Santa Fe receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Santa Fe
Pasadena
Opportunity
52 · Bottom 42%
vs40 · Bottom 18%
Growth
85 · Top 2%
vs31 · Bottom 18%
Climate
79 · Top 19%
vs75 · Top 27%
Physical resilience
57 · Bottom 49%
vs21 · Bottom 16%
Housing affordability
97 · Top 15%
vs87 · Top 38%
Schools
65 · Top 33%
vs35 · Bottom 28%
Access
93 · Top 45%
vs97 · Top 29%
Economic stability
49 · Bottom 30%
vs46 · Bottom 26%
Measured values
| Metric | Santa Fe | Pasadena | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 12,901 | 149,433 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $99,190 | $64,927 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $39,305 | $29,029 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 760/sq mi | 3,420/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $325,800 | $209,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,240 | $1,213 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 81.3% | 54.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.2% | 5.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.4% | -0.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.0% | 16.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.4% | 18.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 288 | 58 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 22.3 | 0.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 82.3% | -27.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 93°F | 93°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 46°F | 46°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 53.3" | 55.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 16 mi | 3 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 30.8 min | 28.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 43.0 | 33.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 9 | 45 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.57 | 13.48 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 50.0% | 31.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 43.5% | 32.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 50.9% | 81.7% | 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
Santa Fe
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Pasadena
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, inland flooding.
Full profiles: Santa Fe, TX · Pasadena, TX · How this is calculated: methodology