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Glendale vs Pasadena

Next-door neighbors. The biggest differences: conserved land (+16.6 pts in Glendale) and trails (2× in Glendale).

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Glendale, CAAn outdoors townCalifornia · 190,748 people
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Pasadena, CAA history townCalifornia · 136,969 people
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Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

GlendaleAn outdoors town
Outdoors#66 most conserved land in CA81 miles of trails across 34 parks and preserves HistorySettled in 188414 places on the National Register HealthHealthier than 72%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates All about Glendale →
PasadenaA history town
HistorySettled in 1886124 places on the National Register College town9 collegesPasadena City College Work100,504 jobsbased in Pasadena, a regional job hub All about Pasadena →
The biggest differences

Where they part ways

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Conserved land+16.6 pts
Glendale has more conserved land
Glendale 30.1%Pasadena 13.5%
Trails2×
Glendale has more miles of trail
Glendale 80.5 miPasadena 39.8 mi
Work from home+6.4 pts
More people work from home in Pasadena
Pasadena 27.6%Glendale 21.2%
Household income+19%
Households in Pasadena earn more
Pasadena $105,192Glendale $88,393
Jobs per worker+56%
Pasadena is more of a job hub
Pasadena 1.76Glendale 1.13
Bachelor’s degree++8.9 pts
More adults in Pasadena have a degree
Pasadena 56.1%Glendale 47.2%
★ What stands out · Report cards

Pasadena places higher on 14 of 26 CA lists

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every California ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Safety
CGlendaleSafer than 28% of U.S. towns DPasadenaSafer than 13% of U.S. towns
Schools
A−GlendaleBetter than 83% of districts in the state B+PasadenaBetter than 67% of districts in the state
Health
B+GlendaleHealthier than 72% of U.S. towns A−PasadenaHealthier than 83% of U.S. towns
12Glendale
14Pasadena

Lists won, of 26 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Rent easiest to affordCost of living · 422 towns #361#135 Lowest depressionHealth · 844 towns #420#99 Fewest smokersHealth · 844 towns #424#158 Highest graduation rateSchools · 720 towns #376#599 SafestSafety · 411 towns #218#339 Closest to a top hospitalHealth · 844 towns #38#245 Highest incomeIncome · 843 towns #485#330 Most walkableOutdoors · 841 towns #402#252

Left end = #1 in California. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Glendale’s rankings →

Where they are

Glendale and Pasadena share a border

And the people who already live in one and work in the other.

GlendalePasadenaGlendalePasadena
Glendale ↔ Pasadena6.3 miles apart · They share a border
Who commutes between them
3,251 Glendale residents work in Pasadena (4% of its workers)
1,910 Pasadena residents work in Glendale (3.3% of its workers)
Work & commute in Glendale →
Monthly cost

A typical home costs about the same each month

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Glendale$6,790/mo
Typical home $1.18M (Zillow) · tax rate 0.61% · or rent about $2,182/mo · Housing →
Pasadena$6,850/mo
Typical home $1.19M (Zillow) · tax rate 0.63% · or rent about $2,265/mo · Housing →

The difference: $60 a month, about $700 a year, between Pasadena and Glendale.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons
GlendalePasadena
Snow a year0″0″
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)93rd91st
Outdoors & history
GlendalePasadena
Trails81 mi40 mi
Conserved land30.1%13.5%
Settled18841886
National Register places14124
Archive photos2436
Famous people born here49—
Community
GlendalePasadena
Library hours a week66 hrs54 hrs
Colleges in town39
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined01

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

GlendalePasadena
People
Population 190,748Highest 136,969Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +2.5%Highest CA: +6.1% +1.2%Lowest CA: +6.1%
Median age 41.4±0.7Highest 9% above CA 40.1±0.6Lowest 6% above CA
Glendale and Pasadena are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 18.4%±0.9Highest CA: 22% 16.7%±0.9Lowest CA: 22%
Glendale and Pasadena are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 19%±0.8Highest CA: 15.7% 17.4%±0.8Lowest CA: 15.7%
Glendale and Pasadena are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 47.2%Lowest CA: 37.1% 56.1%Highest CA: 37.1%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 7.8%±0.6Highest CA: 7.6% 7.7%±0.6Lowest CA: 7.6%
Glendale and Pasadena are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $88,393±$3kLowest 11% below CA $105,192±$3kHighest 6% above CA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $1,102,300±$31kHighest 50% above CA $1,093,300±$25kLowest 49% above CA
Glendale and Pasadena are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $2,182±$34Lowest 7% above CA $2,265±$38Highest 11% above CA
Property taxmedian, yearly $6,679Lowest 30% above CA $6,843Highest 34% above CA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 62.3%±2.6Highest CA: 55.3% 52.9%±2.9Lowest CA: 55.3%
Below poverty line 12.9%Lowest CA: 12% 13.3%Highest CA: 12%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 35.2%Lowest CA: 55.9% 42.5%Highest CA: 55.9%
Typical home builtmedian year 1966Highest 10 yrs older than CA 1961Lowest 15 yrs older than CA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 27 minHighest 6% below CA 27 minLowest 6% below CA
Work from home 21.2%±1.3Lowest CA: 17.2% 27.6%±1.5Highest CA: 17.2%
Work in townworking residents 20.2%Lowest 20.3%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 8.3 miLowest 10.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.13Lowest 1.76Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Los Angeles (37%)Los Angeles (29%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others 4% work in Pasadena3% work in Glendale
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 30.1%Highest 13.5%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 80.5 miHighest 39.8 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 2.6 miHighest 1.7 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 34Highest 31Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 73.6Lowest 98.2Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #123 of 574 in CA#150 of 574 in CA
School district Glendale UnifiedLearning Works District · Pasadena Rosebud Academy District
High school in town Glendale HighOptions For Youth - Duarte Inc
Students per teacherat that high school 22.6Lowest 28.0Highest
California average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024
Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Glendale neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Glendale’s Town Square.

Pasadena neighborsTown Square →
T Weaver · 4d

Living in Pasadena

1 neighbor in Pasadena can answer.

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Bordering Glendale

+ Compare
La Crescenta-Montrose19,660 people · $1.21M homes
L
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Los Angeles3,857,263 people · $921K homes
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La Cañada Flintridge19,935 people · $2M homes
B
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Burbank104,546 people · $1.09M homes

Towns like Glendale

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Costa Mesa110,330 people · $1.12M homes
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Santa Barbara87,779 people · $1.57M homes
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Alhambra81,022 people · $858K homes
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Oakland439,418 people · $930K homes

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

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