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Irvine vs Pasadena

39 miles apart. The biggest differences: growth since 2010 (+43.7 pts in Irvine) and trails (3.1× in Irvine).

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Irvine, CAHomes around $1.49MCalifornia · 311,690 people
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Pasadena, CAA history townCalifornia · 136,969 people
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.

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.

★ What stands out · Report cards

Irvine places higher on 19 of 23 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.

Monthly cost

A typical home costs $1,980 more a month in Irvine

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.

Irvine$8,820/mo
Typical home $1.49M (Zillow) · tax rate 0.80% · or rent about $2,997/mo · Housing →
Pasadena$6,850/mo
Typical home $1.19M (Zillow) · tax rate 0.63% · or rent about $2,265/mo · Housing →

The difference: $1,980 a month, about $23,700 a year, between Irvine and Pasadena.

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
IrvinePasadena
Snow a year0″0″
January low49°F—
July high83°F—
Growing season (days)365d—
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)88th91st
Outdoors & history
IrvinePasadena
Conserved land21.9%13.5%
Settled19711886
National Register places3124
Archive photos2336
Famous people born here62—
Community
IrvinePasadena
Library hours a week64 hrs54 hrs
Colleges in town59
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.

Where they are

39 miles apart

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

Irvine ↔ Pasadena39 miles apart
Who commutes between them
536 Pasadena residents work in Irvine (0.9% of its workers)
Work & commute in Pasadena →
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.

IrvinePasadena
People
Population 311,690Highest 136,969Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +44.9%Highest CA: +6.1% +1.2%Lowest CA: +6.1%
Median age 34±0.5Lowest 10% below CA 40.1±0.6Highest 6% above CA
Kids under 18 21.7%±0.8Highest CA: 22% 16.7%±0.9Lowest CA: 22%
Age 65+ 10.8%±0.5Lowest CA: 15.7% 17.4%±0.8Highest CA: 15.7%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 70.6%Highest CA: 37.1% 56.1%Lowest CA: 37.1%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 15.5%±0.7Highest CA: 7.6% 7.7%±0.6Lowest CA: 7.6%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $136,719±$6kHighest 38% above CA $105,192±$3kLowest 6% above CA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $1,191,500±$21kHighest 62% above CA $1,093,300±$25kLowest 49% above CA
Rentmedian gross, monthly $2,997±$51Highest 47% above CA $2,265±$38Lowest 11% above CA
Property taxmedian, yearly $9,543Highest 86% above CA $6,843Lowest 34% above CA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 52.9%±2.6 CA: 55.3% 52.9%±2.9 CA: 55.3%
Below poverty line 10.8%Lowest CA: 12% 13.3%Highest CA: 12%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 44.5%Highest CA: 55.9% 42.5%Lowest CA: 55.9%
Typical home builtmedian year 2002Highest 26 yrs newer than CA 1961Lowest 15 yrs older than CA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 25 minLowest 14% below CA 27 minHighest 6% below CA
Work from home 28%±1.3Highest CA: 17.2% 27.6%±1.5Lowest CA: 17.2%
Irvine and Pasadena are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 28.8%Highest 20.3%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 8.8 miLowest 10.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 2.39Highest 1.76Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Los Angeles (7%)Los Angeles (29%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Pasadena1% work in Irvine
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 21.9%Highest 13.5%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 122.9 miHighest 39.8 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 1.9 miHighest 1.7 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 215Highest 31Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 102Highest 98.2Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #37 of 574 in CA#150 of 574 in CA
School district Irvine International Academy District · Tustin UnifiedLearning Works District · Pasadena Rosebud Academy District
High school in town Arnold O. Beckman HighOptions For Youth - Duarte Inc
Students per teacherat that high school 26.4Lowest 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.

Irvine neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Irvine’s Town Square.

Pasadena neighborsTown Square →
T Weaver · 6d

Living in Pasadena

1 neighbor in Pasadena can answer.

Add a town

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Bordering Irvine

Towns like Irvine

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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