2 census tracts · pop 4,606 · pop-weighted Eviction Risk Score 4.1/10
· range 3.4–4.5
Kensington takes in 2 census tracts of Kansas City, KS, population 4,606. The Eviction Risk Score is 4.1/10, in the Moderate tier. 49% of renters here are cost-burdened at the 30% threshold, dramatically above the Kansas City rate of 28.8%.
The main counterweight is rent-regulation exposure, at 1/10. 21.6% of adults report being unable to pay a utility bill, against a 9.2% national figure. Utility arrears usually lead rent arrears by a month or two.
CDC survey data puts housing insecurity at 28.6% of adults, against 14.2% nationally. The poverty rate is 21%, which shows up in this model as reduced rent-recovery odds after a judgment. Scores across the 2 constituent tracts range from 3.4 to 4.5. A 1.1-point internal spread means block-level underwriting beats area-level here.
On the softer side is supply constraint, at 2.7/10. Court records carry 33 eviction filings across its 2 observed tracts.
Severe burden reaches 11%. A tenant at that level absorbs no shock: one cut shift or one repair bill converts directly into arrears. Filing activity peaked in 2016 at 4.4% of renter households.
Running cool is housing-court posture, at 3/10. Average gross rent is $1,038, 8% below the Kansas City average of $1,123. Among the 24 mapped neighborhoods of Kansas City, it ranks #9 by risk, the middle third.
For a specific building, read the per-tract breakdown below rather than the 4.1 headline, because the internal range is too wide to average safely. Scores move when the ACS release, the court-record feed, or the statute ledger behind them moves.
Risk score
4.1
Moderate
2 tracts · population-weighted
Kensington vs Kansas CityHow this neighborhood stacks against the citywide average
Single-parent HH, disability, language barriers, age 17- / 65+
Racial/ethnic minority86%ile
Hispanic + non-white share of population
Housing & transport50%ile
Multi-unit structures, mobile homes, crowding, no vehicle
Eviction filings · Princeton Eviction Lab
Court-record eviction history in Kensington
Aggregated across 2 validated constituent tracts. Filing rate is filings per 100 renter households, pop-weighted.
Historic baseline (2000–2018)
33Total filings (sum)
3.97%Avg annual filing rate
4.4%Peak year (2016)
3.97%Latest filed (2016)
CDC PLACES 2023 · pop-weighted
Eviction-adjacent indicators in Kensington
Average across all constituent tracts, population-weighted. Source: CDC PLACES (cwsq-ngmh) crude prevalence.
28.5%Housing insecurity
21.5%Utility shutoff threat
37.6%Food insecurity
25.7%SNAP enrollment
28.8%No health insurance
38.9%Any disability
Frequently asked
About Kensington
Q1
What is the eviction-risk score for Kensington?
Kensington scores 4.1/10 (Moderate tier) across 2 census tracts. The pop-weighted Eviction Risk Score blends state law, county filing rates, parent-city politics, and tract-specific rent-to-income and poverty signals.
Q2
How does Kensington compare to Kansas City overall?
Kensington scores 0.7 points higher than Kansas City overall (3.4/10). Renters spend 49% of income on rent vs 29% citywide. Average rent: $1,038 vs $1,123.
Q3
What is the average rent in Kensington?
Average gross rent in Kensington is $1,038/month (pop-weighted across 2 census tracts, ACS 5-year 2023). 49% of renter households are cost-burdened.
Q4
What percentage of Kensington residents are renters?
48% of Kensington households are renter-occupied (vs 39% in Kansas City). The neighborhood has 4,606 residents.
Q5
Is Kensington a high social-vulnerability area?
Kensington sits in the 78th percentile nationally on the CDC Social Vulnerability Index (highly vulnerable). The index combines poverty, unemployment, household composition, racial/ethnic minority share, and housing/transportation factors across all US census tracts.
Q6
Which tracts in Kensington have the highest eviction risk?
The highest-risk constituent tract in Kensington is census tract 20209041500 (score 4.5/10). Across the 2 tracts in this neighborhood the score ranges from 3.4 to 4.5, a spread of 1.1 points.
Q7
How safe is Kensington for landlords?
Kensington carries a moderate-tier eviction-risk profile for landlords (4.1/10). Pop-weighted across 2 constituent tracts, the score blends parent-city rent-control posture, county eviction-process timelines, and tract-specific rent-to-income / poverty signals. Compared to Kansas City as a whole (3.4/10), this neighborhood is higher-risk.
Q8
What is the demographic breakdown of Kensington?
Kensington has 4,553 residents. Top groups: Hispanic / Latino (65.1%), White (non-Hispanic) (16.5%), Asian (non-Hispanic) (11%). Source: ACS 5-year 2023, table B03002.
