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Living in
Pasadena.
About
Life in Pasadena
With a population of nearly 150,000, Pasadena sits as Harris County's second-largest city and serves as a genuine working community tied closely to the Houston Ship Channel, petrochemical industry, aerospace, and maritime operations rather than tourism. This is fundamentally an industrial and residential hub where people actually work and raise families, and the economy centers on real jobs in refining, exploration, healthcare, and shipping rather than attractions. That said, you're looking at hot, humid summers that define the Gulf Coast experience, with mild winters offering some relief, though you'll need air conditioning and patience through the sticky months; the trade-off is you're rarely dealing with snow or ice.
Pasadena at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
33.0 yrs
Poverty Rate
18.9%
Foreign-Born
26.9%
Broadband Internet
91.6%
of households
Population Growth
-2.2%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics26.9% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Pasadena: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Pasadena, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (65.9%), and 51.8% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
28.0%
of residents
65 and Older
11.8%
of residents
Households with Kids
38.7%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
20.3%
of households
Married Couples
49.1%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.99
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 14% below TX average
Rent, home values, and income in Pasadena
In Pasadena, rent runs 14% below the TX average, and home values are 26% below the TX average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
50.4%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
24.2%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
98.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$2,899
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
54.5%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1977
median year built
Vacant Homes
7.8%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $215,283 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 1.1 pts above TX average
Unemployment in Pasadena and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Pasadena is 1.1 percentage points higher than the TX average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Pasadena Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX metro area
Commute26.6 min avg
How Pasadena residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Pasadena, most residents drive alone to work (75%), and 60% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 5 mi
William P. Hobby Airport (HOU)
Medium hub6.8M passengers boarded in 2025
- 22 mi
George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH)
Major hub23.3M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 32% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Pasadena runs 32% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
435.8
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,777.9
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Pasadena Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 15 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Very High
99.9 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Harris County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Harris County, which includes Pasadena, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 15 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 15 | Thunderstorm Wind | $75,000 |
| 2024 | 27 | Thunderstorm Wind | $73.1M |
| 2023 | 47 | Thunderstorm Wind | $9.3M |
| 2022 | 14 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1.0M |
| 2021 | 23 | Flash Flood | $34.1M |
| 2020 | 17 | Hail | $1.2M |
| 2019 | 27 | Thunderstorm Wind | $200.6M |
| 2018 | 24 | Thunderstorm Wind | $2.0M |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Harris County, county-wide
Pasadena is about 3% of Harris County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Air Quality62 median AQI — Moderate
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Harris County, which includes Pasadena, is typically moderate — acceptable for most people, but can affect those unusually sensitive to air pollution.
Median AQI
62
Good Days
40
per year
Moderate Days
287
per year
Unhealthy Days
10
per year
Harris County, county-wide
Pasadena is about 3% of Harris County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate92°F summers, 48°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Pasadena has hot summers (avg high 92°F) and warm winters (avg low 48°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
80°/62°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
92°/76°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
81°/64°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
66°/48°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
57.1"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
101
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
4
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
86
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 64°F | 46°F | 4.09" |
| Feb | 68°F | 50°F | 2.85" |
| Mar | 73°F | 56°F | 3.28" |
| Apr | 79°F | 62°F | 4.08" |
| May | 86°F | 69°F | 5.42" |
| Jun | 91°F | 75°F | 6.09" |
| Jul | 93°F | 77°F | 4.59" |
| Aug | 94°F | 77°F | 5.44" |
| Sep | 89°F | 73°F | 5.76" |
| Oct | 82°F | 64°F | 5.78" |
| Nov | 73°F | 54°F | 3.90" |
| Dec | 66°F | 48°F | 4.34" |
Healthcare4 hospitals, avg 3.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Pasadena
Pasadena has 4 hospitals, averaging 3.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating.
Hospitals
4
within city limits
Uninsured
28.5%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
3.0 / 5
HCA Houston Healthcare Southeast
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
St Luke's Patients Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Surgery Specialty Hospitals of America Se Houston
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Oceans Behavioral Hospital of Pasadena
Psychiatric
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Medical Behavioral Hospital of Clear Lake, Llc
Psychiatric · 7.3 mi away · Clear Lake City
HCA Houston Healthcare Clear Lake
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 8.3 mi away · Webster
Houston Methodist Clear Lake Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 8.3 mi away · Nassau Bay
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education13.7:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Pasadena
Pasadena's student/teacher ratio is 13.7:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 16.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
51
within city limits
Private Schools
5
within city limits
College Degree Rate
16.2%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
13.7:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Pasadena
Public · 2-year · 22,969 students · in-state tuition $2,490 · 33% graduate · median earnings $47,048 (10 yrs after entry)
University of Houston-Clear Lake
Public · 4-year · 6,078 students · in-state tuition $7,770 · 64% graduate · median earnings $61,521 (10 yrs after entry)
Nearby Colleges (within 15 miles)
Public · 2-year · 40,503 students · in-state tuition $2,040 · 20% graduate · median earnings $42,369 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 4-year · 38,380 students · in-state tuition $9,717 · 65% graduate · median earnings $68,423 (10 yrs after entry)
University of Houston-Downtown
14.7 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 12,555 students · in-state tuition $7,708 · 57% graduate · median earnings $57,404 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 4-year · 6,844 students · in-state tuition $9,173 · 33% graduate · median earnings $46,064 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Big Thicket National Preserve, 72 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Pasadena
Pasadena has 1 nearby national park or recreation area, closest being Big Thicket National Preserve (72 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Big Thicket National Preserve
National Preserve
72 mi awayPublic Libraries in Pasadena
Pasadena Public Library
1201 Jeff Ginn Memorial Dr, Pasadena
Fairmont Branch Library
4330 Fairmont Pkwy, Pasadena
Cities Near Pasadena
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Pasadena?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Pasadena FAQ
Is Pasadena, Texas affordable?⌄
Pasadena's median rent is $1,213/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $64,927/year. Median home value is $209,600.
Is Pasadena, Texas safe?⌄
Pasadena's violent crime rate was 436 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1778 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Pasadena, Texas?⌄
Pasadena has an unemployment rate of 5.3%, which is slightly above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Pasadena, Texas?⌄
The cost of living in Pasadena is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,213/month and median household income is $64,927/year. The median home value is $209,600. About 50% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Pasadena, Texas?⌄
The average commute in Pasadena is 27 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from