Editor’s note: The statistics in this article were updated and a breakdown table was added at the end for clarification.
South Lake Avenue in Pasadena (Photo -ⒸColoradoBlvd.net).
Pasadena is known for its beautiful structures, thriving arts scene and its rich history. What is not widely known is the City’s poverty level.
By Vahe Simonyan
Sobering results emerged from the American Community Survey (ACS), an ongoing survey by the U.S. Census Bureau, for the 2012-2016 American Community Survey five year estimate.
All information below pertains to the Pasadena area.
– Owner vs Renter Occupied
(Photo – ⒸColoradoBlvd.net).
Owner Occupied: 42.9%
Renter Occupied: 57.1%
– Average Monthly Rent
(Photo – ⒸColoradoBlvd.net).
1-bedroom unit: $2,146
2-bedroom unit: $2,687
(12/2017 Rent Jungle)
– Gross Rent as a Percentage of Household Income (GRAPI)
(Photo – ⒸColoradoBlvd.net).
HUD reports that households should only spend 30% of their adjusted income on housing, but 43.9% pay more than 35% of their household income towards rent:
Rent over 35% of household income: 43.9%
Rent over 30% of household income: 53.5%
– Pasadena Female Households in Poverty
(Photo – ⒸColoradoBlvd.net).
(Photo – ⒸColoradoBlvd.net).
Female Head of Household in Poverty: 25.1%
Women in Poverty: 17.2%
– By Ethnicity
(Photo – ⒸColoradoBlvd.net).
African American households living in poverty:19.7%
Hispanic or Latino Origins Households living in poverty: 20.5%
American Indian and Alaska Native households living in poverty: 26.8%
Asian households living in poverty: 15.3%
Caucasian households living in poverty: 13.2%
– Pasadena Disabled Households in Poverty
(Photo – ⒸColoradoBlvd.net).
Disabled households living in poverty: 25.6%
Ο Ο Ο
Here’s the breakdown of the 2012-2016 American Community Survey 5-year estimate for Pasadena:
> Wafic Khalil contributed to this article.
[This article has been updated and a breakdown table was added, February 1st, 2018 9:45 p.m.]
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Now let’s see the figures on how many have left Pasadena because the rent was taking more than 30% of their income. Well over 20,000 Californians immigrated to Las Vegas last year. I just saw a realtor’s flyer advertising a 2bdrm/1bth, 908 sq. ft. house for $729,500. Who can afford that?
Many of the statistics reported in this article are incorrect. It seems the author added percentages together they shouldn’t have. For example, in the original source (linked below), women that live in poverty at:
>Less than 50% of the poverty level: 8.1%
>Less than 100% of the poverty level: 17.2%
>Less than 125% of the poverty level: 21.7%
Which, yes, this numbers add up to 47%, however this is not what this is saying. The 21.7% of women in poverty less than 125% the poverty level includes the women that live in poverty less than 100% and 50% the poverty level.
Similar errors were made in the reported statistics of poverty by race. The actual numbers are much lower, however still very bad.
Thank you Bri,
You’re correct.
We have updated the stats. We also added a breakdown table at the end of the article for clarification.
Readers like you are the reason we get better at what we do.
GREAT INFORMATION on the TRUE owner-rent statistics in PASADENA.
Wow! Very sobering, especially the data on women and minorities. This is important stuff. Thanks for posting.