Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Pasadena, California
A $1,045,000 home here costs
$7,595per month, all in, with 20% down at today's 7.40% 30-year fixed rate. By the 28% rule that takes a household income of about $325,500 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $5,788. The real number is $1,807 higher every month, 31% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Los Angeles County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Pasadena against Los Angeles County and California
| Measure | Pasadena | Los Angeles County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $1,045,000 | $783,300 |
| Median property tax | $6,449 | $5,438 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.617% | 0.694% |
| Median gross rent | $2,218 | $1,893 |
| Population | 136,462 | 9,848,406 |
The weather behind that power bill
Pasadena sits in Los Angeles County, which averages a high of 88.9°F in its hottest month and a low of 44.2°F in its coldest, with 13.91" of precipitation a year and 67% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 1,481 cooling and 1,400 heating degree days, which is what sets the $169 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Los Angeles County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Los Angeles County
Full Los Angeles County cost breakdown · Every county in California
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Pasadena averages. What one specific house costs to own, or what it would sell for today, depends on the street and the condition of the place. We will connect you with one licensed local agent who works Pasadena every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Pasadena I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Pasadena?
A $1,045,000 home in Pasadena, California costs approximately $7,595 per month with 20% down at 7.4%. That is $5,788 principal and interest, $537 property tax, $162 homeowners insurance, $237 utilities and $871 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Pasadena?
Pasadena has an effective property tax rate of 0.617%, based on a median home value of $1,045,000 and median real estate taxes of $6,449. That is lower than the Los Angeles County average of 0.694%.
What is the average home price in Pasadena?
The median owner-occupied home value in Pasadena, California is $1,045,000, against $783,300 across Los Angeles County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Pasadena?
Median gross rent in Pasadena is $2,218 a month, against $7,595 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.
What salary do you need to buy a home in Pasadena?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Pasadena, California at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $325,500 a year. That covers the full $7,595 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Pasadena, US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance, NAIC average premium for California.
- Electricity price, EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A.
- Mortgage rate, Freddie Mac PMMS, refreshed weekly.
- Maintenance (1%/yr) and water and sewer ($68/mo) are national estimates. Every assumption above is editable.