How does Kensington Heights compare to Kent and Washington overall?

Kensington Heights in Kent, Washington is priced about 1% below the city median and 4% below the state median. Its walkability is 61 and education is in the 57th percentile. The Red Flag score is 55, and prices are down 4.3% over the past year.

What are the walkability and education scores in Kensington Heights?

Kensington Heights in Kent, Washington has walkability of 61 and education in the 57th percentile. Those scores sit alongside a gross yield of 3.8% and a Red Flag score of 55. Prices are about 1% below the city median and 4% below the state median.

Neighborhood

Kensington Heights

Kent, Washington US

Kensington Heights in Kent, Washington has a mixed investment profile, with pricing about 1% below the city median and 4% below the state median, a gross yield of 3.8%, and prices down 4.3% over the past year. The neighborhood combines walkability of 61 and education in the 57th percentile with a Red Flag score of 55, so the main strength is moderate accessibility, while the main risk is a midrange risk score alongside declining prices.

AI Summary•Updated May 2026

Area

6.34 mi²

ZIP Code

98042

County

King County

State

Washington

Redfin — median sale & volumeZillow ZORI — asking rentFEMA National Risk Index v1.20OpenStreetMap — POIFBI UCR — state crimeEPA — radon zonesEPA FRS / BTS — hazard screeningUS Census ACS / TIGER 2024

Verified Price · Median Sale

$749,777

YoY-4.3%

Gross Rental Yield

3.8%

Listed rent · ZORI annualized

Red Flag Index

Moderate

55 / 100

Walkability Score

Somewhat Walkable

OpenStreetMap POI density · national percentile

Education Score

57 / 100

Good · better than 57% of U.S. districts

Pre-pandemic SEDA (2018/19) · district proxy

AI Score

Fair

DistrictScore attractiveness · national model

Kensington Heights Property Prices & Rental Yield

Verified Redfin sale data and Zillow ZORI asking rent for Kensington Heights, Kent.

Unlock the Kensington Heights 12-month price trend

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Market Economics Snapshot

May 2026

Metric	Value	YoY
Median Sale Price	$749,777	-4.3%
Price / Sq Ft (Verified)	$339/sqft	-3.3%
Asking Rent (Median)	$2,345/mo	-0.9%
Gross Rental Yield	3.8%	—
Liquidity Score	40 / 100	Moderate
Homes Sold (Period)	152	+1.3%

Is Kensington Heights Safe? Natural-Hazard Risk

FEMA National Risk Index composite across eight hazards, plus inherited Washington crime context.

Red Flag Breakdown

55 / 100

Moderate Risk

Composite is weighted by expected impact — frequent low-damage hazards (hail, wind) weigh less than flood or wildfire.

Earthquake100Very High

Flood60High

Wildfire60High

Heat60High

Tornado20Low

Strong Wind20Low

Hail20Low

Hurricanen/an/a

7/8 hazards scored · FEMA NRI v1.20

Crime (state-level): Washington averaged 27.9 crimes and 3.3 violent per 1,000 residents (-13.0% YoY) in 2024(FBI UCR). Compare the state to the country, not states as a ranking — full Safety & Crime data lives on the state page.

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Tract-level hazard heatmap & parcel detail with Pro

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What Stands Out AI Insight

Active transaction volume — 152 homes sold last period

Earthquake risk is Very High (100/100)

Insights are generated from Kensington Heights's live DistrictScore metrics.

Kensington Heights Environment & Safety

Satellite PM2.5 air-quality history, FBI UCR crime trend (Washington-level, the finest official aggregation), EPA radon potential and point-source hazard screening.

Washington Crime Trend

FBI UCR

20132024

All crimes / 1k

Violent / 1k

Year	Crimes / 1k	Violent / 1k	YoY
2024	27.9	3.3	-13.0%
2023	32.5	3.6	-12.5%
2022	37.5	3.8	+11.9%
2021	33.7	3.4	+12.1%
2020	30.3	2.9	+0.9%
2019	30.3	3.0	—

Reported at the state level — the finest official US crime aggregation; Kensington Heights inherits the Washington figures.

Radon Potential

EPA

Zone 3

Zone 3 — Lowest potential · Kensington Heights

EPA radon zones estimate indoor radon potential county-wide (Zone 1 highest, Zone 3 lowest). Testing is recommended in all zones.

Environmental Hazards

EPA / BTS

Superfund (NPL)4.8 kmModerate

Point-source screening near Kensington Heights: EPA Superfund National Priorities List & Facility Registry (2026), BTS aviation noise (2020, 24-hour average level). Superfund shows distance to the nearest listed site; odor shows detected sources within the screening radius. Only detected sources are listed; the bar shows severity vs. all U.S. neighborhoods.

Walkability & Amenities in Kensington Heights

Amenity density and pedestrian access from OpenStreetMap points of interest.

Walkability & Amenities

OpenStreetMap POI

61

Somewhat Walkable

Walkability Score

14

Grocery

28

Dining

11

Schools

0

Universities

2

Hospitals

3

Pharmacies

51

Parks

0

Rail Transit

0

Coworking

POI counts are amenities within Kensington Heights's boundary plus a 400 m walk buffer. Rail transit excludes bus stops.

Kensington Heights vs Kent vs Washington

How Kensington Heights benchmarks against its city and state medians.

Benchmark vs City & State

Across Kensington Heights, the median sale price sits in line with the median for Kent neighborhoods and about 4% below the statewide median. Gross rental yield is 3.8%, against 3.8% for Kent neighborhoods and 4.0% statewide. Over the past 12 months, prices fell 4.3%. Transaction liquidity sits above the median for Kent neighborhoods and above the statewide median.

Area	Median / Sq Ft	Gross Yield	Liquidity
Kensington Heights	$339/sqft	3.8%	40
Kent	$343/sqft	3.8%	28
Washington	$352/sqft	4.0%	32

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Compare Kensington Heights against Kent and Washington medians — free with a DistrictScore account.

Buying Property in the US as a Foreigner

Federal & Washington tax facts for non-resident buyers, plus the latest local market news.

Buying as a Foreigner

US Tax & Ownership

Applies to everyone7

Capital Gains (Federal)

Long-term capital gains taxed federally at 0/15/20%, plus a 3.8% Net Investment Income Tax on higher incomes (2026).

Property Tax

Property tax: ~0.74% average effective rate (statewide average; set and collected locally).

State Income Tax

No state income tax — rental income is not taxed at the state level.

State Capital Gains

No general income tax; the 7% capital gains tax exempts real estate.

Transfer Tax

Real estate transfer tax: REET graduated 1.1-3% (mansion-style).

Assessment Cap

No Proposition 13-style assessment cap; property is reassessed at market value.

Mansion Tax / Rent Control

Statewide rent control caps rent increases (HB 1217; 9.683% max for 2026); transfer tax is mansion-style.

US citizens & tax residents6

Primary-Home Exclusion

Selling your main home: exclude up to $250k of gain (single) / $500k (married) if you owned and lived there 2 of the last 5 years.

1031 Like-Kind Exchange

A 1031 like-kind exchange defers capital gains tax on investment property; 45 days to identify, 180 to close. Real estate only.

Depreciation Recapture

Residential rentals depreciate over 27.5 years; on sale, recaptured depreciation is taxed up to 25% (Section 1250).

Mortgage Interest Deduction

Mortgage interest is deductible on up to $750k of home debt. The SALT cap rose to $40,000 for 2025-2029 (reverts to $10k in 2030).

Opportunity Zones

Opportunity Zones are now permanent (2025): reinvested capital gains get deferral plus a basis step-up, and are tax-free after 10 years.

Rental Income (Resident)

Rental income is reported on Schedule E; passive-loss rules (Section 469) limit deducting rental losses against other income.

Foreign buyers (non-residents)5

FIRPTA (Foreign Sellers)

FIRPTA: the buyer withholds 15% of the gross sale price when a nonresident sells US property. It is an advance deposit, not the final tax.

Non-Resident Capital Gains

Nonresident sellers pay US capital gains tax (generally 15-20%) on the net gain via Form 1040-NR; FIRPTA withholding is credited.

Non-Resident Rental Tax

Nonresident rental income is taxed at 30% of gross by default, or on net income at graduated rates via a Section 871(d) election (W-8ECI).

Estate Tax (Non-Resident)

Nonresidents get only a $60,000 US estate-tax exemption (vs $13.99M for residents); US property above it is taxed up to 40%. Treaties may help.

ITIN Requirement

Nonresidents without an SSN need an ITIN (Form W-7) to file US tax returns, claim FIRPTA refunds, and report rental income.

Talk to a US real-estate tax advisor

FIRPTA, ITIN & Washington property-tax guidance for foreign buyers

Latest Kent Real-Estate News

New Fed chairman may leave mortgage rates mostly unchanged

Guaranteed Rate • Jun 18, 2026

Household real estate wealth hits record $48.7 trillion

Eye On Housing • Jun 18, 2026

U.S. commercial property prices hit record as deal patterns shift

Altus Group • Jun 18, 2026

Kensington Heights Real Estate FAQ

Kensington Heights in Kent, Washington presents a mixed profile. Pricing is about 1% below the city median and 4% below the state median, gross yield is 3.8%, and prices are down 4.3% over the past year. The Red Flag score is 55, which points to moderate risk.

Neighborhoods near Kensington Heights

Compare Kensington Heights with nearby neighborhoods in Kent.

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