Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Gilbert, AZ
VS
Pasadena, TX
🏆 Gilbert leads 16 of 22 categories
Gilbert
Arizona
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$115,179 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
35 ✓ Safer
Population
267,267 ✓ Larger
Pasadena
Texas
6
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$64,698
Violent Crime Index
149⚠ High
Population
150,620
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Gilbert, AZ
Pros
Households earn $50,481 more per year on average
77% less violent crime than Pasadena
Stronger job market — unemployment is 5.4 pts lower (3.5%)
More college-educated — 47.1% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (132.2 vs 380/100k)
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $454,300
Higher rents — median is $1,839/mo
Hot summers — July highs average 104°F
Cost of living runs 2% higher than Pasadena
Pasadena, TX
Pros
Homes cost $283k less ($171,600 vs $454,300)
Rent averages $680/mo less ($1,159 vs $1,839)
Cooler summers — July highs near 93°F vs 104°F
Smaller class sizes — 13.0:1 student-teacher ratio
2% cheaper overall cost of living than Gilbert
Cons
Median income trails Gilbert by $50,481/yr
Violent crime (566.1/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher unemployment (8.9% vs 3.5%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Gilbert
Median Income
$50,481
$115,179 vs $64,698/yr
Gilbert
Violent Crime
77% lower
132.2 vs 566.1 per 100k
Gilbert
Unemployment
5.4 pp lower
3.5% vs 8.9% unemployment
Gilbert
Summer Heat
11.3°F warmer
July avg high 104.2°F vs 92.9°F
Pasadena
Cost of Living
2% cheaper
COL index 100.2 vs 102.5 (100 = US avg)
Pasadena
Median Home Value
$283k less
$171,600 vs $454,300
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Gilbert, AZ | Pasadena, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 102.5⚠ High | 100.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $454,300⚠ High | $171,600 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,839⚠ High | $1,159 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $115,179 ✓ Higher | $64,698 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.5% ✓ Lower | 8.9%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.7 min | 25.7 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 20.5% ✓ Higher | 8.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 39 ✓ Safer | 134⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 35 ✓ Safer | 149⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 46 ✓ Safer | 112⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (110) ✓ Better | C+ (87) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.5:1 | 13.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 47.1% ✓ Higher | 15.9% |
| High School or Higher | 96.3% ✓ Higher | 73.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Gilbert Unified District (4239) | PASADENA ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 65.6°F ✓ Warmer | 63.8°F |
| Avg High — July | 104.2°F ✓ Warmer | 92.9°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 8.8" ✓ Drier | 57.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 267,267 ✓ Larger | 150,620 |
| Median Age | 35.4 ✓ Older | 32.6 |
| Homeownership Rate | 74.7% ✓ Higher | 53.8% |
| Under 18 | 29.4% ✓ More | 28.5% |
| Over 65 | 10.2% | 11.2% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Gilbert's cost of living index is 102.5 vs Pasadena's 100.2 (US average = 100).
Pasadena is 2% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Gilbert leads 16 of 22 categories. Gilbert wins 16 and Pasadena wins 6. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Gilbert to Pasadena or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($454,300 vs $171,600 median home), income ($115,179 vs $64,698), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Gilbert, AZ and Pasadena, TX are about 1,009 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.