Pasadena, California Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Pasadena, CA Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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A
Health Above average
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B
Income Around average
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A+
Education Top grade
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population
| Metric | Pasadena | California Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 138,535 | 39,245,658 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 5996.8 | 239.4 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -0.15% | 0.19% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 40.5 | 35.5 | 37.3 |
| Households | 58,055 | 13,531,619 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Pasadena declined by 2.3% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 138,535 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Pasadena is Millennials, aged 29–44, at 27.2% of residents. That is 3.6 points above California as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 26,581 19.2% -2.5 pts
- Millennials 29–44 37,699 27.2% +3.6 pts
- Gen X 45–60 28,802 20.8% +0.9 pts
- Boomers 61–79 21,229 15.3% on par
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below California, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 51.1% of the people living in Pasadena and men 48.9%.
- Women 51.1% California 49.9%
- Men 48.9% California 50.1%
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100% of everyone living in Pasadena
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Economy
Pasadena has a the economy index of B, which means it is quite prosperous.
| Metric | Pasadena | California Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $104,894 | $99,161 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 4.77% | 5.57% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 5.7% | 6.6% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Pasadena is about 6% higher than in California.
Housing
| Metric | Pasadena | California Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $365,686 | $650,794 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $2,260 | $2,036 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 42.8% | 55.9% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Pasadena is about 13.5 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $2,260 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Pasadena spend about 45 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 188 hours, about 7.8 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Pasadena | California Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 22.6 | 23.5 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 45.1 | 47.0 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 188 | 196 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $5,831 | $6,065 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 27.3% | 17.2% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 44,682 | 16,509 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 3,325 | 2,449 | 1,355 |
The average commute time in Pasadena is about the same as in California.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Pasadena has a education index of A+, which means it is exceptionally educated.
| Metric | Pasadena | California Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 51.5% | 33.0% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.30 | 2.84 | 2.53 |
Health
Pasadena has a health index of A, which means it is very healthy.
| Metric | Pasadena | California Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 81.8 | 79.6 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 13.0% | 16.4% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 9.1% | 13.9% | 19.0% |
Pasadena, CA Compared With Nearby Cities
How Pasadena, CA compares with the 2 cities closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pasadena, CA | 138,535 | $104,894 #3/3 | $365,686 #3/3 | 22.6 min #1/3 |
| Altadena, CA | 39,664 | $130,436 | $1,139,817 | 23.5 min |
| South Pasadena, CA | 26,044 | $129,244 | $1,220,504 | 27.6 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Pasadena, California.
How many people live in Pasadena, California?
About 138,535 people live in Pasadena, California, in 58,055 households of 2.3 people on average. The median age is 40.5, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 3 years.
How densely populated is Pasadena, California?
Averaged over its land area, Pasadena, California has 5,997 people per square mile, a density typical of a city. That is about 69 times the U.S. average of 86.
How affordable is housing in Pasadena, California?
The median home costs 3.5 times the median household income ($365,686 against $104,894), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $2,260 a month takes about 26% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
How common is a college degree in Pasadena, California?
51.5% of adults in Pasadena, California hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 5 in 10), well above the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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