Kensington, New York
Kensington is a village of 1,189 people in Nassau County, New York.
Why visit Kensington
Townapedia lists 32 museums and landmarks, 53 parks and trails, 76 places to eat, 3 places to stay and 7 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include 9-11 Memorial Bridge, Great Neck Cinemas at the Squire, Almeron and Olive Smith House and Grace and Thomaston Buildings.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 86°F; January lows average 27°F.
Weather in Kensington
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Kensington
Kensington is a village located within the Town of North Hempstead in Nassau County, on the North Shore of Long Island, in New York, United States. The population was 1,226 at the time of the 2020 census.
From the Wikipedia article Kensington, New York (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do7
9-11 Memorial Bridge
Bridge · 1.5 mi
Bridge in New York, United States
Kings Point Light
Lighthouse · 2.5 mi
Lighthouse in New York, United States
Police Officer Joseph P. Olivieri Jr. Memorial Bridge
Bridge · 2.3 mi
Bridge in New York, United States
Webster Avenue Bridge
Bridge · 1.6 mi
Bridge in Villages of Plandome Heights and Flower Hill, NY
Museums and landmarks32
Almeron and Olive Smith House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.4 mi
Historic home in Plandome, New York
50 South Drive, Manhasset
Grace and Thomaston Buildings
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.5 mi
Historical building
Manhasset Monthly Meeting of the Society of Friends
Monument and historic site · Quaker · National Register of Historic Places · 1.5 mi
Historic building in Manhasset, New York, United States
North Hempstead Town Hall
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.2 mi
Historic building in Manhasset in Nassau County, on Long Island, in New York, United States
220 Plandome Road, Manhasset
Saddle Rock Grist Mill
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.5 mi
Disused tide mill in Great Neck, New York, United States
190 Grist Mill Lane, Great Neck
Allen-Beville House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.1 mi
House in Queens, New York City
Cornelius Van Wyck House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.1 mi
House in Queens (New York)
Cornell Farmhouse
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.1 mi
House in New York, United States of America
Cornell-Van Nostrand House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.0 mi
Historic house in New York, United States
Douglaston Hill Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.1 mi
Historic district in Queens, New York
Douglaston Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.9 mi
Historic district in New York, United States
Fort Totten Officers' Club
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.9 mi
Historic clubhouse in Queens, New York
20 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds53
Manhasset Valley Park
Park · 0.8 mi
Park in the United States of America
Plandome Pond Park
Park · 1.5 mi
Park in Plandome Heights, New York, United States
Bay Walk Park
Park · 3.2 mi
Park in Port Washington North, Nassau County, New York
Christopher Morley Park
Park · 3.2 mi
Large, county-owned park in Nassau County, New York
Clinton G. Martin Park
Park · 3.1 mi
Park in Manhasset Hills, New York, United States
Copley Pond Park
Park · 2.4 mi
Park in Munsey Park, New York, United States
Elderfields Preserve
Park · 2.9 mi
Historic site in Flower Hill, New York
Flower Hill Village Park
Park · 2.6 mi
Park in Flower Hill, New York, United States of America
41 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes76
Mangia Bene La Botegga
Restaurant · Pizza, Italian · 1.0 mi
624 Middle Neck Road, Great Neck
Mo-Su 11:00-22:00
ViVi Bubble Tea
Cafe · Bubble Tea, Tea, Coffee, Dessert · 0.5 mi
6 South Station Plaza, Great Neck
Mo-Su 11:00-22:00
Greens Irish Pub
Bar and pub · 1.2 mi
436 Plandome Road, Manhasset
Mo-Th 11:00-14:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-16:00; Su 12:00-24:00
Kai Burgers & Dumplings
Restaurant · Chinese · 0.5 mi
7 South Middle Neck Road, Great Neck
Tu-Su 11:00-20:30
64 more on the map.
History
In the early 1900s the Rickert–Finlay Realty Company purchased the land that now consists of Kensington – the majority of which, at that time, was farmland. On that land, an upscale, planned community – known as Kensington – was erected, starting circa 1904. The development was initially established as an enclave of homes of famous celebrities.
In order to maintain the residential character of the community, a restrictive covenant was written to keep business and industry out. Furthermore, a membership corporation called the Kensington Association was initiated to take care of maintenance and police protection.
On November 7, 1921, by a unanimous vote of the residents, Kensington incorporated as a village, spurred by a desire to gain home rule powers and better and more directly control the zoning and land use matters and local services within the community.
The first village elections for officers and trustees were held on November 28, 1921, and Byron Eldred was elected unanimously as Kensington's first Mayor.
Many of Kensington's mayors have served for substantially long terms. Notable examples are Seymour Cohen, Steven Randall, and Bonnie Golub. The mayor also serves as Commissioner of Police, with the village operating its own police department.
From the History section of Kensington, New York on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay3
Churches and places of worship26
Reconstructionist Synagogue of the North Shore
Place of worship · Reconstructionist · 1.1 mi
1001 Plandome Road, Manhasset
Saint Aloysius Roman Catholic Church
Church · Roman Catholic · 1.0 mi
592 Middle Neck Road, Great Neck
Bet Eliyahu Congregation of Great Neck
Place of worship · Orthodox · 0.6 mi
209 Middle Neck Road, Great Neck
Church of Saint Mary
Church · Catholic · 1.3 mi
1310 Northern Boulevard, Manhasset
Congregation Bait El Yahu
Place of worship · Orthodox · 0.6 mi
209 Middle Neck Road, Great Neck
Manhasset Friends Meeting
Church · Quaker · 1.5 mi
1421 Northern Boulevard, Manhasset
Shopping18
Costello's Ace Hardware of Great Neck
Hardware store · 0.8 mi
518 Middle Neck Road, Great Neck
Gas and EV charging11
Schools, colleges and libraries59
Business Technology Early College High School
School · 4.2 mi
230-17 Hillside Ave, Queens Village
Healthcare6
Allergy & Asthma Center of Long Island
Clinic and pharmacy · 0.9 mi
891 Northern Boulevard, Great Neck
The Grand Rehabilitation and Nursing
Clinic and pharmacy · 0.8 mi
111 East Shore Road, Manhasset
Map of Kensington
250 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 42°F | 27°F | 3.6 in | 2.9 in |
| Feb | 44°F | 28°F | 3.0 in | 6.2 in |
| Mar | 51°F | 34°F | 4.4 in | 3.1 in |
| Apr | 62°F | 43°F | 3.8 in | 0.4 in |
| May | 72°F | 52°F | 3.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 81°F | 62°F | 3.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 86°F | 68°F | 4.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 84°F | 66°F | 3.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 78°F | 60°F | 4.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 67°F | 49°F | 4.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 56°F | 40°F | 3.4 in | 0.2 in |
| Dec | 46°F | 33°F | 4.2 in | 5.7 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Mineola (7 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Nassau County has had 20 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for hurricanes.
- 2024-01-30: Severe Storm And Flooding (Flood)
- 2021-09-05: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida (Hurricane)
- 2021-09-02: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida (Hurricane)
- 2021-08-22: Hurricane Henri (Hurricane)
- 2020-10-02: Tropical Storm Isaias (Hurricane)
- 2020-03-20: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
LaGuardia Airport (LGA) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 8 miles away.
- Great Neck Gardens 0 mi north, about 1 min by car
- Great Neck 1 mi northwest, about 1 min by car
- Port Washington 3 mi northeast, about 5 min by car
- Baxter Estates 3 mi northeast, about 5 min by car
- North New Hyde Park 4 mi southeast, about 6 min by car
- New Hyde Park 5 mi southeast, about 7 min by car
- Floral Park 5 mi south, about 8 min by car
- Mineola 5 mi southeast, about 9 min by car
- Bellerose 5 mi south, about 8 min by car
- Garden City 6 mi southeast, about 10 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Kensington Village Hall, Kensington, Long Island, New York, LINYperson615, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Almeron & Olive Smith House jeh, Jim.henderson, CC0
- North Hempstead Town Hall, Dec 28 2022, D. Benjamin Miller, CC0
- Grace and Thomaston Buildings, Aug 15 2022, D. Benjamin Miller, CC0
- Saddle Rock Grist Mill, Deirdrelmt, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Manhasset Quaker Meeting 1421 No Blvd sunny jeh, Jim.henderson, CC0
- Allen-Beville House, Peter Greenberg, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Main Street School Port Wash jeh, Jim.henderson, CC0
- Cornell-Van Nostrand House, Clinton G. Martin Park, Manhasset Hills, NY August 6, 2026 A, Infrastorian, CC0
- Monfort Cemetery, Port Washington, NY, Daniel Case, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Cornelius Van Wyck House, Peter Greenberg, CC BY-SA 3.0
- QFM farmhouse jeh, Jim.henderson, Public domain
- William Landsberg House - July 2016, Midmod2000, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Sands–Willets House, Flower Hill, NY May 6, 2023 B, AITFFan1, CC0
- Zion Episcopal Church Douglaston 06, Peter Greenberg, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Great Neck NY Post Office-1, DanTD, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Douglaston Club, Peter Greenberg, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Ft Totten Officer Club jeh, MyName ( Jim.henderson ( talk )), Public domain
- Footbridge at Manhasset Valley Park, D. Benjamin Miller, CC0
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