Glendale vs Pasadena
Glendale, California versus Pasadena, California: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Glendale and Pasadena score about the same overall (46 vs 47 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Glendale | Pasadena |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $81k | $98k |
| Cost of Living | $66k | $66k |
| Home Value | $992k | $982k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $4k | $3k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.63% | 0.63% |
| Income Tax | 13.30% | 13.30% |
| Sales Tax | 8.85% | 8.85% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 23.92% | 22.59% |
| Unemployment | 8.1% | 5.2% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 57°F | 57°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 75°F | 75°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 16.7 in | 21.4 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Sunny Days | 328 days | 328 days |
| Summer Humidity | 42°F | 42°F |
| Comfortable Days | 253 days | 264 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 89.9 | 82.3 |
| Air Quality | 52 AQI | 56 AQI |
| School Quality | 72.3 | 76.6 |
| Violent Crime | 507/100k | 835/100k |
| Property Crime | 1827/100k | 2290/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 194,512 | 137,554 |
| Median Age | 41.1 | 39.9 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.50 | 0.73 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.90 | 0.97 |
| Political Leaning | D+45 | D+45 |
| White (%) | 61.5% | 34.3% |
| Black (%) | 1.7% | 7.7% |
| Hispanic (%) | 18.9% | 35.3% |
| Asian (%) | 13.6% | 17.5% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.3% | 5.3% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 28 min | 28 min |
| Walkability | 10.1/20 | 13.3/20 |
| Airport Distance | 20 mi | 23 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 88.8% | 90.6% |
| Amenities Nearby | 30.69 | 39.91 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | Good |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Glendale or Pasadena more affordable?
- Pasadena has the lower cost of living: its index is $66k, compared with Glendale's $66k and Pasadena's $66k. Median rent is $2k in Glendale versus $2k in Pasadena.
- Is Glendale or Pasadena safer?
- Glendale has the lower violent crime rate. Glendale reports 507/100k and Pasadena reports 835/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Glendale or Pasadena?
- The median home value is $992k in Glendale and $982k in Pasadena, so homes are more affordable in Pasadena.