Is Pasadena a Good Place to Live?

If you’ve found a great job vacancy or decided to move closer to the ocean and consider moving to Pasadena, you might have tons of questions about living in the city: Where is Pasadena? What climate is there? Is it a safe city to live in?

Relocation, within the same state or from another state, is always uneasy. Anticipating your further questions, below there are answers to many questions about Pasadena, its lifestyle, community, safety, cost of living, etc.

Is Pasadena a Nice Area to Live?

Located in Los Angeles County, CA, with a population of 142,215, Pasadena is quite a small city. The suburban lifestyle blends perfectly with the bustling urban spirit of Los Angeles, which is just a 30-minute drive from Pasadena. Los Angeles International airport is only a 45-minute drive from the city.

The unique architecture of buildings, a variety of entertainment and culture facilities, extensive job market, numerous parks, and warm climate make Pasadena an awesome place for living, whether you are a single young professional or you have a family with kids. Once you’ve arrived in the city, you do not wonder what to do in Pasadena.  

Parks in Pasadena deserve special attention: the Carmelita Gardens, the Huntington Botanical Gardens, Lucy Park, Arlington Garden, and Brookside Park are just ideal places for spending time outdoors.

Old Pasadena has its own authentic atmosphere with excellent dining places, from high-end restaurants to small, family-owned cafes. Moving to Pasadena, pay a visit to La Grande Orange Café and Nick’s. By the way, the famous farmers market is also located in Old Pasadena — a great place for healthy lifestyle advocates. Nightlife can be filled with multiple pubs and bars, with many of them offering outdoor verandas and live music.  

Other great places in Pasadena include Griffith Observatory, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Walt Disney Concert Hall, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, the Huntington Art Collections, Los Angeles Zoo, Venice Canals Walkway, and many others.

Even if you are not quite familiar with Pasadena and wonder “What is Pasadena known for?” you would be surprised that the Rose Bowl Stadium, a renowned site in college football is located here, in Pasadena.

Why Do People Want to Live in Pasadena?

Climate. You definitely need sunglasses in Pasadena! Almost always sunny, summers are dry and hot here, and winters are mild with abundant sunshine. Compared to LA, summers are a bit hotter, and winters are cooler. In any event, the winter temperature is around 45 degrees.

Safety. Crime rates in Pasadena are relatively high compared to the national average, which is typical for some areas in California. Property crimes and vehicle theft are among the top-rated crimes.  

As for environmental hazards, the city is considered one of the safest and healthiest in the US. The Niche platform ranks Pasadena #8 (out of 228) in the list of the healthiest cities in the US. High ranks are easily explained by the fact that the air quality and water quality are among the best across the nation. Hi-tech companies such as Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Caltech, and Jacobs Engineering Group have their offices in Pasadena.

Education. For families with kids, one of the top priorities is the availability of high-quality education. Pasadena offers top-rated public schools, and many educational institutions in Pasadena have A+ rankings, including Palm Crest Elementary School, La Canada High School, LA County High School for the Arts, California School of the Arts, and many others. For higher education, the University of Southern California is also nearby. Graduates from the California Institute of Technology often reside in Pasadena and join hi-tech enterprises headquartered in Pasadena or Los Angeles.

Employment. Living in Pasadena is costly, but the job market offers great well-paying employment opportunities to earn for comfortable living in this city. Most Pasadena residents work in education, health care, construction, management, art, and science fields. It is worth noting that 74.2% of Pasadena residents have at least a Bachelor’s degree (the nationwide average is 46.6%). The unemployment rates in Pasadena are lower compared to the national and state averages – 3.5%.

Infrastructure. Beautifully and smartly designed, Pasadena has almost everything you need in walkable proximity: cafes and parks, shopping centers and museums. The traffic network is well-thought and developed, you can barely see any traffic congestion. Within 30 minutes, you can reach LA, visit Rodeo Drive, or stroll on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Recreation. There is no shortage of recreational options. Located at the foothill of the San Gabriel Mountains and landscaped with multiple parks, Pasadena has some of the best hiking and biking trails. The Eaton Canyon Falls with its impressive 40-ft. waterfall and the Eaton Canyon Nature Preserve with vibrant wildlife help you recharge batteries and enjoy gorgeous landscapes. For an ocean-inspired weekend, some of the best beaches are only a short drive away: Long Beach, Santa Monica, Manhattan Beach, and Huntington Beach. 

Is It Expensive to Live in Pasadena, California?

Actually, the answer depends on what city you compare Pasadena with. It is an open secret that life in California is quite expensive when compared to the national average. Hence, moving to Pasadena, you should be ready for the high cost of living, like everywhere in California, though.

• The median home value is $822,100 (compared to the national average of $229,800)
• The median rent is $1,787 (compared to the nationwide rate of $1,096)
• The median household income is $85,129 (compared to the national rate of $64,994)
• The median individual income is $45,000

What salary do you need to live in Pasadena comfortably? OK, you’d better earn around $60k or more to maintain a stable and secure living. The good thing is that job offers continuously appear in Pasadena and LA.

To sum up

Comments like “Pasadena is an awesome place to live” sound clichéd and trite, but they are true-to-life. Once you have got a well-paid job offer, moving to Pasadena might be an excellent opportunity to live in a vibrant city that balances ecological harmony and state-of-the-art urban potential.