Home to the largest Orthodox Jewish community on the East Coast between Baltimore and Miami,[4] Kemp Mill hosts more than half a dozen synagogues within its boundaries.

[7] Prior to the arrival of European settlers, the area that is now Kemp Mill was inhabited by Indigenous peoples, including the Piscataway and the Nacotchtank.

[8] Captain John Smith of the English settlement at Jamestown was probably the first European to explore the area, during his travels along the Potomac River and throughout the Chesapeake region.

The area's rolling terrain was ideal for both small and large farms, while the surrounding woodlands provided essential lumber for homes.

[12] In July 1864, during the Civil War, Silver Spring, Maryland (including Kemp Mill) experienced a significant incursion by Confederate forces.

As General Jubal Early's troops spread across the fields and orchards, reactions among the residents varied, with some cheering, and others fleeing to the capital.

The Confederate soldiers ransacked properties, including the estate of Montgomery Blair, Lincoln's postmaster general, which they set ablaze.

[12] A few years after World War II, developers plotted subdivisions with one to five-acre lots near the stream valley parks, anticipating future access to planned sewer systems, as noted on the record plats.

Springbrook Forest in Kemp Mill, adjacent to the future Northwest Branch Park, dates back to this phase of suburban expansion.

The neighborhood was among several communities in Montgomery County's Silver Spring area that were built by Jewish real estate developers catering to Jews moving to the suburbs from Washington, D.C.[16] The majority of residences in Kemp Mill are single family homes dating to the 1950s, although newer homes were built in the 1980s and 1990s on Yeatman, Bromley, and Kersey roads.

[20] According to the historian David Rotenstein, some Jewish developers in Silver Spring, including the Kays, used anti-Black covenants prior to the Fair Housing Act of 1968.

For example, Morris Milgram began purchasing existing apartments in Silver Spring and integrating them during the early and mid-1960s, and Jewish organizations such as Jews for Urban Justice formed to protest alongside civil rights groups, advocating for equal access to housing.

In 1978, a black DC school official living in Kemp Mill was the target of a hate crime when the N-word and "KKK" were painted on her house and her tires were slashed.

[23] To support their religious practices, Orthodox Jews in Kemp Mill developed tight-knit communities and constructed eruvim, ritual boundaries that allow for the carrying of objects on Shabbat.

"[25] A community meeting was held and the local police claimed that "youths" were to blame for the antisemitic incidents and that there were no organized neo-Nazis or skinheads in the region.

[24] During the summer of 2020, multiple Black Lives Matter rallies were held at Northwood High School in Kemp Mill as part of the nationwide protests against racism and police brutality.

[26] A 2020 statement of solidarity with African Americans issued by the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington was signed by Kemp Mill Synagogue.

[28][29][30] In February 2023, Northwood High School's outdoor facilities were closed to the public due to repeated targeting by an unknown hate group with antisemitic fliers.

[34] The Kemp Mill area, with its small size and the frequent use of local amenities by residents, has developed into a pedestrian-friendly community.

Each sub-neighborhood within Kemp Mill has its unique character, shaped by similar housing styles and separated by local streets.

The area features a mix of midcentury split-level homes, 1980s colonials, and ramblers, all set behind sidewalks and grassy front lawns, shaded by oak trees.

Springbrook Forest, one of the oldest neighborhoods, features large lots, narrow streets, and numerous mature trees.

The central Kemp Mill neighborhood dates back to the 1950s and 1960s, characterized by traditional suburban development with lots ranging from 6,000 to 9,000 square feet, featuring brick houses.

[4] It hosts a number of synagogues serving Orthodox Jews (Modern Orthodox, Hasidic, and Yeshivish) including Young Israel Shomrai Emunah, the Yeshiva of Greater Washington (Tiferes Gedaliah), Chabad of Silver Spring, Kemp Mill Synagogue, Silver Spring Jewish Center, Kehillas Ohr Hatorah and Minchas Yitzhak.

Sidewalks from the neighboring residential developments lead to the shopping center, and a paved trail from Sligo Creek Park also terminates at this central location.

The northeast part of Kemp Mill is generally considered the safest, while the southwest has slightly higher crime rates.

[39] In comparison to nearby areas, Kemp Mill has a lower crime rate than the majority of neighborhoods, including Four Corners, White Oak, Woodside and Wheaton.

This means residents of Kemp Mill experience fewer incidents of both violent and property crimes relative to many surrounding communities.

[43] July is the hottest month in Kemp Mill, with an average high temperature of 87.5 °F, making it warmer than most locations in Maryland.

Foreign-born persons accounted for 27.1% of the population, and 34.8% spoke a language other than English at home, including Russian, Ukrainian, Hebrew, Yiddish, and Spanish.