How far is Salem, NH from Kensington, NH?

The driving distance from Salem, NH to Kensington, NH is about 23 miles (37 km), with a travel time of about 00h 37m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 16.2 miles (26 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 14m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This is an easy same-day return drive. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
22.97 mi
00h 37m
Flight
16.16 mi
26 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Salem.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
16.16 mi
Kilometers
26 km
Flight Time
00h 01m

Driving Distance

Road route
22.97 mi
Kilometers
36.96 km
Drive Time
00h 37m

Gas Cost Calculator

Leave and Arrive Planner

Pick a departure time to see your estimated arrival and same-day return window.

Drive time stays fixed at 00h 37m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Kensington
Sat, Apr 11, 5:35 PM EDT
Return by in Salem
Sat, Apr 11, 6:12 PM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Salem
2026-04-11T16:57
Arrive Kensington
Sat, Apr 11, 5:35 PM EDT
Route Timing
00h 37m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:37 AM to 7:37 PM EDT

This is a short drive, so your comfort window is wide. Traffic and current weather matter more than the clock.

Leave by
7:16 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Salem
10:00 PM EDT
Flexible departure

This departure sits inside the recommended comfort window for the route.

Halfway Point

A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.

Mid-route stop
Newton
NH

Town in New Hampshire, in the United States

From Salem
11.5 mi
00h 18m
To Kensington
11.5 mi
00h 18m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
56°F
Saturday

Sunny

Starts
Sat, Apr 11 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
8 to 12 mph NW
Destination
55°F
Saturday

Sunny

Starts
Sat, Apr 11 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
10 mph NW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Salem and Kensington.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Salem and Kensington.

  1. 1

    Start on the route

    34 m · 9 sec

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Main Street

    1 mi · 2 min · Main Street

  3. 3

    Continue on Ayers Village Road

    1.2 km · 2 min · Ayers Village Road

  4. 4

    Continue on State Route 97

    1.8 mi · 4 min · State Route 97

  5. 5

    Continue on Broadway

    1.3 mi · 3 min · Broadway

  6. 6

    Take the ramp slight right toward I 495 North: Amesbury, Salisbury

    1942 ft · 49 sec

  7. 7

    Merge slight left

    10.6 mi · 12 min

  8. 8

    Take the exit slight right toward MA 150: Amesbury

    1040 ft · 33 sec

  9. 9

    Turn right

    1.5 mi · 4 min

  10. 10

    Exit the roundabout onto Market Street

    1.9 mi · 3 min · Market Street

  11. 11

    Continue on Exeter Road

    1.1 mi · 2 min · Exeter Road

  12. 12

    Continue on Amesbury Road

    2.4 mi · 4 min · Amesbury Road

  13. 13

    Turn left onto Trundlebed Lane

    62 m · 7 sec · Trundlebed Lane

  14. 14

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Trundlebed Lane

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Salem and Kensington.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Turn-heavy local drive

The route has frequent decision points for its length, so lane choice and turn timing will matter more than cruising speed.

Directions
14 steps
4 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
4
1 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
60.9 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
I 495 North
10.9 mi · 48%
Amesbury Road
2.35 mi · 10%
Market Street
1.87 mi · 8%
State Route 97
1.83 mi · 8%
Broadway
1.33 mi · 6%
Exeter Road
1.13 mi · 5%
Longest Stretch

I 495 North

Merge slight left

10.6 mi · 00h 12m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

A short regional drive

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

Drive Time
00h 37m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
01h 14m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+6.8 mi
16.2 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Newton
00h 18m from Salem
Leave By
7:16 PM EDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving Salem and Sunny near Kensington.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Salem to Kensington?

The road trip is about 23 miles (37 km) and usually takes 00h 37m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Newton is a useful midpoint, sitting about 11.5 miles from Salem and 11.5 miles from Kensington.

How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?

The direct path is about 16.2 miles (26 km), while the road route adds roughly 6.8 extra miles because roads do not follow the straight air line.

When is the best time to leave for this route?

A good departure window is usually 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 7:16 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $3.20 one way or $6.39 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 7.2 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Sunny around Salem and Sunny near Kensington.

Stop Ideas Near Newton

Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Newton, so nearby transit and meeting points are shown instead.
Reviewed stop coverage is still thin around this midpoint, so practical transit waypoints are shown on the right.

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Newton.

BUS

Newburyport, Massachusetts

11 mi away
90 Storey Avenue
RAIL

Haverhill station

12 mi away
Washington Street at Railroad Square
RAIL

Exeter station

14 mi away
60 Lincoln Street
BUS

Portsmouth, New Hampshire

28 mi away
185 Grafton Drive

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Salem and Kensington. Straight-line distance: 16.16 mi (26 km).

Salem

#1 Salem

Town in New Hampshire, United States

Population30,641
Coordinates42.7884200, -71.2008900
Altitude40
CountryUnited States
Kensington

#2 Kensington

Town in New Hampshire, United States

Population2,090
Coordinates42.9270300, -70.9439400
Altitude35
CountryUnited States
Start: Salem (-71.20089, 42.78842)
End: Kensington (-70.94394, 42.92703)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 37 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 45m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 34m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 27m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 22m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 19m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 17m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.81 gal
3.07 L · about $3.20
Round trip
$6.39
1.62 gal · 6.14 L
Estimated CO2
7.2 kg one way
Round trip: 14.4 kg / 32 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.95 $3.20 $6.39
Mid-grade $4.46 $3.61 $7.22
Premium $4.86 $3.93 $7.87
Diesel $6.00 $4.86 $9.72

Assumes 8.3 L/100 km (about 28.3 MPG). CO2 is an estimate and varies by vehicle, fuel blend, traffic, and terrain.

Prices in New Hampshire · Apr 11, 2026

There is no time difference between Salem and Kensington. The current time is 16:57:59.

Distance to Other Cities

Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.