Renting With a Section 8 Voucher in Kensington, Philadelphia: 2026 Guide
Quick answerA Section 8 voucher from the Philadelphia Housing Authority can be used in Kensington. As of October 8, 2026, ZIP code 19134 sits in PHA's Group 2, where the payment standard is $1,660 a month for a two-bedroom voucher and $1,390 for one bedroom. Addresses sold as "Kensington" in ZIP codes 19125 or 19133 fall in other groups with different amounts. Active Section 8 listings in Kensington on VoucherMatch right now: 2.
Last checked: October 8, 2026, against PHA's payment standard schedule (effective November 1, 2025), Administrative Plan (effective January 1, 2026), move-in guide, FAQ and owner pages, 24 CFR 982.507 and 982.508, City of Philadelphia pages, the River Wards and Lower North district plan pages, SEPTA's stop lists and Census ACS 2020-2024 tables.
- $1,660PHA two-bedroom payment standard in ZIP code 19134 (Group 2)
- $2,330the two-bedroom standard in 19125 (Group 4), the ZIP code VoucherMatch's data gives for East Kensington
- $1,420the two-bedroom standard in 19133 (Group 1), to the west
- 28%share of adjusted monthly income a PHA household of one or two pays
- ThreeL stations within about 1 kilometre of VoucherMatch's map point for Kensington
- 2active Section 8 listings in Kensington on VoucherMatch right now
The rent figure to use for a Kensington proposal
The figure depends on the ZIP code in the address, because the name Kensington covers more than one PHA group. VoucherMatch's Philadelphia data puts Kensington, Port Richmond and Harrowgate in 19134, which PHA lists in Group 2 ("Traditional Rents").
The PHA rate for 2026 in and around Kensington
View the data table
| Voucher size | Group 1 (19133) | Group 2 (19134, Kensington) | Group 4 (19125) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,100 | $1,280 | $1,800 |
| 1 bedroom | $1,190 | $1,390 | $1,960 |
| 2 bedrooms | $1,420 | $1,660 | $2,330 |
| 3 bedrooms | $1,700 | $1,990 | $2,790 |
| 4 bedrooms | $1,900 | $2,220 | $3,120 |
What it means: the two-bedroom standard differs by $910 between a 19133 address and a 19125 address, so get the ZIP code before judging a rent.
Source: PHA, Payment Standard Schedule by Neighborhood ZIP Code, effective November 1, 2025. PHA's payment standards page showed no newer schedule on October 8, 2026.
The standard goes with the size printed on your voucher: PHA's schedule says a two-bedroom voucher used on a three-bedroom unit is still measured against the two-bedroom figure. Every ZIP code and group is listed in the Philadelphia payment standards guide.
Your own payment starts from a percentage that PHA sets by household size under its Moving to Work authority: 28% of adjusted monthly income for one or two people, 27% for three to five and 26% for six or more, never less than $50 (Administrative Plan, chapter 9). VASH, Mainstream and other non-MTW vouchers follow the standard 30% formula.
ExampleVoucherMatch's arithmetic, with made-up income. Two people hold a two-bedroom voucher and have $1,500 in adjusted monthly income, so their base payment is $420 (28%). When rent plus utility allowance is $1,660 or less, they pay $420. At $1,800 they pay $560, inside the $600 cap (40%). At $1,900 the share would be $660, past the cap, and PHA would not approve the tenancy.
The 40% limit at move-in is in 24 CFR 982.508, and the rent must also be reasonable under 24 CFR 982.507. Background: how the Section 8 utility allowance works and how much Section 8 pays for a two-bedroom in other cities.
Current Kensington listings
This table fills in when the page loads from VoucherMatch's active Section 8 listings in Kensington. It can show zero listings and no rents.
| Kensington Section 8 listings on VoucherMatch | Right now |
|---|---|
| Active listings | 2 |
| Bedroom mix | One is a 3-bedroom, One is a 4-bedroom |
| Lowest asking rent | $2,200 |
| Median asking rent | $2,250 |
| Highest asking rent | $2,300 |
What it means: add PHA's utility allowance to an asking rent, then look at the column for the listing's ZIP code.
Source: VoucherMatch listings marked as accepting Section 8 in Kensington.
- 4BR listed at $2,200, 2 bath
- 3BR listed at $2,300, 2 bath
Owners' contact details are on the Kensington apartment page. The 19134 page gathers the whole ZIP code, and the rent analyzer tests one rent at a time.
Compare the actual block and unit
Start with the address, since the City's own plans use the name Kensington in more than one district. The River Wards District plan, adopted August 18, 2015, covers Kensington together with Fishtown, Port Richmond and Bridesburg, and describes the district as rowhouse neighborhoods east of the Market-Frankford elevated line (River Wards plan). The Lower North plan lists South Kensington, Olde Kensington and West Kensington separately.
- Renters9,706 of 21,254 occupied homes are rented, about 46% (table B25003).
- Median gross rent$1,174 a month across all sizes; $1,274 for two-bedroom units and $1,295 for three-bedroom units, utilities included (tables B25064 and B25031).
- Age of housing17,606 of 24,595 homes, about 72%, were built in 1939 or earlier (table B25034).
What it means: the ZIP code is larger than Kensington, and the medians include long-standing leases. Vacant units can ask more.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimates for ZIP Code Tabulation Area 19134, read through Census Reporter.
SEPTA lines and stops near Kensington
The L, which is SEPTA's letter for the Market-Frankford Line, has three stations within about 1 kilometre of the point VoucherMatch's map uses for Kensington.
| SEPTA line | Stops SEPTA lists near the map point | Distance of the nearest stop |
|---|---|---|
| L (Market-Frankford Line) | Somerset, Huntingdon and York-Dauphin; Kensington-Allegheny is the next station north | About 160 m |
| Bus 3 | Kensington Av at Somerset, Lehigh, Cambria and Huntingdon St | About 150 m |
| Bus 54 | Somerset St and Lehigh Av | About 140 m |
| Bus 5 | Frankford Av at Somerset, Lehigh and Cambria St | About 270 m |
| Bus 39 | Huntingdon St | About 380 m |
| Bus 89, 57 and 60 | F St, Front St and Allegheny Av | 600 m to 850 m |
What it means: Somerset station sits beside the Kensington Avenue bus stops, so ask how far a listing is from the avenue.
Source: SEPTA's stop lists by route, read October 8, 2026, and its Metro naming page. Distances are VoucherMatch's straight-line calculation from SEPTA's stop coordinates, not travel times.
From a Kensington viewing to a signed lease
PHA approves the unit and the rent before a lease is signed, and the owner starts the process. PHA's guide puts the usual wait at about 30 days from the owner's request to lease signing.
- 1Read your voucherbedroom size and expiration date. PHA's initial term is 120 days; a written extension request before expiry can add up to 60 days at PHA's discretion.
- 2Get the ZIP codethen test rent plus utility allowance against that group's standard and against 40% of your adjusted income.
- 3Ask about the owner's PHA statusowners take PHA's certification class, register on the Owner Portal and show a current Philadelphia rental license.
- 4Request for Tenancy Approvalthe owner files it on the Owner Portal after you sign the tenant sections. The voucher clock is suspended until PHA replies in writing.
- 5Inspectiongenerally scheduled within three business days of the request, PHA says. A failed unit gets 15 business days for repairs and a re-inspection request.
- 6Rent decisionPHA compares the rent with unassisted units and applies the 40% limit. It tries to negotiate a rent that fails.
- 7Leasewait for PHA's Initial Rent Letter before signing or paying a deposit. The first term is two years.
What it means: PHA's guide advises staying in touch with the owner and PHA after the request is filed.
Source: PHA's Administrative Plan (sections 7.7 to 7.9, 12.7, 13.13, 14.4), move-in guide and landlord steps.
- Your voucher, with its bedroom size and expiration date
- The standards for 19134, 19125 and 19133, in case the address is not where the listing says
- Your adjusted monthly income, for the 40% test
- Questions for the owner: who pays heat, electricity and water, and is there a current rental license?
- An eye for working smoke detectors, intact paint and dry ceilings, which PHA's guide names as inspection items
Before move-in, the City requires the owner to hand the tenant a Certificate of Rental Suitability (City of Philadelphia). The inspection checklist goes room by room.
Widen the search without copying a budget
Each neighbour has its own ZIP code and sometimes its own group, so carry the method across, not the number.
| Neighborhood | Section 8 listings | ZIP code in VoucherMatch's data | PHA group and two-bedroom standard |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Kensington | East Kensington | 19125 | Group 4, $2,330 |
| Port Richmond | Port Richmond | 19134 | Group 2, $1,660 |
| Harrowgate | Harrowgate | 19134 | Group 2, $1,660 |
| Fairhill | Fairhill | 19133 | Group 1, $1,420 |
What it means: a Group 4 address allows a higher subsidy, but PHA must still find the rent in line with the market. All neighborhoods are on the Philadelphia Section 8 apartments page.
Source: PHA's schedule for the groups; VoucherMatch's Philadelphia neighborhood data for the ZIP codes.
Application and move questions
What is the Section 8 rate for 2026 in Kensington?
In ZIP code 19134 the PHA payment standard is $1,280 for a studio, $1,390 for one bedroom, $1,660 for two, $1,990 for three and $2,220 for four, under the schedule effective November 1, 2025. PHA had posted no later schedule by October 8, 2026.
Is Section 8 open now in Philadelphia?
No. PHA's FAQ says its Housing Choice Voucher wait list is closed and that reopening will be announced publicly. Is Section 8 open right now? explains how to check any list, and the Philadelphia Section 8 guide covers PHA.
Must PHA absorb a transferred voucher before I can look in Kensington?
No. PHA's plan says it may absorb a voucher ported in from another agency if it has funding, or administer it for that agency. Either way PHA's payment standards apply, and PHA's household-size percentages apply only once it absorbs. See how portability works.
Can a Kensington landlord refuse a voucher?
Philadelphia's Fair Practices Ordinance prohibits housing discrimination based on source of income, including rental assistance. The Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations takes complaints: (215) 686-4670 (City of Philadelphia). Owners may still screen applicants.
Next step: write down the three figures for your voucher size, then open the Kensington listings and ask for each street address. PHA's customer line is 215-684-4300.
Sources for this article (13)
- Payment Standard Schedule by Neighborhood ZIP Code (pha.phila.gov)
- payment standards page (pha.phila.gov)
- Administrative Plan (pha.phila.gov)
- 24 CFR 982.508 (ecfr.gov)
- 24 CFR 982.507 (ecfr.gov)
- River Wards plan (phila2035.org)
- Census Reporter (censusreporter.org)
- stop lists by route (www3.septa.org)
- Metro naming page (wwww.septa.org)
- move-in guide (pha.phila.gov)
- landlord steps (pha.phila.gov)
- City of Philadelphia (phila.gov)
- City of Philadelphia (phila.gov)
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Every rule, date and dollar amount in this article is checked against the agency document it comes from, and the sources are listed above. How VoucherMatch articles are researched and corrected
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