| Pasadena | San Marino | |
|---|---|---|
| Median house sale | $1.74M | $3.11M |
| Median condo sale | $806K | n/a |
| Median price per sq ft | $795 | $1,114 |
| Home styles | Craftsman bungalows, Colonial Revival and Spanish homes, Arroyo and Linda Vista estates, condos and 1920s courtyard buildings | 1920s to 1940s Spanish Colonial Revival, Mediterranean, Colonial Revival, Georgian and Tudor estates, some later ranch homes |
| Typical lots and terrain | Flat bungalow streets plus hillside lots along the Arroyo and in Linda Vista | Big, level lots, many a half acre or more, with deep front lawns |
| City | City of Pasadena (its own city) | City of San Marino (its own city since 1913) |
| Signature streets and anchors | Old Pasadena on Colorado Blvd, the Gamble House, the Rose Bowl and Arroyo Seco, Caltech | The Huntington, Lacy Park, Huntington Drive, El Molino Viejo |
| Getting around | The 210, the 134 and the 110; Metro A Line stations including Del Mar, Memorial Park and Lake | The 210 and the 110 a few minutes away; nearest A Line stations in South Pasadena and Pasadena |
| Drive times (rough, off-peak) | Downtown often 15 to 25 minutes, Burbank about 20 | Downtown often 20 to 25 minutes, Old Pasadena about 10 |
| Weather | Inland, hot summers, San Gabriel Mountains to the north | Inland, hot summers |
| Eat drink shop highlights | Union, Agnes, Osawa, Howlin' Ray's | Very few restaurants in town; most dining a short drive away in Pasadena and the San Gabriel Valley |
Median prices: Redfin Data Center, zip codes 91107 and 91108, March to May 2026. Zip codes don't match neighborhood borders exactly.
The homes
Pasadena is the Craftsman capital of Southern California. Greene & Greene's 1908 Gamble House set the template for thousands of shingled bungalows, and Bungalow Heaven, a city landmark district, has blocks of them nearly intact. Madison Heights and Prospect Park add larger Craftsman, Colonial Revival and Spanish homes. The Arroyo and Linda Vista hold hillside homes and bigger Spanish, Tudor and Mediterranean estates, and condos, townhomes and courtyard buildings fill in near Old Pasadena and the Metro stations.
San Marino is almost entirely single-family homes, most built from the 1920s to the 1940s on big, level lots, many a half acre or more. Spanish Colonial Revival, Mediterranean and Italian Revival homes share the streets with Colonial Revival, Georgian and Tudor houses. Wallace Neff and Paul R. Williams both designed houses here.
Prices
The price figures on this page use 91107 for Pasadena, the east side of the city, and 91108, which covers San Marino. Pasadena spans 91101 to 91107, and areas like the Arroyo and Linda Vista generally run higher than its figures here. San Marino's larger lots and near-total single-family housing generally put its figures above Pasadena's, and with few condos, its numbers reflect houses almost entirely.
The feel
Pasadena has a real downtown. Old Pasadena's brick storefronts line Colorado Boulevard, the Rose Parade route. The Rose Bowl sits in the Arroyo Seco with a golf course and a 3-mile loop around the stadium, and the Norton Simon Museum, the Pasadena Playhouse and Caltech's campus are all in town.
San Marino centers on The Huntington, with more than 100 acres of gardens plus its art museum and library. Lacy Park, a broad lawn ringed by a loop path, is the main park, and the city's small cluster of shops sits along Huntington Drive and Mission Street. Most dining is a short drive away.
Getting around
Pasadena is the hub of the west San Gabriel Valley, with the 210, the 134 and the 110 Arroyo Seco Parkway, plus several Metro A Line stations with a one-seat ride to Union Station. Downtown is often 15 to 25 minutes off-peak. San Marino has no freeway or station inside its borders, but the 210 and the 110 are a few minutes away, the 10 is a short drive south, and the nearest A Line stops are in South Pasadena and Pasadena.
City and rules
Both are their own cities. Pasadena has its own permits, zoning, utilities and design review, and landmark districts like Bungalow Heaven have rules for exterior changes. San Marino runs its own government with strict design review for new homes, additions and many exterior changes. Insurance has tightened across the area since the January 2025 Eaton Fire, which reached parts of northeast Pasadena, so get quotes early and check addresses on CAL FIRE maps.
Weather
Both share an inland climate with hot, dry summers and mild winters, noticeably warmer than the coast. Pasadena's northern edge runs up toward the San Gabriel foothills, while San Marino sits a little farther south on flatter ground.
Questions people ask
What is the difference between Pasadena and San Marino?
Pasadena is a large city with a full downtown, rail stations and a wide range of homes, from Craftsman bungalows to condos. San Marino is a small city of mostly 1920s to 1940s single-family estates on big lots, built around The Huntington, with very few shops or restaurants.
Is San Marino part of Pasadena?
No. San Marino has been its own incorporated city since 1913, with its own permits, zoning, design review and police and fire departments. It borders Pasadena to the south and shares a Pasadena-area feel, but its rules are separate.
Which is closer to Downtown LA, Pasadena or San Marino?
The drives are similar. Downtown is often 15 to 25 minutes from Pasadena outside rush hour and 20 to 25 minutes from San Marino. Pasadena also has Metro A Line stations with a one-seat ride to Union Station.
