Lower Kensington

Kensington is one of Philadelphia’s river wards that define rough and tumble living. The crime rate is high with drugs and prostitution prevalent menaces on the community. In fact, Kensington Avenue and Somerset Street was ranked one of the top ten drug corners in the city.

When moving in, one is advised to leave their valuables in storage because robberies happen frequently and strangers are viewed with suspicion. Residential values have declined by 9 percent in recent years according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Caucasian ethnics populate the area and are the descendants of immigrants that worked in the many factories that were housed along the Delaware River and throughout lower North Philadelphia. Irish, Italian, and Polish Americans comprise this group along with newer immigrants such as Hispanic, Puerto Ricans, Dominicans and African Americans..

K & A is a major crossroads for the area with Kensington Avenue (North/South) that parallels the river and Allegheny Avenue (West/East) that travels through North Philadelphia Westward. Several buses are routed through this area along with the Market Frankford El.

There is a branch of the Free Library along with several schools including Kensington High School and Jules E. Mastbaum Vocational and Technical High School. Most students who manage to gain admittance to college are usually the first of their families to attend.