Population 36,098 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Altadena
Household size in Altadena
| Period | Altadena | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.98 | 3.14 | 3.04 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.92 | 3.20 | 3.10 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.98 | 3.16 | 3.09 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.79 | 3.01 | 3.01 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.18 | −0.13 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
The typical household in Altadena holds 2.79 people, slightly more than the U.S. average of 2.65. Still, the typical household here is smaller than in the Los Angeles area overall, where it has 3.01 people. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.98, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Altadena
| Period | Altadena | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 40.3 | 35.6 | 35.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 42.0 | 36.7 | 36.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 44.6 | 38.0 | 37.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 46.6 | 39.5 | 39.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +6.3 | +4.0 | +3.1 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 46.6, Altadena is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 40.3, in line with the national trend. Residents skew youngest in the southwest and oldest in the east.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Altadena
| Period | Altadena | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.7% | 14.3% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.7% | 14.1% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 9.9% | 12.5% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 10.5% | 12.3% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.2 pts | −2.0 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are a bit less common in Altadena than nationally: 10.5%, against 11.6%. The single-parent share is little changed from 2006–10, while the national share fell.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Altadena
Renters in Altadena
| Period | Altadena | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 21.9% | 48.8% | 42.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 24.2% | 50.8% | 45.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 24.2% | 51.4% | 45.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 20.2% | 51.6% | 44.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | −1.7 pts | +2.8 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 20.2% of households in Altadena rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Among homeowners, 25.0% have no mortgage at all, well below the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the south; owners are most common in the east. The renter share is down 1.7 points from 2006–10, even as the national share rose.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Altadena
| Period | Altadena | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.4% | 7.0% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 6.3% | 6.7% | 8.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.1% | 6.6% | 7.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 6.4% | 6.7% | 7.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | +1.9 pts | −0.3 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in Altadena: 6.4% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. The picture is much the same across the Los Angeles area. Vacancy is up 1.9 points from 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Altadena
| Period | Altadena | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1948 | 1965 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1949 | 1966 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1946 | 1966 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1945 | 1969 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | −2 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
The housing in Altadena is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1945, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. Newer construction is concentrated in the northwest, while the southeast has the oldest housing. Only one other California city with 5,000+ people has older homes.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Altadena
| Period | Altadena | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,350 | $1,328 | $1,298 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,464 | $1,415 | $1,379 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,788 | $1,755 | $1,721 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,724 | $2,279 | $2,229 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,373 | +$951 | +$931 | +$606 |
Rent in Altadena runs $2,724 a month at the median, utilities included, well above the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $1,373 a month since 2006–10, up 102%, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 38.1% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. The priciest rents are in the east; the most affordable are in the center.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Altadena
Bachelor's degrees in Altadena
| Period | Altadena | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 41.5% | 29.7% | 29.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 45.0% | 30.7% | 30.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 43.6% | 33.7% | 32.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 53.3% | 37.6% | 36.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +11.7 pts | +7.9 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
Altadena is highly educated: just over half of adults 25 and older (53.3%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 11.7 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in the east and least in the southwest.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Altadena
| Period | Altadena | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 85.9% | 76.7% | 79.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 88.7% | 77.7% | 80.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 89.4% | 80.0% | 82.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 92.3% | 82.1% | 84.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +6.4 pts | +5.4 pts | +4.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
About nine in ten adults in Altadena have finished high school (92.3%), a bit above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 6.4 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Altadena
| Period | Altadena | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.8% | 8.5% | 9.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 9.5% | 10.6% | 11.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.5% | 5.8% | 6.3% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.2% | 6.7% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.6 pts | −1.7 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been harder to find in Altadena than nationally: unemployment was 7.2%, against 5.4%. Unemployment has edged down 0.6 points since 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Altadena compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Altadena | 2.79 | 46.6 | 10.5% | 20.2% | 6.4% | 1945 | $2,724 | 53.3% | 92.3% | 7.2% |
| Pasadena | 2.42 | 41.9 | 9.0% | 56.5% | 9.2% | 1960 | $2,366 | 55.7% | 89.8% | 5.5% |
| Kinneloa Mesa | 2.80 | 49.2 | 1.7% | 9.7% | 4.2% | 1964 | $3,190 | 71.9% | 98.7% | 2.8% |
| La Canada Flintridge | 3.15 | 44.0 | 4.5% | 10.8% | 10.2% | 1957 | $3,088 | 75.6% | 97.8% | 4.8% |
| San Marino | 3.08 | 46.7 | 7.8% | 19.6% | 13.7% | 1947 | $3,424 | 83.5% | 97.3% | 5.9% |
| East Pasadena | 2.65 | 44.6 | 7.1% | 27.7% | 11.9% | 1951 | $2,180 | 58.6% | 89.7% | 4.3% |
| Sierra Madre | 2.40 | 45.7 | 10.1% | 44.2% | 6.8% | 1960 | $2,333 | 64.4% | 97.2% | 2.2% |
| Montrose | 2.39 | 41.1 | 12.4% | 72.6% | 7.9% | 1973 | $2,281 | 55.9% | 94.7% | 4.7% |
| South Pasadena | 2.57 | 41.1 | 8.6% | 55.8% | 7.8% | 1952 | $2,460 | 73.4% | 96.9% | 5.4% |
| La Crescenta-Montrose | 2.79 | 43.3 | 5.5% | 37.8% | 4.8% | 1958 | $2,572 | 57.9% | 96.1% | 8.6% |
| Glendale | 2.62 | 42.5 | 7.6% | 68.0% | 7.3% | 1968 | $2,352 | 46.5% | 89.4% | 8.2% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Arnold, MO · Okeechobee, FL · Sewell, NJ · Newburgh, IN · Natick, MA · Manhattan Beach, CA · Lewiston, ME · Carlsbad, NM · Bristol, TN · Southampton, PA
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Altadena. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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