Zip code 91024, Mar 2026 to May 2026, from the Redfin Data Center. 91024 covers Sierra Madre. Zip codes don't line up neatly with neighborhood borders, and medians hide a wide range of homes, so treat these as a rough feel for the area.
In 1894 Alice Brugman bought a Chinese wistaria in a one-gallon pot for 75 cents and planted it beside her home on West Carter Avenue. Later owners built arbors to hold it up, and the vine grew to cover about an acre, earning a Guinness record as the largest blossoming plant. It still grows across two private yards and opens to the public one day a year for the Wistaria Festival, which is why Sierra Madre calls itself the Wistaria City.
The homes
Sierra Madre is a small city of single-family homes on gently sloping streets that rise toward the mountains. You'll find Craftsman bungalows with deep porches, a few Victorian-era houses from the town's earliest decades, Spanish Revival homes from the 1920s, and postwar ranch houses, many on generous lots with mature trees and views of the San Gabriels. Newer homes are scattered in, but the overall look is older and modest in scale.
Sierra Madre Canyon, above the north end of town, is its own world: small bungalows and cabins tucked along narrow, winding lanes under the trees. Near the village center along Sierra Madre Boulevard and Baldwin Avenue, there are some condos, townhomes and small apartment buildings.
The feel
- The village center along Sierra Madre Boulevard and Baldwin Avenue has independent shops, cafes and restaurants, and the city has no traffic lights except at its borders with Pasadena and Arcadia.
- Kersting Court, the small plaza downtown, has a 1974 bell tower and appeared in the 1956 film Invasion of the Body Snatchers.
- The Mount Wilson Trail starts in town and climbs toward Mount Wilson. It was expanded by Benjamin Wilson in 1864 and is on the city's historic landmarks list.
- Bailey Canyon Wilderness Park has trailheads, a native botanical area and picnic spots at the foot of the mountains.
Eat, drink, shop
Sierra Madre's village has a handful of cafes and restaurants, and more of the food-writer favorites are a short drive away in Arcadia and Pasadena.
- Adam's Pack Station (Chantry Flat Rd). A 1938 general store up in the mountains above town that turns into an outdoor party with live bands and burgers on Friday nights from March through October. The Infatuation
- Good Alley Reserve (Arcadia, E Duarte Rd). An upscale take on the Rosemead dumpling house, with soup dumplings, rou jia mo and wagyu noodle dishes. The Infatuation
- Sushi Kisen (Arcadia, S Baldwin Ave). Edomae-style sushi with fish flown in from Japan, plus good-value sushi sets at lunch and dinner. The Infatuation
- Old Sasoon Bakery (Pasadena, Allen Ave). An Armenian bakery for warm manaiesh, beorags and other savory pastries. The Infatuation
Getting around
Sierra Madre sits just north of the 210, which takes you west to Pasadena in about 15 minutes off-peak and on to the 110 and 134. Downtown LA is often 25 to 30 minutes. The Metro A Line's Arcadia station is a short drive south, with a one-seat ride to Union Station, and Arcadia and the Santa Anita area are just over the city line.
What's new
- A longer A Line. Metro's A Line extension from Glendora to Pomona opened in September 2025, so trains from nearby Arcadia station now run east to Pomona as well as west to Pasadena and Downtown. (Metro)
- The Olympics next door. Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, a few minutes away, is listed as a venue for the 2028 Olympic Games. (LA28)
Good to know
- Its own city. Sierra Madre has its own planning, permits and design rules, and it works to keep its small-town scale. Verify current rules with the City of Sierra Madre before planning an addition or rebuild.
- Fire zones and insurance. As a foothill town backed by the national forest, much of Sierra Madre falls in mapped fire hazard severity zones. Check any address on CAL FIRE's fire hazard severity zone map and get insurance quotes early in escrow.
- Canyon homes. Houses in Sierra Madre Canyon can come with narrow lanes, limited parking and older utility setups, so ask early about access and systems.
- Older homes. For bungalows and early houses, add a sewer line scope and a close look at foundations, wiring and past additions. I'll pull permit records and line up inspectors for you, and if you want my opinion on anything, just ask.
Questions people ask
Is Sierra Madre part of Los Angeles?
No. Sierra Madre has been its own city since 1907, with its own planning, permits and design rules. It is a small foothill city bordered by Pasadena and Arcadia, with the Angeles National Forest rising directly behind it.
What kind of homes are in Sierra Madre?
Mostly single-family homes, with Craftsman bungalows, Victorian-era houses, Spanish Revival and postwar ranch homes on the gently sloping streets of town. Up in Sierra Madre Canyon, small cabins and cottages sit along narrow lanes under the trees.
How far is Sierra Madre from Downtown LA?
Downtown LA is often 25 to 30 minutes from Sierra Madre off-peak via the 210 and the 110. Old Pasadena is about 15 minutes away, and the Metro A Line's Arcadia station is a short drive south, with a one-seat ride to Union Station.
What is Sierra Madre known for?
Sierra Madre is known for its giant wistaria vine and the Wistaria Festival, its small-town main street along Sierra Madre Boulevard and Baldwin Avenue, and the historic Mount Wilson Trail, which starts in town and climbs into the San Gabriel Mountains.
