Altadena, CA Cost Of Living

Demographics | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Altadena, CA Summary

Cost of living in Altadena research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Altadena is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in California, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Altadena is 187, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Altadena is 1.9x higher than the national average.

  • Altadena ranks as the #497 cheapest in California out of 634.

  • Altadena ranks as the #6,246 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Altadena is $1,136,621.

  • The median income in Altadena is $129,123.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
187
Altadena's Overall Cost Of Living
1.9x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Altadena, CA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Altadena has an overall cost of living index of 187, which is 1.9x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to California, Altadena has a cost of living index that's 1.3x higher than California's index of 141.

The standard of living in Altadena ranks as #497 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Altadena ranks as the #137 most expensive place in the Golden State.

For more reading on life in Altadena, check out:

497 out of 634
In California
6,246 out of 6,489
In America

Altadena Cost Of Living Vs. California

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Altadena. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Altadena is 115.

  • The Groceries index in Altadena is 111.

  • The Health index in Altadena is 108.

  • The Housing index in Altadena is 361.

  • The Transportation index in Altadena is 126.

  • The Utilities index in Altadena is 111.

Living Expense Altadena California National Average
Overall 187 141 100
Services 115 110 100
Groceries 111 112 100
Health 108 110 100
Housing 361 195 100
Transportation 126 125 100
Utilities 111 128 100
For more reading on cost of living around California, check out:
Altadena Cost of Living Vs. CA

Altadena, CA Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in California, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Altadena is $1,136,621.

  • The Median Rent in Altadena is $2,250.

  • The Median Income in Altadena is $129,123.

  • The Home Value To Income in Altadena is 8.8x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Altadena is 0.21x.

Statistic Altadena California United States
Median Home Value $1,136,621 $763,287 $303,400
Median Rent $2,250 $1,956 $1,348
Median Income $129,123 $96,334 $78,538
Home Value To Income 8.8x 7.9x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.21x 0.24x 0.21x
$1,136,621
Median Home Value
$2,250
Median Rent
$129,123
Median Income

Altadena, CA Costs By Category

Detailed Altadena Services Costs Vs. California

Item Altadena California
Shampoo $1.41 $1.28
Movie $13.46 $12.13
Bowling $19.07 $18
Haircut $24.67 $24.26
Beauty Salon $49.33 $45.56

Detailed Altadena Groceries Costs Vs. California

Item Altadena California
Ground Beef $6.26 $5.84
Fried Chicken $2.08 $1.57
Milk $4.76 $4.67
Potatoes $4.94 $4.93
Pizza $16.13 $12.09
Beer $9.6 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.76 $3.7

Detailed Altadena Health Costs Vs. California

Item Altadena California
Optometrist $129.09 $125.68
Doctor $119.86 $135.78
Dentist $108.07 $113.29

Detailed Altadena Transportation Costs Vs. California

Item Altadena California
Gasoline $4.47 $3.46
Tire Balancing $58.33 $59.92

Detailed Altadena Utilities Costs Vs. California

Item Altadena California
All Electricity $326.49 $193.99
Phone $182.78 $192.25

Altadena SnackAbility

7.5
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8/10
Housing
9.5
Affordability
4
Diversity
10
Safety
N/A
Amenities
9.5
Education
8
Commute
5

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Altadena

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Altadena. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Glendale, CA has a cost of living index of 193, 1.0x Altadena.

  • Pasadena, CA has a cost of living index of 189, 1.0x Altadena.

  • Walnut, CA has a cost of living index of 194, 1.0x Altadena.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Altadena
Glendale, CA 192,270 193 1.0x
Pasadena, CA 136,462 189 1.0x
Walnut, CA 27,857 194 1.0x
South Pasadena, CA 26,297 226 1.2x
San Fernando, CA 23,716 148 0.8x
East San Gabriel, CA 23,521 187 1.0x
West Puente Valley, CA 22,198 151 0.8x
Valinda, CA 21,626 145 0.8x
La Crescenta-Montrose, CA 19,940 197 1.1x
Vincent, CA 15,151 146 0.8x

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