Pasadena, CA Relocation Guide (2026)
Cost of living, housing, and income data for Pasadena, sourced from the US Census Bureau.
Salary needed to live in Pasadena →
Source: US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2022). Last updated July 2026.
Pasadena is a city of roughly 137,554 in California. The median household there earns $97,818 annually, which runs above the multi-city median income (+36%).
The typical home in Pasadena is worth $981,600, above the multi-city median (+201%), while the typical renter pays $2,100 a month. Either path — buying or renting — deserves a look at today's rates before deciding.
Buying a typical home in Pasadena would take about 10.0 years of median household income — a high multiple that points to real affordability pressure. Pasadena's home prices climbed 1.7% over the past year — steady appreciation without signs of overheating. FEMA's National Risk Index puts Pasadena at Very High for overall natural-hazard risk, a factor that can push home insurance costs up.
Personal Affordability Check
Renting at $2,100/mo in Pasadena would take 25.8% of your income.
$345/mo under the 30% guideline.
Buying the median home ($981,600) would take 64.3% of your income toward principal & interest.
$2,958/mo over the 28% guideline.
Cost of housing in Pasadena
Median home value is $981,600 and median gross rent is $2,100/month. For buyers, monthly costs depend heavily on current mortgage rates — worth checking before you commit.
FHFA's county-level home price index for Los Angeles rose 1.7% over the past year (as of 2025).
HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom unit in the surrounding county is $2,601/month.
Climate & home insurance
FEMA rates Pasadena's overall natural-hazard risk as Very High. Risk level is a major driver of home insurance premiums.
Safety
Pasadena reported a violent crime rate of 419.3 per 100,000 residents in 2025, per FBI data.
Moving to Pasadena
Planning a move to Pasadena? Compare licensed movers and get quotes based on your origin and move date.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the cost of living in Pasadena, CA?
- Housing drives most of the cost-of-living picture in Pasadena — median home value of $981,600, median rent of $2,100/month — set against a median household income of $97,818 (US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2022)).
- How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Pasadena?
- To keep rent under the commonly recommended 30% of income in Pasadena, where median rent runs $2,100/month, you'd want to earn about $84,000 annually. See the full salary breakdown (renting and buying) for Pasadena.
- Is it better to rent or buy in Pasadena?
- With a median home value of $981,600 and median rent of $2,100/month, renting comfortably in Pasadena takes about $84,000/year (the 30% guideline), while buying at the median price takes roughly $224,585/year in principal-and-interest alone (assumes 20% down, a 30-year fixed loan, and current mortgage rates). The right call depends on how long you plan to stay and your down payment.
- Is Pasadena safe?
- The most recent FBI figures (2025) show a violent crime rate of 419.3 per 100,000 residents in Pasadena.
See the full salary breakdown for Pasadena →
Cities with a similar cost of living
Matched on median rent and household income within 15% of Pasadena's.