New Kensington, Pennsylvania

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New Kensington, nicknamed New Ken, is a small city in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, along the Allegheny River about 18 miles northeast of Pittsburgh. The population was 12,170 in 2020. Native Americans long used the area, and white settlement began in the mid-1700s. The city was founded in 1891 after land south of Lower Burrell was developed, with streets laid out in a grid to resemble Pittsburgh. The first big industry was the Pittsburgh Reduction Company (later Alcoa), which used the riverfront until 1971.

A notable development is Aluminum City Terrace, a 1940s housing project designed by famous architects Marcel Breuer and Walter Gropius for Alcoa workers. New Kensington includes neighborhoods such as Parnassus, Mount Vernon, Valley Heights, Valley Camp, Pine Manor, and 40 Acres. The downtown area has had many empty storefronts since the 1970s, and redevelopment began in 2008 to revitalize the city. The New Kensington Downtown and Production Works districts are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The city runs its own public works, fire department, police, emergency rescue, and water system. Parks include Memorial and Masa Harbison, and the People’s Library serves residents. Public transit is provided by the Port Authority of Allegheny County and the Westmoreland County Transit Authority. Housing includes Kensington Manor, East Ken Manor, and Valley Manor. New Kensington is served by the New Kensington-Arnold School District, with Valley High School and several elementary schools (some have been renamed or closed in recent years). Penn State New Kensington opened in 1958; since 1966 the campus has been located in Upper Burrell Township, still carrying the name. A Westmoreland County Community College campus opened in downtown in 2008. The area has a humid continental climate, with cold winters and warm summers.