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Pasadena, CA

A town of about 136,969 people in Los Angeles County, part of the Los Angeles area. Resident comments and photos are about Pasadena; job numbers cover the wider area.

The Los Angeles area:Arts and creative · Arts, design and media jobs 2.0x the U.S. share
Everyday life
Shops, cafes, and daily routines
Hobbies & activities
Trails, parks, and pastimes
Nearby scenery
Lakes, overlooks, and drives

Photos and reviews come from Google Maps and show single places, not the whole area. Reviews are the most relevant ones Google returns for each place. We show the longest highly rated review under 400 characters and, when there is one, the longest low-rated review. Google doesn't verify reviews but removes fake ones when it finds them.

Around Pasadena

Photo of Pasadena
Beckman Institute Reflection
Beckman Institute Reflection · Photo: Canon.vs.nikon, CC BY-SA 3.0
Detroit Photographic Company Hotel Green pedestrian bridge, Pasadena, California
Detroit Photographic Company Hotel Green pedestrian bridge, Pasadena, California · Photo: Unknown author Unknown author, Public domain
Detroit Photographic Company Pasadena Station and horse wagons
Detroit Photographic Company Pasadena Station and horse wagons · Photo: Unknown author Unknown author, Public domain
EF Academy Pasadena Campus
EF Academy Pasadena Campus · Photo: EF Academy, CC BY-SA 4.0
Gamble House
Hahamongna Watershed Park, Altadena, Pasadena area, Los Angeles, California
Hahamongna Watershed Park, Altadena, Pasadena area, Los Angeles, California · Photo: Levi Clancy, CC BY-SA 4.0
La Loma Bridge from side
La Loma Bridge from side · Photo: TheCatalyst31, CC BY-SA 3.0
Los Angeles Basin JPLLandsat
Memorialparkstation
Memorialparkstation · Photo: DaveofCali at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
North Mudd Laboratory Caltech
North Mudd Laboratory Caltech · Photo: Antony-22, CC BY-SA 4.0
Pasadena waterpower fountain
Pasadena waterpower fountain · Photo: Jengod, CC BY-SA 3.0
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Where it is
Pasadena
Pasadena in California
California in the U.S.
State outlines: U.S. Census Bureau.

What's nearby

Within 5 miles of Pasadena's center.

57
grocery stores
200+
restaurants
200+
coffee shops
97
parks
89
playgrounds
26
libraries
9
movie theaters
26
live theaters
20
museums
40
bookstores
49
gyms
34
bars
23
pharmacies
7
hospitals

Counts from OpenStreetMap, a volunteer map, so small or new places can be missing. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

What rent costs

Of about 31,987 rented homes in Pasadena, 40% rent for under $2,000 a month and 79% for under $3,000.

Under $1,000: 8%
$1,000 to $1,499: 11%
$1,500 to $1,999: 22%
$2,000 to $2,499: 23%
$2,500 to $2,999: 16%
$3,000 or more: 21%

Census American Community Survey 2019 to 2023 (table B25063). Gross rent includes utilities the renter pays. Today's asking rents for open apartments usually run higher.

What moving costs

Hiring movers

Average cost: $1,946

From a 2025 survey of 1,000 people who hired movers. This Old House. Your quote depends on your stuff, stairs and the time of year.

Moving in as a renter

The middle rented home in Pasadena rents for $2,000 to $2,499 a month. First month plus a one-month deposit comes to about $4,000 to $4,998 before you get the keys.

Estimate from Census rent data (2019 to 2023, rent plus tenant-paid utilities). Deposits and fees vary by landlord and state law.

Public schools

EF Academy Pasadena Campus
EF Academy Pasadena Campus · Photo: EF Academy, CC BY-SA 4.0

82 public school districts in this county, with about 1,154,190 students in all. Which one serves a home depends on its address.

Pasadena Unified · Pasadena
14,152 students · 22.1 students per teacher · 23 schools · grades K to 12
Los Angeles Unified · Los Angeles
427,795 students · 19.7 students per teacher · 785 schools · grades K to 12
Long Beach Unified · Long Beach
65,554 students · 24 students per teacher · 84 schools · grades K to 12
Glendale Unified · Glendale
24,456 students · 23.3 students per teacher · 34 schools · grades K to 12
Downey Unified · Downey
22,359 students · 23.9 students per teacher · 22 schools · grades K to 12

NCES Common Core of Data 2022-23, National Center for Education Statistics. Varro doesn't rate or rank schools. For test results and programs, see each district's site and your state's school report card.

The facts behind it
Typical home value
$952,601
What a typical home sells for across the Los Angeles area.
Source: Zillow Home Value Index, August 2026
Cost of living
About 14% above the U.S. average
Everyday prices (rent, groceries, services) run about $114 here for what costs $100 nationally.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis price index 113.6 (U.S. = 100), 2024
Drive to the nearest big job hub
About 29 min at rush hour
To downtown Los Angeles, CA, 10 miles. About 19 min with no traffic.
Source: Google traffic estimate for a weekday morning around 8am
Average commute
30 minutes one way
How long residents' trips to work take on average, counting every job and way of getting there. U.S. average: about 27 minutes.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
Data centers nearby
6 within 15 miles
The nearest is about 8.1 miles from the town center (CoreSite). The largest is about 99,000 sq ft.
Source: PNNL IM3 Data Center Atlas, from OpenStreetMap (ODbL), loaded July 2026
Homeowners insurance
About $1,616 a year
The statewide average for a typical policy in CA. Your own quote will depend on the home.
Source: Statewide estimate, 2026
Natural disaster risk
Very High
FEMA's overall rating for the county, covering floods, storms, wildfire, earthquakes and more.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025
Median household income
$87,760
Half of households in the county earn more than this, half earn less.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
Property tax
0.69% of home value a year
About $690 a year for every $100,000 of home value.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
State income tax
Graduated, up to 13.30%
CA's state income tax. Some cities and counties add their own.
Source: 2026

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