Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Orange, CA
VS
Pasadena, CA
🏆 Orange leads 12 of 21 categories
Orange
California
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$109,335 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
60 ✓ Safer
Population
138,728 ✓ Larger
Pasadena
California
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$97,818
Violent Crime Index
126⚠ High
Population
137,554
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Orange, CA
Pros
53% less violent crime than Pasadena
Violent crime is well below the national average (226.1 vs 380/100k)
Homes cost $133k less ($848,200 vs $981,600)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.5 pts lower (4.7%)
Households earn $11,517 more per year on average
Cooler summers — July highs near 83°F vs 89°F
Cons
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Pasadena, CA
Pros
More college-educated — 54.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 21.1:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (480.4/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Pricier housing — median home is $981,600
Property crime (2696.9/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
Orange
Median Income
$11,517
$109,335 vs $97,818/yr
Orange
Violent Crime
53% lower
226.1 vs 480.4 per 100k
Orange
Median Home Value
$133k less
$848,200 vs $981,600
Orange
Unemployment
0.5 pp lower
4.7% vs 5.2% unemployment
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 115.5 on the COL index
Pasadena
Summer Heat
6.6°F warmer
July avg high 89.1°F vs 82.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Orange, CA | Pasadena, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 115.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $848,200⚠ High ✓ Lower | $981,600⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,148⚠ High | $2,100⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $109,335 ✓ Higher | $97,818 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.5 min ✓ Shorter | 27.9 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 14.1% | 20.2% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 60 ✓ Safer | 127⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 60 ✓ Safer | 126⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 61 ✓ Safer | 128⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (98) | B+ (105) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 24.1:1 | 21.1:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 40.3% | 54.5% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 88.2% | 89.6% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Orange Unified | Pasadena Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 69.3°F ✓ Warmer | 68.1°F |
| Avg High — July | 82.5°F | 89.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 12.5" ✓ Drier | 20.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 138,728 ✓ Larger | 137,554 |
| Median Age | 36.5 | 39.9 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 58.9% ✓ Higher | 42.1% |
| Under 18 | 20.5% ✓ More | 17.0% |
| Over 65 | 14.5% | 16.8% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Orange's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Pasadena's 115.5 (US average = 100).
Both have a similar overall cost of living.
Based on the 21 decided categories above, Orange leads 12 of 21 categories. Orange wins 12 and Pasadena wins 9. 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 Orange to Pasadena or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($848,200 vs $981,600 median home), income ($109,335 vs $97,818), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Orange, CA and Pasadena, CA are about 30 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.