Head-to-Head · City Comparison
New Haven, CT
VS
Pasadena, CA
🏆 Pasadena leads 16 of 23 categories
New Haven
Connecticut
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$54,305
Violent Crime Index
141⚠ High
Population
135,736
Pasadena
California
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$97,818 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
126⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
137,554 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
New Haven, CT
Pros
Homes cost $745k less ($236,500 vs $981,600)
Rent averages $698/mo less ($1,402 vs $2,100)
17% cheaper overall cost of living than Pasadena
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
Cooler summers — July highs near 82°F vs 89°F
Smaller class sizes — 12.0:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Pasadena by $43,513/yr
Violent crime (534.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3587.1/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (7.8% vs 5.2%)
Pasadena, CA
Pros
Households earn $43,513 more per year on average
10% less violent crime than New Haven
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.6 pts lower (5.2%)
Milder winters — January highs near 68°F vs 38°F
More college-educated — 54.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $981,600
Higher rents — median is $2,100/mo
Violent crime (480.4/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Cost of living runs 17% higher than New Haven
Key Differences at a Glance
New Haven
Cost of Living
17% cheaper
COL index 98.6 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
New Haven
Median Home Value
$745k less
$236,500 vs $981,600
Pasadena
Median Income
$43,513
$97,818 vs $54,305/yr
Pasadena
Violent Crime
10% lower
480.4 vs 534.8 per 100k
Pasadena
Unemployment
2.6 pp lower
5.2% vs 7.8% unemployment
Pasadena
Summer Heat
7.0°F warmer
July avg high 89.1°F vs 82.1°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | New Haven, CT | Pasadena, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 98.6 ✓ Cheaper | 115.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $236,500 ✓ Lower | $981,600⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,402⚠ High ✓ Lower | $2,100⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $54,305 | $97,818 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.8%⚠ High | 5.2%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 21.7 min ✓ Shorter | 27.9 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 11.6% | 20.2% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 153⚠ High | 127⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 141⚠ High | 126⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 171⚠ High | 128⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (107) ✓ Better | B+ (105) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 21.1:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 38.5% | 54.5% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 85.7% | 89.6% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | New Haven School District | Pasadena Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 38.1°F | 68.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 82.1°F | 89.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 41.8" | 20.1" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 33.6" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 135,736 | 137,554 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 31.0 | 39.9 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 28.6% | 42.1% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 22.0% ✓ More | 17.0% |
| Over 65 | 10.8% | 16.8% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
New Haven's cost of living index is 98.6 vs Pasadena's 115.5 (US average = 100).
New Haven is 17% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Pasadena leads 16 of 23 categories. New Haven wins 7 and Pasadena wins 16. 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 New Haven to Pasadena or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($236,500 vs $981,600 median home), income ($54,305 vs $97,818), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
New Haven, CT and Pasadena, CA are about 2,491 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.