Median Income
$81,219
household / year
Median Home Value
$992,000
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$2,002
gross / month
Cost of Living
116
national avg = 100

Is Glendale, CA a Good Place to Live?

Glendale is a mid-sized city of 194,512 in California, with a median household income of $81,219 and a 8.1% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 116 (US average = 100), which is 16% above the national average.

Strengths: Glendale stands out for lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (B), a well-educated population.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an above-average cost of living, high home prices, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Glendale is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Glendale city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 115.5

Glendale's overall cost of living index is 115.5, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Glendale costs roughly 16% more than the average American city.

Metric Glendale, CA National Avg
Median Home Value $992,000 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $2,002 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 34.2% 65.9%
Median Household Income $81,219 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Safer than Average

Glendale's violent crime rate is 287.2 per 100,000 residents — 24% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
287.2 /100k
Property Crime
2026.8 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Glendale is served primarily by Glendale Unified. The student-to-teacher ratio is 23.6:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Glendale, CA National Avg
School District Glendale Unified —
Elementary Schools 20 —
Middle Schools 4 —
High Schools 6 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 23.6:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 43.8% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 88.8% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Glendale sees average highs of 69.0°F in January and 85.8°F in July, with 16.7 inches of annual precipitation .

MetricGlendale, CA
Average High — January69.0°F
Average High — July85.8°F
Annual Precipitation16.7"
Annual SnowfallTrace / None

Demographics

MetricGlendale, CANational Avg
Population194,512—
Median Age41.138.9
Unemployment Rate8.1%3.7%
Avg Commute Time27.6 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)68.6%59.3%
Black or African American1.8%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino11.8%18.9%
Asian13.7%6.3%
Under 1818.0%22.2%
65 and over18.4%16.8%

Nearby Cities

La Cañada Flintridge, CA 3 mi La Crescenta-Montrose, CA 4 mi Burbank, CA 5 mi Pasadena, CA 6 mi Altadena, CA 6 mi

ZIP Codes in Glendale

Glendale, CA is covered by 11 ZIP codes:

91208 91206 91202 91214 91201 91205 91207 91204 91203 91210 91046

Glendale vs Other Cities

Glendale, CA vs La Cañada Flintridge, CA Glendale, CA vs La Crescenta-Montrose, CA Glendale, CA vs Burbank, CA Glendale, CA vs Pasadena, CA Glendale, CA vs Altadena, CA

Frequently Asked Questions

Glendale's cost of living index is 116, where 100 is the national average. That puts Glendale roughly 16% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $992,000 and median rent is $2,002/month.
Glendale's violent crime rate is 287.2 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 2026.8 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Glendale are operated by Glendale Unified. The district has 20 elementary, 4 middle, and 6 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 23.6:1. 43.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Glendale, CA has a population of 194,512, a median household income of $81,219, and an unemployment rate of 8.1%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Glendale averages 69.0°F in January and 85.8°F in July. Annual rainfall is 16.7 inches . Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Glendale, CA is covered by 11 ZIP codes: 91208, 91206, 91202, 91214, 91201, 91205, 91207, 91204, 91203, 91210, 91046.
The population of Glendale, California is 194,512 with a median age of 41.1. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Glendale: cost of living index 116 (100 = US average), median home $992,000, median household income $81,219, crime index 84 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Glendale side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.