Northwest SGV · Los Angeles County · Historical edition: May 2026
Pasadena, California
Crown of the SGV · Caltech & the Rose Bowl · Historic architecture
Explore housing, schools, and local amenities in Pasadena, with a historical market snapshot from May 2026 and links to its sources.
Historical snapshot from the May 2026 guide. Figures describe the periods shown; they are not current market quotes. Source websites may now show newer data. Ask Annie for a current comparison for the property you are considering.
Median Sale Price
$1.3M
March 2026 · +0.4% YoY
Source: Redfin
Zillow Home Value Index
$1.08M
-1.6% YoY · smoothed value
Source: Zillow ZHVI
Median $ / Sq Ft
$844
+6.4% YoY
Source: Redfin
Days on Market
~32
About 4 offers per home
Source: Redfin
Schools · Historical guide
Pasadena Unified School District
Pasadena Unified serves roughly 14,000 students across Pasadena, Altadena, and Sierra Madre, and holds a Niche B+ grade (#191 of California districts). School quality varies meaningfully by campus — confirming the assigned school for a specific address is essential. Pasadena's deep roster of private and independent schools also draws families, which softens the public school zone's pricing weight relative to the eastern SGV.Ratings reflect the historical guide. Confirm current programs, admission rules, and the exact address with the district; city boundaries and ratings do not establish enrollment eligibility.
Pasadena High School
Grades 9–12 · Public
Pasadena Unified's highest-rated comprehensive high school, performing above the California average, with AP coursework and magnet pathways. The strongest of the district's public secondary options.
Source: GreatSchools
Pasadena Unified — by campus
Grades K–12 · Public
District-wide performance is uneven: campuses range from above-average (Pasadena High at 8/10) to below-average (John Muir High at 4/10). Pull the assigned school for the exact address — in Pasadena, the campus matters more than the district label.
Source: Niche · GreatSchools
Private & Independent Schools
Grades K–12 · Independent
Pasadena has an unusually deep roster of private and independent schools. Many families choose them, which means the public attendance zone carries less of a home-price premium here than in Arcadia or San Marino.
Source: Market observation · neighborhood profiles
Who Lives Here
Demographics & community
Population
~137,000
139,373 at 2020 Census · 2024 estimate
Median Household Income
$105,192
2024 estimate
Median Property Value
$1.09M
2024 · +4.6% YoY
Homeownership Rate
42.5%
Renter-heavy for the SGV
Median Age
40.1
Established, professional demographic
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau · Data USA · California-demographics.com
Lifestyle Anchors
Why people buy in Pasadena
The Rose Bowl
The 1922 National Historic Landmark stadium — the Rose Bowl Game, UCLA football, and the monthly Rose Bowl Flea Market.
Caltech
The California Institute of Technology anchors a world-class research economy and a steady, highly educated buyer and renter pool.
Old Pasadena
A walkable, well-preserved historic downtown along Colorado Boulevard — dining, retail, and the cultural heart of the city.
Tournament of Roses
The Rose Parade each New Year's Day is Pasadena's defining civic tradition and a global identity.
Craftsman Architecture
One of California's richest stocks of Craftsman and historic-revival homes — the Gamble House and the Bungalow Heaven district are national draws.
210 / 134 / 110 + Metro A Line
Exceptional connectivity — three freeways plus the Metro A Line into downtown Los Angeles and out to the eastern SGV.
Plan your next move
Compare the property, then the price.
A citywide median does not account for a particular home’s condition, lot, layout, or transaction terms. Bring the address, your timing, and your priorities to a conversation with Annie.
Sources & Methodology
Sources for this historical guide
This guide retains the May 2026 edition. The links below identify the original providers and may now show later periods. Sale medians and modeled home-value indices measure different things and should not be combined. Use the observation period shown with each figure.
Considering Pasadena?
Let’s talk pricing, schools & timing
Annie can help you compare homes, discuss selling plans, and identify the property information to review. Service is available in English and Mandarin.
Annie Liu Williams · DRE# 02147335 · Vismar Corporation · DRE# 02004333 · English / 中文