Living in South Pasadena, CA
Suburb in California
South Pasadena is a suburb in California, home to about 26,000 people, with 11.5 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 South Pasadena a good place to live? Pros and cons
👍 Pros
- Strong healthcare: 31 top-rated (4–5★) hospitals within 31 mi
- Big job market: about 11.5 million people live within 31 mi
- Highly educated: 73% 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: 16 within 9 mi
- Pricey housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $1.65M, and rent is $3,300 a month
Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how South Pasadena ranks against your own priorities.
Key facts
Living in South Pasadena: common questions
What is the cost of living in South Pasadena?
A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $1.65M, 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 South Pasadena?
California collects about $3,279 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 0.57% of their home's value in property tax each year.
Is South Pasadena safe?
Violent crime is well below the national rate (0.3× in FBI 2019 data).
How are the schools in South Pasadena?
Public schools in South Pasadena test well above the US average in math and reading (2018–19 state tests, put on one national scale with NAEP), with about 25 students per teacher.
What is the weather like in South Pasadena?
South Pasadena is warm all year: winter days average around 68°F and summer days around 88°F.
Does South 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 1.24 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.
What is the nearest major airport to South Pasadena?
The nearest major airport is BUR, about 13 mi away.
How South Pasadena scores
Each bar compares South Pasadena with the other 1,990 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).
Places like South Pasadena
These places have the most similar overall profile across all 24 aspects.
The circle is each place's all-round score out of 100: the average of its 15 quality scores, from red (poor) to green (excellent).
Nearby
See all the best places to live in California.
Is South Pasadena right for you?
Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.