Is Pasadena, MD a Good Place to Live?
Pasadena is a small city of 32,161 in Maryland, with a median household income of $113,944 and a 3.9% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 103 (US average = 100), which is 3% above the national average.
Strengths: Pasadena stands out for solid school ratings (B+).
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include longer commutes. Whether Pasadena is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All 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: 102.7Pasadena's overall cost of living index is 102.7, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Pasadena costs roughly 3% more than the average American city.
| Metric | Pasadena, MD | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $382,100 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,162 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 80.9% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $113,944 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Crime data for Pasadena is not currently available from the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program. Not all local agencies report to the UCR each year.
Schools & Education
Pasadena is served primarily by Anne Arundel County Public Schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 13.8:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Pasadena, MD | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Anne Arundel County Public Schools | — |
| Elementary Schools | 82 | — |
| Middle Schools | 19 | — |
| High Schools | 19 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 13.8:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 33.5% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 93.0% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Pasadena sees average highs of 43.2°F in January and 88.8°F in July, with 48.9 inches of annual precipitation and 19.3 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Pasadena, MD |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 43.2°F |
| Average High — July | 88.8°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 48.9" |
| Annual Snowfall | 19.3" |
Demographics
| Metric | Pasadena, MD | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 32,161 | — |
| Median Age | 35.1 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.9% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 31.6 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 71.0% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 17.2% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 3.6% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 3.5% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 19.5% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 10.6% | 16.8% |