Pasadena Unified, CA - District Data

Original Research by School Decision on Pasadena Unified

Pasadena Unified serves kindergarten through high school across a network of elementary, middle, and high schools spread across Pasadena, Altadena, Sierra Madre, and surrounding areas in Los Angeles County. The district enrolls a diverse student population in which a majority of students are Hispanic, and substantial shares identify as Black, white, or Asian. Overall, the enrollment spans the full K-12 spectrum with relatively balanced cohorts across grade bands.

In academic proficiency, Pasadena's performance sits below the midpoint when compared to other Los Angeles County districts. English language arts proficiency holds around the midway mark across elementary and middle grades, with students showing slightly stronger results in grades 3 and 4 than in later grades. Mathematics proficiency is noticeably weaker, dropping to around one-third of students meeting standards by grades 5 through 8. Science proficiency, measured at grades 5 and 8, falls to roughly 30 percent or below. This pattern suggests that foundational skills early in elementary are relatively solid, but performance becomes more challenged as students advance into more complex content. A parent considering the district should understand that many students will need targeted academic support to meet grade-level standards, particularly in math and science.

The district is managing significant disruption and change. The January 2025 Eaton Fire destroyed or severely damaged five schools, displacing thousands of students and reshaping which campuses are available. Rebuilding is expected to unfold over years. This infrastructure loss coincides with a structural budget crisis compounded by declining enrollment and the expiration of pandemic-relief funding. In November 2025, the board voted to cut substantial sums from the 2026-27 budget through staff layoffs affecting librarians, teachers, and support positions, along with cuts to arts, science, and athletics programs that families value. These changes will directly affect program offerings and staffing continuity.

Facing these pressures, the district pursued a formal school-consolidation and closure process in 2025-2026. An advisory committee voted in May 2026 not to recommend any closure scenario, and the board subsequently ended the consultant contract in June 2026, halting closures temporarily. However, the district has a history of school closures, including a 2020 vote to close three elementary schools amid enrollment decline. Any future closure effort would have to restart from scratch, leaving families uncertain about long-term campus stability.

On the positive side, in November 2024 voters approved two major school-funding measures: a general obligation bond for facility renovations and the district's first-ever parcel tax. These will bring resources to school buildings and programs for years ahead, though they represent new ongoing costs for property owners. The parcel tax includes exemptions for seniors aged 65 and older.

The district's service communities range from affluent neighborhoods to more modest areas. Housing values in Pasadena proper are high, and rents are substantial across the district's geography. Families considering Pasadena Unified should weigh the current academic performance and ongoing fiscal and operational challenges against the community's investment in schools through the new funding measures and the district's gradual recovery from fire damage. The school closures and program cuts remain active sources of uncertainty for the 2026-27 school year and beyond.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

13,978

Grades

KG–12

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 58%

Black 10%

White 17%

Asian 8%

Two+ 6%

Am. Indian / AK Native 0%

Hawaiian / Pac. Isl. 0%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr ALL

35%

—

Gr 3

36%

78%

Gr 4

37%

77%

Gr 5

37%

74%

Gr 6

32%

74%

Gr 7

33%

74%

Gr 8

29%

69%

Gr 11

44%

—

Math

Gr ALL

23%

—

Gr 3

35%

73%

Gr 4

33%

74%

Gr 5

19%

65%

Gr 6

19%

63%

Gr 7

22%

57%

Gr 8

18%

57%

Gr 11

18%

—

Science

Gr ALL

17%

—

Gr 5

26%

62%

Gr 8

18%

56%

Gr 11

20%

—

Gr 12

14%

—

Gr HS

21%

—

Gr UG_SEC

20%

—

Schools in this District

23 schools are officially reported under this district.

Altadena Elementary

Blair High

Don Benito Fundamental

Charles W. Eliot Middle

Field (Eugene) Elementary

Rose City High (Continuation)

Hamilton Elementary

Mary W. Jackson STEAM Multilingual Magnet Elementary

Longfellow (Henry W.) Elementary

Madison Elementary

Marshall Fundamental

John Muir High

Norma Coombs Elementary

Pasadena High

San Rafael Elementary

Sierra Madre Elementary

Octavia E. Butler Magnet

Webster Elementary

Willard Elementary

Washington Elementary STEM Magnet

McKinley

CIS Academy

Sierra Madre Middle

Academic Performance

Percent of students meeting or exceeding state standards, by grade.

Mathematics

6 grades reported

49%

Grade 3

46%

Grade 4

34%

Grade 5

34%

Grade 6

34%

Grade 7

30%

Grade 8

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

51%

Grade 3

50%

Grade 4

49%

Grade 5

46%

Grade 6

47%

Grade 7

41%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

38%

Grade 5

29%

Grade 8

Social Studies

1 grade reported

36%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

Data as of April 2026 | District-weighted from constituent ZIP codes

Home Values

Typical home value$1.12M

Year-over-year change-2.8%

Range across 14 ZIP codes$451K to $2.9M

vs. state typical1.44x

vs. national typical3.03x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (14 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
93550	Palmdale	$451K	-1.5%	18.4%
91107	Pasadena	$1.3M	+0.3%	18.4%
91001	Altadena	$1.1M	-13.9%	18.4%
91103	Pasadena	$1.1M	-0.3%	10.2%
91105	Pasadena	$1.8M	+5.9%	9.3%
91104	Pasadena	$1.2M	-3.4%	8.4%
91024	Sierra Madre	$1.4M	-2.5%	6.5%
91106	Pasadena	$929K	-1.5%	6.1%
91101	Pasadena	$781K	-2.4%	2.8%
91775	San Gabriel	$1.3M	+4.0%	0.6%
91011	La Canada Flintridge	$2.5M	+1.4%	0.4%
91108	San Marino	$2.9M	+7.2%	0.1%
91007	Arcadia	$1.4M	+3.0%	0.0%
90041	Los Angeles	$1.3M	+0.3%	0.0%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$3,131/mo

Year-over-year change+1.2%

Range across 14 ZIP codes$2,454 to $6,520/mo

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (14 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
93550	Palmdale	$2,454	+0.4%	18.4%
91107	Pasadena	$3,072	-1.5%	18.4%
91001	Altadena	$3,958	+4.9%	18.4%
91103	Pasadena	$3,445	-1.0%	10.2%
91105	Pasadena	$3,204	+1.0%	9.3%
91104	Pasadena	$2,521	-0.5%	8.4%
91024	Sierra Madre	$3,254	+10.2%	6.5%
91106	Pasadena	$2,815	-1.0%	6.1%
91101	Pasadena	$2,781	-1.9%	2.8%
91775	San Gabriel	$3,198	+5.1%	0.6%
91011	La Canada Flintridge	$6,520	—	0.4%
91108	San Marino	$6,172	—	0.1%
91007	Arcadia	$2,982	+4.8%	0.0%
90041	Los Angeles	$2,836	-1.3%	0.0%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$5,634/mo

Home price / national median income13.3x

Annual rent / national median income44.9%

Est. mortgage exceeds rent by$2,503/mo

Comparison

State typical home value$776,233 (-1.1% YoY)

National typical home value$368,198 (+0.6% YoY)

State ZHVI trend (12 months)

National ZHVI trend (12 months)

Economic Context

30-year fixed mortgage rate6.48%

National unemployment rate4.3%

National median household income$83,730

CPI: Rent of shelter (index)447.05

30-year fixed mortgage rate (12 months)

National unemployment rate (12 months)

National median household income (12 months)

CPI: Rent of shelter (index) (12 months)

Sources: Zillow Home Value Index and Zillow Observed Rent Index (Zillow Group), Realtor.com via Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED)

Data Currently Unavailable

Civil Rights Data (CRDC)

This profile is derived exclusively from publicly available federal and state datasets. It may not reflect the most current information available. We encourage parents and families to supplement this data with information published directly on the school’s website, which may include more recent figures, additional programs, or updated enrollment data.