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Is South Pasadena, CA a Good Place to Live?
South Pasadena is a small city of 26,583 in California, with a median household income of $127,882 and a 5.2% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 116 (US average = 100), which is 16% above the national average.
Strengths: South Pasadena 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, longer commutes, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether South Pasadena is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All South Pasadena 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: 115.5South Pasadena's overall cost of living index is 115.5, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in South Pasadena costs roughly 16% more than the average American city.
| Metric | South Pasadena, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $1,453,500 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,135 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 46.6% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $127,882 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Safer than AverageSouth Pasadena's violent crime rate is 210.1 per 100,000 residents — 45% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
South Pasadena is served primarily by South Pasadena Unified. The student-to-teacher ratio is 24.4:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | South Pasadena, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | South Pasadena Unified | — |
| Elementary Schools | 3 | — |
| Middle Schools | 1 | — |
| High Schools | 1 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 24.4:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 71.8% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 97.3% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
South Pasadena sees average highs of 68.1°F in January and 89.1°F in July, with 20.1 inches of annual precipitation .
| Metric | South Pasadena, CA |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 68.1°F |
| Average High — July | 89.1°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 20.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | Trace / None |
Demographics
| Metric | South Pasadena, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 26,583 | — |
| Median Age | 40.6 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.2% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 30.6 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 45.0% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 3.7% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 11.6% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 33.2% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 23.1% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 14.5% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in South Pasadena
South Pasadena, CA is covered by 1 ZIP code: