Fullerton and Pasadena receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Fullerton
Pasadena
Opportunity
52 · Bottom 42%
vs50 · Bottom 37%
Growth
51 · Top 48%
vs57 · Top 38%
Climate
100 · Top 4%
vs100 · Top 4%
Physical resilience
12 · Bottom 7%
vs11 · Bottom 4%
Housing affordability
40 · Bottom 5%
vs37 · Bottom 3%
Access
97 · Top 22%
vs93 · Top 46%
Economic stability
60 · Bottom 49%
vs56 · Bottom 41%
Measured values
| Metric | Fullerton | Pasadena | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 140,968 | 136,969 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $104,286 | $105,192 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $50,180 | $65,304 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 6,288/sq mi | 5,966/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $902,600 | $1,093,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,194 | $2,265 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 51.8% | 42.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.4% | 4.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.8% | -1.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 43.5% | 56.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.3% | 13.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 267 | 404 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.9 | 2.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 81.6% | 176.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 46°F | 49°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 11.9" | 14.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 14 mi | 20 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 32.8 min | 29.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.9 | 40.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 26 | 23 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 24.36 | 22.19 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 53.2% | 69.3% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Fullerton
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Pasadena
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding, earthquake.
Full profiles: Fullerton, CA · Pasadena, CA · How this is calculated: methodology