Population 12,900 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in South Arroyo
Household size in South Arroyo
| Period | South Arroyo | Pasadena | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.04 | 2.56 | 3.14 | 3.04 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.04 | 2.61 | 3.20 | 3.10 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.13 | 2.59 | 3.16 | 3.09 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.17 | 2.42 | 3.01 | 3.01 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.14 | −0.13 | −0.13 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
South Arroyo is a place of small households, averaging 2.17 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Since 2006–10, household size has climbed from 2.04, even as the national average fell. Few Pasadena neighborhoods have smaller households: only two of 10.
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 South Arroyo
| Period | South Arroyo | Pasadena | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 46.0 | 38.4 | 35.6 | 35.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 46.0 | 38.9 | 36.7 | 36.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 46.8 | 40.5 | 38.0 | 37.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 44.9 | 41.9 | 39.5 | 39.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | −1.1 | +3.5 | +4.0 | +3.1 | +2.3 |
South Arroyo skews older: half of its residents are older than 44.9, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. Since 2006–10, the median age has dropped from 46.0, even as the national median rose.
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 South Arroyo
| Period | South Arroyo | Pasadena | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.0% | 9.6% | 14.3% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 2.4% | 10.0% | 14.1% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 5.4% | 8.4% | 12.5% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.4% | 9.0% | 12.3% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | +1.4 pts | −0.6 pts | −2.0 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 5.4% of households in South Arroyo, well below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share has edged up 1.4 points since 2006–10, even as the national share fell. Only one other Pasadena neighborhood has a lower share of single-parent households.
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 South Arroyo
Renters in South Arroyo
| Period | South Arroyo | Pasadena | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 35.7% | 54.0% | 48.8% | 42.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 43.9% | 55.9% | 50.8% | 45.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 46.3% | 57.5% | 51.4% | 45.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 47.7% | 56.5% | 51.6% | 44.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | +12.0 pts | +2.6 pts | +2.8 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is far more common in South Arroyo than nationally: 47.7% of households rent their homes, against 34.8%. Locally, though, renters make up a smaller share here than in Pasadena as a whole (56.5%). Among homeowners, 43.2% have no mortgage at all, above the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has risen 12.0 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 South Arroyo
| Period | South Arroyo | Pasadena | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.1% | 8.5% | 7.0% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 9.1% | 8.1% | 6.7% | 8.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 13.5% | 10.3% | 6.6% | 7.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 15.0% | 9.2% | 6.7% | 7.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | +5.8 pts | +0.7 pts | −0.3 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 15.0% of the housing in South Arroyo, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Vacancy is up 5.8 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 South Arroyo
| Period | South Arroyo | Pasadena | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1959 | 1955 | 1965 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1970 | 1957 | 1966 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1967 | 1958 | 1966 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1971 | 1960 | 1969 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +12 | +5 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
The housing in South Arroyo is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1971, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. Even so, homes here are newer than in Pasadena as a whole, where the median home dates to 1960. Newer construction is concentrated in the northeast, while the southwest has the oldest housing. Only one other Pasadena neighborhood has newer 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 South Arroyo
| Period | South Arroyo | Pasadena | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,601 | $1,342 | $1,328 | $1,298 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,878 | $1,474 | $1,415 | $1,379 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $2,472 | $1,875 | $1,755 | $1,721 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $3,020 | $2,366 | $2,279 | $2,229 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,419 | +$1,024 | +$951 | +$931 | +$606 |
The median renter in South Arroyo pays $3,020 a month for rent and utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $1,419 a month since 2006–10, up 89%, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 27.9% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. South Arroyo has the highest rents of any Pasadena neighborhood.
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 South Arroyo
Bachelor's degrees in South Arroyo
| Period | South Arroyo | Pasadena | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 70.6% | 46.0% | 29.7% | 29.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 71.1% | 49.0% | 30.7% | 30.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 70.8% | 52.8% | 33.7% | 32.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 74.5% | 55.7% | 37.6% | 36.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +3.9 pts | +9.7 pts | +7.9 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in South Arroyo: 74.5% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby. The share with a degree has risen 3.9 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. No other Pasadena neighborhood has a higher share of college graduates.
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 South Arroyo
| Period | South Arroyo | Pasadena | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 96.3% | 83.7% | 76.7% | 79.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 96.4% | 86.4% | 77.7% | 80.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 96.9% | 88.3% | 80.0% | 82.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 98.4% | 89.8% | 82.1% | 84.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.1 pts | +6.1 pts | +5.4 pts | +4.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in South Arroyo: 98.4% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 2.1 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. No other Pasadena neighborhood has a higher share of high school graduates.
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 South Arroyo
| Period | South Arroyo | Pasadena | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.7% | 7.7% | 8.5% | 9.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.8% | 9.1% | 10.6% | 11.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.1% | 4.3% | 5.8% | 6.3% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.0% | 5.5% | 6.7% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.7 pts | −2.2 pts | −1.7 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been easier to find in South Arroyo than nationally: unemployment was 4.0%, against 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 3.7 points, mirroring the country. 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).
South Arroyo compared with nearby neighborhoods
| Neighborhood | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Arroyo | 2.17 | 44.9 | 5.4% | 47.7% | 15.0% | 1971 | $3,020 | 74.5% | 98.4% | 4.0% |
| Madison Heights | 1.91 | 41.5 | 5.1% | 63.2% | 8.5% | 1966 | $2,472 | 72.2% | 93.8% | 7.1% |
| West Central | 2.09 | 36.9 | 10.9% | 85.2% | 7.7% | 1974 | $2,127 | 47.1% | 85.9% | 5.0% |
| Highland Park | 2.64 | 37.4 | 9.0% | 67.0% | 5.1% | 1957 | $2,006 | 38.3% | 80.1% | 9.4% |
| North Central | 3.18 | 38.2 | 18.4% | 60.8% | 10.1% | 1953 | $1,939 | 27.6% | 72.8% | 7.7% |
| North Arroyo | 2.51 | 50.6 | 6.7% | 20.0% | 9.8% | 1955 | $2,789 | 61.5% | 94.4% | 5.5% |
| Eagle Rock | 2.72 | 39.8 | 8.9% | 45.7% | 7.3% | 1945 | $2,106 | 48.6% | 86.1% | 8.4% |
| Normandie Heights | 2.75 | 44.0 | 10.5% | 48.1% | 6.1% | 1945 | $2,090 | 42.7% | 82.6% | 6.6% |
| Mid Central | 2.44 | 40.2 | 9.0% | 66.2% | 5.0% | 1956 | $2,256 | 56.9% | 91.7% | 9.0% |
| South East | 2.30 | 44.6 | 5.5% | 50.2% | 10.9% | 1954 | $2,358 | 65.4% | 95.9% | 3.5% |
| East Central | 2.54 | 46.1 | 6.0% | 29.5% | 6.9% | 1947 | $2,571 | 60.5% | 94.8% | 3.8% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Education Hill, Redmond, WA · Jamestown, Hephzibah, GA · Glenbrook, Stamford, CT · Georgetown, Savannah, GA · Front Park, Buffalo, NY · Four Corners, Antioch, TN · Forest Park, Portland, OR · Firestone Park, Akron, OH · Fern Creek, Louisville, KY · Far South, Columbus, OH
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 South Arroyo. 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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