BestCityFor

Best city for remote work? Pasadena, CA

C
Score
51/100
Rank #96 (top 200 cities)
Data: ACS 2023 (5-year)

Pasadena can work for remote work if you’re optimizing for work-from-home share, plus median household income. Overall, it’s closer to the median in this set (#96 of 200). The biggest tradeoff is typical rent (2br).

Methodology · Sources · CA rankings

Scope note (city proper)

This page scores the incorporated city limits (Census “Place”), not the metro area. That’s why some cities can look very different vs their surrounding region.

Why Pasadena ranks here

  • Work-from-home share: 24% (91% higher than the national median; better for this metric).
  • Median household income: $103,778 (37% higher than the national median; better for this metric).
  • Broadband subscription: 93% (2% higher than the national median; better for this metric).

Watch-outs

  • Typical rent (2BR): $2,446/mo (70% higher than the national median; worse for this metric).
  • Commute 45+ min share: 19% (68% higher than the national median; worse for this metric).

City snapshot

Basic demographics from ACS 2023 (city proper).

Population
136,462
Estimated total population (ACS).
Male vs female
Male 49%Female 51%

Key metrics

Values shown are from ACS 2023. National medians are computed across the ranked city set.

Typical rent (2BR)
$2,446/mo
National median: $1,441/mo
Work-from-home share
24%
National median: 12%
Broadband subscription
93%
National median: 91%
Median household income
$103,778
National median: $75,598
Bachelor’s+ rate
56%
National median: 35%
Commute 45+ min share
19%
National median: 11%

Score breakdown (by category)

Category scores are 0–100 and summarize groups of metrics used in the final score.

City
National median (dataset)
Affordability
Typical 2BR rent and housing pressure.
0/100
Connectivity
Broadband availability as a practical remote-work proxy.
93/100
Workforce
Remote-work adoption and human-capital signals.
51/100
Comfort
Commute friction and climate comfort.
81/100

Education (age 25+)

Share of adults by attainment (ACS).

10%
Less than HS
34%
HS / Some college
30%
Bachelor’s
26%
Advanced

Work style

WFH vs not WFH (ACS).

24%
Work from home
76%
Not WFH

Internet access

Household broadband subscription (ACS).

93%
Broadband
7%
No broadband

Map

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Scorecard breakdown

Bars are rescaled to 0–100 for readability (percentage metrics use their actual percent).

City
National median (dataset)
Typical rent (2BR)
National median $1,441/mo
$2,446/mo
Broadband subscription
National median 91%
93%
Work-from-home share
National median 12%
24%
Median household income
National median $75,598
$103,778
Bachelor’s+ rate
National median 35%
56%
Commute 45+ min share
National median 11%
19%

Similar cities (by score)

#94 San Diego, CA
51/100
#95 Joliet, IL
51/100
#97 Torrance, CA
51/100
#98 Newport News, VA
51/100

FAQ

›What is Pasadena’s remote work score and rank?
Pasadena, CA scores C (51/100) and ranks #96 out of the top 200 US cities in this dataset.
›Is this based on Pasadena city proper or the metro area?
City proper (incorporated place). This uses Census ‘Place’ boundaries, not the metro area. Metro-level rankings can differ a lot from the city itself.
›What is the population of Pasadena, CA?
Population is about 136,462 (ACS 2023, city proper).
›What is the male vs female split in Pasadena, CA?
About 49% male and 51% female (ACS 2023).
›What is a typical monthly rent in Pasadena, CA?
Typical rent (2BR) is $2,446/mo (national median: $1,441/mo).
›What share of workers work from home in Pasadena, CA?
Work-from-home share is 24% (national median: 12%).
›How common is broadband internet in Pasadena, CA?
Broadband subscription is 93% of households (national median: 91%).
›What does the education mix look like in Pasadena, CA?
Among adults 25+, the shares are roughly: less than HS 10%, HS/some college 34%, bachelor’s 30%, advanced 26%.
›Where does this data come from for Pasadena, CA?
Metrics are from Census ACS 2023 5-year estimates (city proper / incorporated place), with optional NOAA climate normals when available.

Note: Scores are informational and depend on data coverage and methodology. Always validate against your personal constraints (job, neighborhood, commute, safety, schools, healthcare).