Is Pasadena cheaper than Seattle?

No. Seattle is cheaper: typical rent is $2,030 a month versus $2,265 in Pasadena — 10% lower. Median household income is $105,192 in Pasadena compared with $123,860 in Seattle, so Seattle has the stronger local pay picture.

Which city is safer, Pasadena or Seattle?

Pasadena is safer on this comparison. Its crime index is 32 versus 116 in Seattle — 72% lower (100 is the national average). Citywide indexes still hide neighborhood variation, so walk the block you would actually rent.

Which city has better schools, Pasadena or Seattle?

Seattle has better schools on this comparison: A (88/100) versus A- in Pasadena — school scores run 5% higher. District averages can hide campus-level gaps, so check the zoned elementary, middle, and high school you would actually use.

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City comparison

Pasadena, CA vs Seattle, WA

Pasadena, CA versus Seattle, WA is a real move, not a trivia matchup. This comparison uses the same 2026 neighborhood report data we publish on each city page — typical rent, median household income, crime indexes, school composites, and typical weather — so you can see which city actually fits how you live, work, and spend. Typical rents sit near $2,265 a month in Pasadena and $2,030 in Seattle, and median household income lands at $105,192 versus $123,860. Open either city's full report when you want the block-level detail behind these headlines.

Pasadena takes safety, while Seattle takes affordability, job market, schools, and weather. The widest gap is crime index, where Pasadena leads by 72% — the kind of spread you feel in a monthly budget or a nightly walk, not just on a chart. Read the category rows as a filter: if cheaper housing would change your life more than a stronger job market, weight rent first. If you are moving with kids, weight schools and crime. If you picked a city after one good weekend, use the weather and income rows to test whether that weekend survives a full year.

Numbers below are citywide, not a guarantee about the street you will actually live on. Two ZIP codes in Pasadena can feel further apart than Pasadena and Seattle do on paper. Use this page to pick a city, then use the Pasadena and Seattle reports to pick a neighborhood — and visit in the season you like least before you sign anything.

Full Pasadena report Full Seattle report

Pasadena, CA

Rent: $2,265/mo
Median income: $105,192
Crime index: 32
Schools: A-
Weather: 84°F

Seattle, WA

Rent: $2,030/mo
Median income: $123,860
Crime index: 116
Schools: A
Weather: 66°F

Rent

10% cheaper

Seattle rent is 10% cheaper than Pasadena

Pasadena

$2,265/mo

Seattle

Winner

$2,030/mo

What this means for your life

Typical rent runs $2,030 a month in Seattle versus $2,265 in Pasadena, so Seattle is 10% cheaper. A meaningful but not dramatic gap. Factor it into your budget alongside salary differences between the two markets. Over a year the spread is about $2,820 — enough to notice in savings, not enough to ignore schools, safety, or pay. Seattle still wins on housing cost; just do not let a 10–20% rent edge override a job that only exists in Pasadena.

Median income

18% higher

Seattle's median income is 18% higher than Pasadena

Pasadena

$105,192

Seattle

Winner

$123,860

What this means for your life

Median household income is $123,860 in Seattle versus $105,192 in Pasadena, so typical pay runs 18% higher in Seattle — about $18,668 more household income a year. Higher median income usually signals a stronger local job market and better negotiating leverage on salary. Remote workers should weigh this against cost of living rather than treating it as a direct personal benefit. For people who will actually work in town, Seattle is the stronger labor market on paper. Pasadena can still win if housing is cheap enough to offset the weaker median or if your specific role already pays well there.

Crime index

72% lower crime

Pasadena's crime index is 72% lower than Seattle

Pasadena

Winner

32 (100 = avg)

Seattle

116 (100 = avg)

What this means for your life

Pasadena's crime index is 32 versus 116 in Seattle (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 72% lower in Pasadena. That gap is meaningful day-to-day — it affects whether you feel comfortable walking at night, leaving your car on the street, or letting kids play outside unsupervised. Indexes still compress a lot of reality: a calmer city has blocks you would skip, and a higher-crime city has streets that feel neighborly at 10 p.m. On the everyday test of walking from the car to the door, Pasadena is the easier city. Seattle can still work if you pick the right pocket — just budget more diligence before you sign a lease.

School scores

5% higher scores

Seattle's school scores are 5% higher than Pasadena

Pasadena

A- · 84/100

Seattle

Winner

A · 88/100

What this means for your life

Seattle grades out at A (88/100) against A- (84/100) in Pasadena — school scores run 5% higher in Seattle. The citywide gap is modest. For families with kids it is still worth checking the specific campuses you would actually use, because a small composite lead can disappear — or reverse — two neighborhoods over. Pasadena is only the better school story if a campus you already researched beats this composite.

Typical weather

38% more comfortable

Seattle weather is 38% more comfortable than Pasadena

Pasadena

84°F typical

Seattle

Winner

66°F typical

What this means for your life

Seattle scores 38% more comfortable on this page's weather index, which rewards temperatures closer to a livable outdoor day. Typical temperatures sit around 84°F in Pasadena and 66°F in Seattle. Pasadena reads as hot, long summers; Seattle reads as mild, livable temperatures. Climate affects quality of life more than most people anticipate when planning a move. Consider how much time you spend outdoors and whether extreme heat or cold impacts your mood or productivity. Seattle is the better default if you want year-round outdoor access. Pasadena can still be right if you love that climate on purpose — beach heat, dry heat, or a real winter — but you cannot return a city's weather.

Fit check

Who should choose Pasadena

Families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy

Pasadena is the better fit for families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy. The crime index is 72% lower than Seattle (32 vs a 100 national average). That gap shows up in how freely you walk at night and how much attention you spend on the car and the deadbolt.

Open the Pasadena report →

Fit check

Who should choose Seattle

Families on a budget who want good schools without coastal price tags

Seattle fits families on a budget who want good schools without coastal price tags. Lower typical rent ($2,030/month) plus stronger school scores (A) is the combination that actually changes a decade of life, not just a year of housing. Pasadena can still win if a specific campus or family network is already there — but on the public data, Seattle is the more forgiving place to raise kids without overextending.

It is also a match for career-focused movers who want salary upside and year-round outdoor access. Median household income runs 18% higher ($123,860), and typical weather is the more comfortable of the two — around 66°F. That pairing is for people who will work hard and then actually use the evenings.

Open the Seattle report →

Bottom line

Pasadena vs Seattle, called

If safety is your priority, Pasadena is the clear choice.

If weather matters more to you, Seattle pulls ahead.

For most movers comparing these two cities, Seattle offers the better overall package.

Common questions

Pasadena vs Seattle FAQ

Is Pasadena cheaper than Seattle?: No. Seattle is cheaper: typical rent is $2,030 a month versus $2,265 in Pasadena — 10% lower. Median household income is $105,192 in Pasadena compared with $123,860 in Seattle, so Seattle has the stronger local pay picture.
Which city is safer, Pasadena or Seattle?: Pasadena is safer on this comparison. Its crime index is 32 versus 116 in Seattle — 72% lower (100 is the national average). Citywide indexes still hide neighborhood variation, so walk the block you would actually rent.
Which city has better schools, Pasadena or Seattle?: Seattle has better schools on this comparison: A (88/100) versus A- in Pasadena — school scores run 5% higher. District averages can hide campus-level gaps, so check the zoned elementary, middle, and high school you would actually use.

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