Pasadena, CA vs Santa Clara, CA

Side-by-side comparison of housing, income, commute, safety, and quality of life.

Score Snapshot

No universal winner

Scores summarize the published model. Use the objective metric differences below and your own priorities to choose.

Pasadena

61.6

#1898 nationally

vs

Santa Clara

65.7

#1617 nationally

Santa Clara leads in crime level (5.0 vs 13.2). Santa Clara leads in median household income ($165,352 vs $97,818). Pasadena leads in cost of living index (197 vs 241).

Metric-by-Metric Breakdown

Metric Pasadena, CA Santa Clara, CA
WhereAtHome Score 61.6 (#1898) 65.7 (#1617)
Population 133,560 131,062
Typical Home Value (ZHVI) $1,206,740 $1,680,833
Median Household Income $97,818 $165,352
Average Commute 27.9 min 23.6 min
Walk Score 69 58
Crime Level 13.2 5.0
School Rating N/A N/A
Cost of Living Index 197 241
Political lean County 2024 presidential margin — context only, not scored D+32.9 D+40.0