16 Pros and Cons of Living in Pasadena, CA

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Famous for its annual New Year’s Day Rose Bowl Parade and football game, in which dozens of floats, all decorated with flowers, make their way through the throngs of onlookers, Pasadena has long been considered a destination city. 

Pasadena also offers visitors and residents beautiful weather and scenery, relative access to the coast, and a good place to raise a family.

Let’s take a look at what else the city of Roses has to offer. 

Pros of Living in Pasadena, CA

1. Beautiful Weather Year-Round

Located in southern California, the weather in Pasadena is close to perfect year-round.

You can expect warm and sunny days throughout the year, with fog and low clouds in the morning.

Summers are the hottest part of the year in Pasadena, with average high temperatures between 89 °F and 91 °F. 

Despite these high temperatures, the region’s low humidity makes outdoor activities enjoyable.

You’ll need a light jacket or sweater at night, as the summer’s evening temperatures drop, averaging 64 °F.   

December and January are the coldest months in Pasadena.

These cooler months bring average temperatures of 67 °F for the highs and 47 °F for the lows.

The average rainfall for Pasadena is 21.27 inches, most of which falls in the winter months. 

2. Job Market and Economy

Pasadena has a thriving economy and a healthy job market.

Its current unemployment rate is slightly lower than the rest of the nation.

The last few years have brought significant job growth, which is projected to grow by 35.2% over the next decade. 

Primary industries in Pasadena include education, arts and entertainment, healthcare, banking, and retail trade.

The city is home to some of the nation’s top employers, including AT&T and Bank of America.

The Pasadena Community Job Center is a great resource for recent transplants who need assistance finding a job.

3. Public Transportation Options

Pasadena has a number of public transportation options to keep things moving.

Pasadena Transit offers bus service, and the Los Angeles Metro Gold Line train runs to and from Pasadena daily. 

There are four major freeways in and around Pasadena, including Ventura Freeway, the Arroyo Seco Parkway, the Foothill Freeway, and the Long Beach Freeway.

These major thoroughfares running through and around Pasadena allow drivers access to a number of neighboring cities and communities. 

4. Year-Round Outdoor Activities and Entertainment 

Pasadena’s natural beauty and agreeable climate open up many possibilities for outdoor activities, often throughout the year.

Walking in the area is encouraged, as there are many attractions in the city which can be reached on foot.

Museums, performing arts venues, and cultural groups are regularly hosting events around town or in the many parks and green spaces. 

Additionally, Pasadena is very close to L.A. and the coast, a bit further to the west.

Los Angeles features a smorgasbord of activities every day, which are sure to be of interest to even the most discerning tastes. 

For those looking to see the beach and water, Santa Monica, Marina Del Rey, and Venice Beach are all a short drive from downtown Pasadena.

There is never a shortage of activities in and around Pasadena.

5. Short Distance From the Mountains

Heading to the east out of Pasadena, you’ll quickly notice an elevation change and mountainous terrain ahead.

Mount Wilson is the first range you’ll come across, with Angeles National Forest further to the east and north. 

Once in the mountains, visitors can ski, hike, mountain bike, and explore the various peaks and valleys of the mountain range.

For the more adventurous, Mt. San Antonio features the tallest peak in Los Angeles county.

Hiking trails throughout, and a ski lift for the winter months, accentuate this amazing summit. 

6. Education

Pasadena’s public schools, managed by the Pasadena Unified School District, consistently perform above average.

Graduation rates for high schools are in the mid to upper 90% range, with a larger than an average number of students completing applications for secondary schooling.

There are an estimated number of students, in excess of 15,000, attending Pasadena schools. 

In addition to quality public schools, the California Institute of Technology is located in Pasadena and offers an excellent program for students looking to increase their technical prowess. 

7. Airport Access

If you’ll be needing to take a lot of plane flights, Pasadena has many in proximity.

For starters, Los Angeles International is less than 30 miles away and offers flights throughout the world. 

Pasadena is also close to the Hollywood Burbank, Huntington Memorial, and San Gabriel Valley airports, which also offer flights to and from many destinations.

Smaller, more regional airports are also sprinkled throughout Pasadena and L.A. county. 

8. High-Speed Internet

Pasadena and surrounding areas benefit from access to high-speed internet.

Often less available in more rural areas, Pasadena’s city status and proximity to other large cities have helped to create a strong network for powerful and fast internet service.

Students and corporations both benefit from the higher speed and less problematic internet service.

In fact, most residents and businesses in the Pasadena area are able to access 4G, 4G+, and 5G internet connectivity. 

Cons of Living in Pasadena, CA

1. Emergency Weather Events

Although Pasadena is known for its beautiful weather and agreeable climate, there are possibilities for severe weather events or natural disasters. 

First, if you live in California, you should be prepared for the possibility of earthquakes. 

Tremors are synonymous with the Golden State and Pasadena will definitely feel some shaking now and then. 

Mudslides, wildfires, and strong winds can also affect people and property.

With a relatively short distance to mountains, snow melts can also cause runoff in the spring, although greater Pasadena sees little threat from this occurrence. 

Check out Pasadena’s emergency preparedness guide to see what precautionary steps you may need to take. 

2. The Commute

Driving in and around Pasadena and, in particular, commuting to and from work, you’ll notice that traffic stays consistently busy and congested.

If you’ll be spending time in your car, plan on being there, on average, around 30 minutes, for a commute.  

Carpooling can alleviate some traffic, but only 7% of residents actually carpool.

Public transportation is available, but it’s only used by a little more than 6% of the residents. 

3. Cost of Living 

Living in California can incur a high cost of living.

For residents of Pasadena, that is definitely the case.

In fact, the cost of living in this part of the state is 66% higher than the national average.

Higher earning potential offsets some of these costs, but it still ranks as one of the most expensive areas in the state and nation to live

Housing costs, for example, have skyrocketed and don’t seem to be coming down anytime soon.

Currently, home prices in Pasadena are 186% higher than the national average.

As of August 2022, the median listing home price in Pasadena was $1.1 million.

4. Air Quality

California and, in particular, L.A. is known for their vivid sunsets.

They may be beautiful, but a large reason for these technicolor evening displays is the smog hanging in the air over L.A. and the surrounding areas.  

Couple that with Pasadena sitting in a valley with mountains to the east, and residents receive some of the most polluted air in the nation.

For comparison, the next dirtiest air in a city in the US is still 50% less than the levels recorded in L.A. 

Neighboring Pasadena is so close to L.A. that many of the health concerns for residents of Los Angeles are mirrored in the residents of Rose City.

Fortunately, there has been some reduction in overall smog levels with increased use of public transit and more citizens driving electric cars. 

5. Crime Rate

Although crime is not rampant in Pasadena, there are enough factors in and around the city to diminish its safe status.

Pasadena primarily has a problem with property theft and damage, which is consistent with many other cities of its size. 

Unfortunately, violent crimes are a bit higher than in some other similar cities, with 1 in every 322 residents falling victim.

This is still under both the state and national averages, though. 

With Los Angeles being so close, though, there is more of a chance of big-city crime spilling out to the neighboring cities and communities.

Unemployment and substance abuse are two factors that contribute greatly to increasing crime statistics. 

6. Homeless Population

California currently has one of the largest homeless populations in the state.

Great weather and climate become important factors in where homeless citizens will congregate.

California offers great weather most of the year.

Los Angeles is facing a humanitarian crisis in the next few years when considering how to manage and assist these displaced residents.

Pasadena is already seeing an influx of homeless residents to its streets. 

7. Healthcare Costs

Residents of Pasadena will pay 11% more for healthcare and health services than the national average.

This added cost can be attributed to higher numbers of patients or cost of living increases at a state level.

Whatever the case, many residents will feel the difference in their wallets and pocketbooks, even for minor care. 

8. Environmental Damage

As Pasadena and the rest of the state continues to grow, natural resources and green spaces will continue to take a hit.

Some damage can already be seen in the urban sprawl which transforms forests and meadows.

Other damages are less noticeable, such as in air and water quality.

Degradation of these resources often isn’t detected without regular testing.

Pros and Cons of Living in Pasadena, CA – Summary Table

Pasadena Safety Overview

READ THE FULL REPORT: Pasadena Safety Review

Safety Index:

78

• OVERALL RISK: LOW
• TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK: LOW
• PICKPOCKETS RISK: LOW
• NATURAL DISASTERS RISK: MEDIUM
• MUGGING RISK: LOW
• TERRORISM RISK: MEDIUM
• SCAMS RISK: LOW
• WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK: LOW