Residential comparison · 13 facts
Altadena, CA vs Pasadena, CA
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in Altadena needs about $87,000 in Pasadena to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Pasadena, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $83,000 in Altadena.
A few differences
- Altadena is higher on median household income ($128,720 vs $105,192).
- Altadena is lower on cost of living index (162 vs 163).
- Altadena is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($2,286/mo vs $2,457/mo).
Altadena vs Pasadena · facet by facet
| Facet | Altadena, CA | Pasadena, CA |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $1,120,000 | $1,093,300 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $2,286/mo | $2,457/mo |
| Property tax rate | 0.75% | 0.75% |
| State & local income tax | 2.09% | 2.09% |
| Sales tax | 8.8% | 8.8% |
| Cost of living index | 162 | 163 |
| Groceries index | 112 | 112 |
| Utilities | $245/mo | $245/mo |
| Median household income | $128,720 | $105,192 |
| Unemployment rate | 5.2% | 5.2% |
| Crime index | 52/100 | 52/100 |
| School rating | 5.5/10 | 5.5/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 260 days | 260 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: Altadena, CA · Pasadena, CA
Questions & answers
- Is Altadena cheaper than Pasadena?
- Altadena has the lower day-to-day cost index (162 vs 163 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Pasadena equals $85,000 in Altadena?
- A household earning $85,000 in Altadena needs about $87,000 in Pasadena to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Pasadena lifestyle costs about $83,000 in Altadena.