immigrants and 5% belonged to a visible minority (Canadian towns’ median: 15%). 2% identify as First Nations, Métis or Inuit.
What kind of homes are in Kensington?
Single-detached houses make up 55% of the homes here, where Canadian towns sit at 64%; 0% are in high-rise apartments. 35% of households are one person, and the average is 2.1.
Sources: Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2021 · population estimates 2025 (17-10-0155) and 2021 census boundaries · Uniform Crime Reporting Survey 2023–25 (35-10-0026, 35-10-0183 to 35-10-0190) · CMHC rents as published by Statistics Canada (34-10-0133) · grades by TownRatings. Under the Statistics Canada Open Licence.
Adapted from Statistics Canada (Census of Population 2021, population estimates 2025, 2021 census boundaries) under the Statistics Canada Open Licence; this does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada. Neighbourhood names in some cities © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).