Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in South Pasadena, California
A $1,545,000 home here costs
$10,569per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $7,943. The real number is $2,626 higher every month — 33% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
South Pasadena against Los Angeles County and California
| Measure | South Pasadena | Los Angeles County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $1,545,100 | $783,300 |
| Median property tax | $8,796 | $5,438 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.569% | 0.694% |
| Median gross rent | $2,218 | $1,893 |
| Population | 26,297 | 9,848,406 |
The weather behind that power bill
South 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 $299 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
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in South Pasadena?
A $1,545,000 home in South Pasadena, California costs approximately $10,569 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $7,943 principal and interest, $733 property tax, $239 homeowners insurance, $367 utilities and $1,288 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in South Pasadena?
South Pasadena has an effective property tax rate of 0.569%, based on a median home value of $1,545,100 and median real estate taxes of $8,796. That is lower than the Los Angeles County average of 0.694%.
What is the average home price in South Pasadena?
The median owner-occupied home value in South Pasadena, California is $1,545,100, against $783,300 across Los Angeles County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in South Pasadena?
Median gross rent in South Pasadena is $2,218 a month, against $10,569 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for South 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.