Cost of living in Pasadena, TX
Pasadena is a bit cheaper than most of Texas. Median rent is $1,213 a month, 14% lower than the Texas median of $1,403, and the median home is worth $209,600, 26% lower than the Texas median of $283,800.
Cost of living79 of 100. Higher means more affordable.
Overall grade for Pasadena: D+
- Median rent
- $1,213Texas $1,403
- 2-bedroom fair rent
- $1,497HUD FY2027
- Median home value
- $209,600Texas $283,800
- Monthly cost to buy
- $1,389Loan and property tax
- Property tax
- $2,899Median per year
- Income to rent
- $49,000At 30% of pay
Is Pasadena expensive?
Prices only tell half the story. The typical household here earns $64,927, so the median home costs 3.2 times a year of income, against 3.6 times across Texas and 4.1 times across the US. So for people who earn local wages, homes here are easier to afford than in most of Texas.
Our cost of living grade for Pasadena is B+ (79 of 100), comparing it with US cities of 50,000+ people. A higher grade means more affordable.
| Measure | Here | Texas | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent14% lower than Texas | $1,213 | $1,403 | $1,413 |
| Median home value26% lower than Texas | $209,600 | $283,800 | $332,700 |
| Home value to income11% lower than Texas | 3.2x | 3.6x | 4.1x |
| Median household income17% lower than Texas | $64,927 | $78,476 | $80,734 |
| Renters paying 30%+ of income on rentAbout the same as Texas | 53% | 52% | 51% |
| Median property tax per year31% lower than Texas | $2,899 | $4,232 | $3,119 |
Rent in Pasadena
HUD's fair market rents for Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX HUD Metro FMR Area run from $1,233 for a studio to $2,502 for 4 bedrooms. A two-bedroom is $1,497 a month, which takes an income of about $60,000 a year to stay at 30% of pay. HUD figures include utilities and describe a typical, modest unit.
53% of renters in Pasadena already spend 30% or more of their income on rent, against 52% across Texas.
Income you need to rent
| Unit | Rent | Yearly income at 30% |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,233 | $49,000 |
| 1 bedroom | $1,261 | $50,000 |
| 2 bedrooms | $1,497 | $60,000 |
| 3 bedrooms | $2,017 | $81,000 |
| 4 bedrooms | $2,502 | $100,000 |
Buying a home in Pasadena
Buying the median $209,600 home with 20% down ($41,920) and a 30-year loan at 7.28% costs about $1,147 a month for the loan plus $242 a month in property tax, $1,389 in all. Homeowners insurance, HOA dues and upkeep come on top.
That is $176 a month more than the median rent, so renting is cheaper month to month. Buying pays off mainly if you stay long enough for the home to build equity.
Taxes
Texas has no state income tax, which helps take-home pay. The trade-off is high property tax, set by the county, city, school district and other local bodies.
The median homeowner in Pasadena pays $2,899 a year in property tax, 31% lower than the Texas median of $4,232 and 7% lower than the US median. Sales tax in most of Texas tops out at 8.25%.
Monthly cost to buy a median home
- Mortgage payment
- $1,147
- Property tax
- $242
- Median rent, for comparison
- $1,213
Based on a $209,600 home in Pasadena, 20% down and a 30-year loan at 7.28% (Freddie Mac average, week of 2026-10-01). Property tax is the median paid locally, or the county median where the local figure is not published. Insurance and fees are not included.
Pasadena cost of living compared with nearby cities
Census medians. Cost grade compares each place with US places of its own size.
| Place | Distance | Median rent | Median home | Household income | Cost grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pasadena | $1,213 | $209,600 | $64,927 | B+ | |
| Deer Park | 4 mi | $1,318 | $264,600 | $100,382 | C+ |
| South Houston | 4 mi | $1,212 | $189,300 | $53,497 | C |
| La Porte | 7 mi | $1,378 | $234,600 | $80,753 | C+ |
| Nassau Bay | 8 mi | $1,331 | $374,600 | $71,696 | D |
| Galena Park | 8 mi | $1,184 | $117,700 | $51,220 | A |
What these numbers leave out
We only show costs we can source for Pasadena itself: rent, home prices, property tax and incomes from the Census Bureau, fair market rents from HUD, and a mortgage payment at the current Freddie Mac average rate. Groceries, utilities, car insurance and health care are not included, because no public source publishes them city by city in Texas.
Cost of living in Pasadena: common questions
Is Pasadena, TX expensive to live in?
Pasadena is a bit cheaper than most of Texas. Median rent is $1,213 a month, 14% lower than the Texas median of $1,403, and the median home is worth $209,600, 26% lower than the Texas median of $283,800. Prices only tell half the story. The typical household here earns $64,927, so the median home costs 3.2 times a year of income, against 3.6 times across Texas and 4.1 times across the US. So for people who earn local wages, homes here are easier to afford than in most of Texas.
How much do you need to earn to live in Pasadena?
To rent a median home at $1,213 a month and keep rent at 30% of income, you need about $49,000 a year. To buy the median home, the monthly cost is about $1,389, which takes around $56,000 a year by the same rule.
What is the average rent in Pasadena?
The median rent across all units is $1,213 a month (Census). HUD's fair market rent is $1,233 for a studio, $1,261 for 1 bedroom, $1,497 for 2 bedrooms, $2,017 for 3 bedrooms, $2,502 for 4 bedrooms.
How much is property tax in Pasadena?
The median homeowner in Pasadena pays $2,899 a year in property tax, 31% lower than the Texas median of $4,232 and 7% lower than the US median. Sales tax in most of Texas tops out at 8.25%.
Sources: US Census Bureau 2020-2024 ACS 5-year, HUD Fair Market Rents FY2027, Freddie Mac PMMS (week of 2026-10-01). Updated 2026-10-04.