The Town FilesPasadena, California
City in Los Angeles County · population 138,699 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $1,093,300
- Household income
- $105,192
- Jan low / Jul high
- 46° / 89°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 4
- Median age
- 40.1
Pasadena is a city of 138,699 people in Los Angeles County, California. The median home is worth $1,093,300, above the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks hipper than 99% of California towns, more walkable than 97% of California towns, better for young professionals than 96% of California towns.
How Pasadena ranks
Percentile among California towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of California towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Pasadena is worth $1,093,300, above the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 10.4 times the median household income of $105,192, which is more affordable than 7% of California towns. Median rent is $2,265 a month. 42.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Pasadena | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $1,093,300 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $2,265 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $105,192 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 10.4× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 42.5% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1961 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.2% | — |
Who lives in Pasadena
| People | Pasadena | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.1 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.4% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 16.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 56.1% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 13.3% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 3.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 28.2% | — |
| Work from home | 27.6% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 26.9 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.9% | 93.3% |
Weather in Pasadena
July highs average 89.1°F and January lows 45.5°F. About 20.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 74 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 0 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Pasadena since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. The strongest, an F1, struck on March 20, 1992 about 4.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on March 20, 1992.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 2 times; the largest was 1.25 inches on October 17, 2005.
Severe weather in Los Angeles County since 1996
Los Angeles County has been included in 88 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, freezing.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 8, 2025 | Fire | FM-5605: Canyon Fire |
| January 8, 2025 | Fire | DR-4856: Wildfires And Straight-Line Winds |
| January 8, 2025 | Fire | FM-5550: Eaton Fire |
| January 8, 2025 | Fire | FM-5551: Hurst Fire |
| January 7, 2025 | Fire | FM-5549: Palisades Fire |
Jobs and pay in Los Angeles County
Los Angeles County had 4,525,711 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $83,554 a year. Unemployment was 5% in 2023; in Pasadena itself the ACS puts it at 5.6%.
Public schools in Pasadena
22 public schools with 15,392 students, about 22.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Options For Youth - Duarte Inc (charter) | 7-12 | 3,385 | 29.4 |
| Marshall Fundamental | 6-12 | 1,848 | 23.1 |
| Pasadena High | 9-12 | 1,355 | 18.3 |
| John Muir High | 9-12 | 1,133 | 22.2 |
| Blair High | 6-12 | 1,055 | 18.2 |
| McKinley | K-8 | 616 | 22.8 |
| Longfellow (Henry W.) Elementary | K-5 | 547 | 23.8 |
| Octavia E. Butler Magnet | 6-8 | 519 | 19.2 |
| Twentieth Street Elementary | K-5 | 510 | 18.9 |
| Hamilton Elementary | K-5 | 504 | 25.2 |
| Field (Eugene) Elementary | K-5 | 471 | 26.2 |
| Washington Elementary STEM Magnet | K-5 | 433 | 24.1 |
Towns near Pasadena
- Altadena, CA2.2 mi · 42,846 people · home $1,120,000
- San Marino, CA3.0 mi · 12,513 people · home $2,000,001
- South Pasadena, CA3.7 mi · 26,943 people · home $1,640,000
- East Pasadena, CA3.8 mi · 6,021 people · home $1,069,200
- East San Gabriel, CA4.5 mi · 22,769 people · home $962,200
- La Cañada Flintridge, CA4.9 mi · 20,573 people · home $2,000,001
- Sierra Madre, CA5.0 mi · 11,268 people · home $1,226,800
- San Gabriel, CA5.1 mi · 39,568 people · home $945,700
Pasadena questions
Is Pasadena, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Pasadena scores better for retirees than 40% of California towns and quieter than 20%. 17.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.1).
How much does a house cost in Pasadena?
The median owner-occupied home in Pasadena is valued at $1,093,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $105,192, so homes cost about 10.4 times income. Median rent is $2,265 a month.
What is the weather like in Pasadena?
July highs average 89.1°F and January lows 45.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 20.1 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Pasadena get tornadoes?
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Pasadena since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on March 20, 1992. The typical California town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)