Milton Coste

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NYC Neighborhood Comparison

Kensington vs Manhattan Beach

Manhattan Beach vs Kensington: side-by-side market data, transit, and neighborhood profiles to help you decide.

Brooklyn|Brooklyn

Kensington

Brooklyn

Manhattan Beach

Brooklyn

How They Compare

For buyers focused on affordability, Kensington has the lower median sale price at $525K vs $2.5M in Manhattan Beach.

Investors analyzing rental yield will find Kensington offers a stronger rent-to-price ratio based on current market data.

Median Sale Price
$525K
$2.5M
Median Rent
$3K
$4K
Active Listings
98
19
Avg Days on Market
56 days
274 days
YoY Price Change
+3.8%
+114.3%
Monthly Sales Volume
13
5

Detailed Comparison

MetricKensingtonManhattan Beach
Median Sale Price$525,000$2,550,000
Median Condo Price$415,500$895,000
Median Co-op Price$474,700$440,000
Median Rent$2,750$4,250
Active Listings9819
Rental Inventory1203
Days on Market56274
Price Cut Share14.3%5.3%
Monthly Sales Volume135
YoY Price Change+3.8%+114.3%
YoY Rent Change-5.2%+97.7%
YoY Inventory Change+28.9%-26.9%
Subway LinesN/AN/A

Year-Over-Year Price Movement

Prices in Kensington moved +3.8% over the past year, compared to +114.3% in Manhattan Beach. The +114.3% gain in Manhattan Beach reflects stronger buyer demand relative to available inventory in that market.

Neighborhood Profiles

Kensington

Kensington is a residential Brooklyn neighborhood bordered by Prospect Park to the north and the landmarked Green-Wood Cemetery to the west, with Ocean Parkway running through its center as one of the borough's signature tree-lined boulevards. The housing stock includes brick rowhouses, prewar co-op apartment buildings along Ocean Parkway and Coney Island Avenue, and detached Victorian homes on the side streets, served by the F and G trains at Fort Hamilton Parkway and Church Avenue. The B and Q express trains are accessible within a short walk, providing a 30-to-35-minute commute to Midtown Manhattan.

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Manhattan Beach

Manhattan Beach occupies the southeastern tip of Brooklyn with spacious single-family homes, many in Mediterranean Revival style on lots of 3,000 square feet or more, set along low-traffic residential streets between Sheepshead Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. No subway runs directly through the neighborhood; the B train at Sheepshead Bay and the Q at Brighton Beach are the closest stations. The 40-acre Manhattan Beach Park features a sandy public beach, playgrounds, tennis courts, sports fields, and a scenic boardwalk along the oceanfront.

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Transit Access

Kensington

No subway data available

Manhattan Beach

No subway data available

Active Listings

Kensington for sale

View all Kensington listings

Manhattan Beach for sale

View all Manhattan Beach listings

Listing data is derived in whole or in part from the RLS at REBNY (Real Estate Board of New York) Internet Data Exchange (IDX) database. Real estate listings held by brokerage firms other than Milton Coste | Keller Williams NYC are marked with the RLS logo. The information provided is for consumers' personal, non-commercial use and may not be used for any purpose other than to identify prospective properties consumers may be interested in purchasing. Data is refreshed every 15 minutes per REBNY IDX requirements.

Kensington vs Manhattan Beach: Home Price Resilience 2008-2020

From the 2008 financial crisis through the 2020 pandemic, the NYC metro Case-Shiller composite fell about 25% peak-to-trough between 2007 and 2012, then fully recovered by 2017 and gained another 15% through Q1 2020. Kensington and Manhattan Beach both tracked this broader NYC arc, with annual closing volume contracting sharply in 2009 and again in Q2 2020 before normalizing.

Outer-borough submarkets including Kensington and Manhattan Beach generally tracked the broader NYC metro pattern of a 20% to 25% peak-to-trough decline before fully recovering by 2017 and posting further gains through early 2020.

Source: Per Case-Shiller Home Price Index, NYC metro subset, 2008-2020, cross-referenced with StreetEasy historical price data series.

Metric (2026)KensingtonManhattan Beach
Median Sale Price$525,000$2,550,000
Median Rent$2,750/mo$4,250/mo
Year-over-Year Price Change+3.8%+114.3%
Average Days on Market56 days274 days
Distance to Nearest SubwayN/AN/A

Table values reflect current 2026 market conditions. Historical 2008-2020 commentary is sourced from Case-Shiller NYC metro composite and StreetEasy historical series.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Kensington cheaper than Manhattan Beach?
Yes, Kensington has a lower median sale price at $525,000 compared to $2,550,000 in Manhattan Beach as of the most recent market data. Co-op and condo prices within each neighborhood can vary significantly, so the right fit depends on property type and building.
Which has better transit, Kensington or Manhattan Beach?
Transit data is not available for these neighborhoods. Check the MTA website for current service maps.
Which is better for families, Kensington or Manhattan Beach?
This depends on what type of home fits your household. Kensington and Manhattan Beach both offer a mix of apartment and multi-room units in co-ops, condos, and townhouses. Larger 3- and 4-bedroom units, including townhouses and multi-family properties, tend to be more available in lower-density areas. Reviewing active listings filtered by bedroom count is the most reliable way to see what each neighborhood currently offers for larger households. A licensed broker can pull current inventory by bedroom count across both areas for a direct comparison.
Should I buy in Kensington or Manhattan Beach?
The right neighborhood depends on your price range, commute needs, and preferred property type. A comparative market analysis (CMA) of recent sales in both Kensington and Manhattan Beach gives you the clearest picture of what your budget gets in each location. Request a free CMA from Milton Coste to get a side-by-side breakdown of current opportunities.

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Data updated:

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