Living in Pasadena, CA
Suburb in California
Pasadena is a suburb in California, home to about 136,000 people, with 11.1 million living within 31 mi. Day to day, you can walk or take transit almost everywhere. Life moves at a very fast pace, and homes are mostly apartments.
Is Pasadena a good place to live? Pros and cons
👍 Pros
- Strong healthcare: 30 top-rated (4–5★) hospitals within 31 mi
- Big job market: about 11.1 million people live within 31 mi
- Highly educated: 56% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher, and 9 research universities are within 31 mi
- Lots of culture: museums, zoos and attractions nearby
👎 Cons
- Few dog parks: 11 within 9 mi
- Pricey housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $1.30M, and rent is $3,300 a month
- Fewer family amenities than most places
- Disaster-prone: 15 federally declared disasters since 2000, mainly earthquakes and flooding
Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Pasadena ranks against your own priorities.
Key facts
Living in Pasadena: common questions
What is the cost of living in Pasadena?
A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $1.30M, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $3,300 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are above the US average (index 114, where the US is 100).
What are taxes like in Pasadena?
California collects about $3,279 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 0.62% of their home's value in property tax each year.
Is Pasadena safe?
Violent crime is close to the national rate (1.1× in FBI 2019 data).
What is the weather like in Pasadena?
Pasadena is warm all year: winter days average around 68°F and summer days around 88°F.
Does Pasadena get natural disasters?
Natural disaster risk is high, mainly from earthquakes and flooding: 15 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 2.18 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.
What is the nearest major airport to Pasadena?
The nearest major airport is BUR, about 13 mi away.
How Pasadena scores
Each bar compares Pasadena with the other 1143 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).
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Is Pasadena right for you?
Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.