Houston vs Pasadena
The short version
- Overall prices are about the same in both metro areas (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $209,600 in Pasadena and $277,800 in Houston.
- Houston is growing faster: +4.2% since 2020 vs -2.2%.
Side by side
| Houston, TX | Pasadena, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 2,397,315 | 148,539 |
| Growth since 2020 | +4.2% | -2.2% |
| People per square mile | 3,741 | 3,400 |
| Median age | 34.4 | 33.0 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 37% | 16% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $64,813 | $64,927 |
| Median home value | $277,800 | $209,600 |
| Home value to income | 4.3× | 3.2× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,361 | $1,213 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 98.6 | 98.6 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 104.5 | 104.5 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $74,000 | $74,000 |
| Homeowners | 42% | 55% |
| Top state income tax | None | None |
| Combined sales tax | 8.2% | 8.2% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 27.2 | 26.6 |
| Work from home | 13% | 8% |
| Take public transit | 3% | 0% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 6.9% | 8.6% |
| Poverty rate | 19.9% | 18.9% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 64° / 44° | 64° / 46° |
| July high / low | 95° / 76° | 93° / 77° |
| Precipitation per year | 52 in | 56 in |
| Snowfall per year | 0 in | 0 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 111 | 100 |
| Nights below freezing | 10 | 4 |
| Comfortable months | 6 | 6 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Very High | Very High |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 99.9 | 99.9 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 10% | 10% |
| Home prices, past year | +3.4% | +3.4% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +32.7% | +32.7% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: Houston: November to April. Pasadena: November to April.
Full monthly tables: Houston weather by month and Pasadena weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $74,000 in Houston and $74,000 in Pasadena. Moving from Houston to Pasadena, you would need about $75,000 to match a $75,000 salary.
Which would you pick?
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