Pasadena, CA Crime Map

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions About Pasadena, CA Crime

What overall crime grade does Pasadena receive in 2026?

Pasadena earns an overall crime grade of C- for 2026, indicating that crime levels are a moderate concern relative to comparable California cities. Over the most recent 90-day reporting window, 82 incidents were logged across all categories. Theft led all offense types at 22% of incidents (18 cases), followed by DUI/Traffic violations at 18% (15 cases) and Burglary at 15% (12 cases). That means property-related crimes alone — theft, burglary, and motor vehicle theft combined — account for roughly 41% of all recent incidents, making them the dominant safety concern for Pasadena residents and visitors in 2026.

What types of crime are most common in Pasadena right now?

Based on the last 90 days of incident data, the crime breakdown in Pasadena looks like this:

• Theft — 22% (18 incidents, most recent: April 14, 2026): The single largest category, encompassing shoplifting, pickpocketing, and package theft.
• DUI/Traffic — 18% (15 incidents, most recent: April 20, 2026): The second most frequent incident type, reflecting an ongoing concern along major corridors.
• Burglary — 15% (12 incidents, most recent: April 17, 2026): Residential and commercial break-ins represent a meaningful share of reported crime.
• Drug Offenses — 13% (11 incidents, most recent: April 16, 2026): Substance-related activity continues to affect safety perceptions in certain pockets of the city.
• Arrests — 12% (10 incidents, most recent: April 19, 2026)
• Vandalism — 10% (8 incidents, most recent: April 18, 2026)
• Fraud — 6% (5 incidents, most recent: April 16, 2026)
• Motor Vehicle Theft — 4% (3 incidents, most recent: April 14, 2026)

Taken together, these figures reinforce that property crime and traffic-related offenses are the primary day-to-day safety issues in Pasadena, while violent crime remains a smaller share of the overall picture.

Is Pasadena safe to live in or visit in 2026?

Pasadena's C- overall crime grade places it in a range that warrants awareness without causing alarm. With a population of 142,017 and a median household income of $85,129, the city has strong socioeconomic foundations that generally correlate with lower crime pressure. The 82 incidents recorded over the past 90 days represent a manageable volume for a city of this size, though the concentration of theft (22%) and burglary (15%) means property security deserves attention. Popular areas like the Playhouse District and the Colorado Boulevard corridor tend to see higher foot traffic and, correspondingly, more opportunistic theft. Visitors and residents who take standard precautions — securing vehicles, locking doors, and staying alert in busy commercial zones — will find Pasadena a welcoming and largely navigable city.

Which Pasadena neighborhoods tend to have lower crime rates?

While hyper-local neighborhood grades fluctuate with reporting periods, areas in Northeast Pasadena and around the South Lake Avenue corridor have historically shown lower incident densities. The residential streets near Caltech and the Huntington Library district benefit from quieter, well-maintained environments and active community engagement. By contrast, higher commercial density areas — particularly along Colorado Boulevard and near transit hubs — tend to attract a greater share of the theft and DUI incidents that dominate Pasadena's current 90-day data. Using the interactive crime map on this page lets you filter by offense type and date range to see exactly where burglary (15% of recent incidents) or vandalism (10%) clusters within specific ZIP codes.

How does Pasadena's poverty rate affect its crime profile?

Pasadena's 14% poverty rate sits above the national median and is a contributing factor to its C- crime grade. Research consistently shows that poverty concentrations correlate with higher rates of property crime — and indeed, theft and burglary together make up 37% of Pasadena's recent incident log. The city's 5% unemployment rate is relatively contained, which helps moderate more severe crime categories. Meanwhile, a median home value of $822,250 and median rent of $1,787 signal a high cost-of-living environment, which can create economic stress for lower-income households and indirectly influence drug offense rates (currently 13% of incidents). Community investment programs and local policing strategies aimed at these intersecting pressures are key to improving Pasadena's grade over time.

Is Pasadena a good place to buy a home given its crime grade?

A C- crime grade is a meaningful data point, but it should be weighed alongside Pasadena's robust housing market fundamentals. The median home value of $822,250 reflects sustained buyer demand driven by the city's cultural amenities, proximity to Los Angeles, and quality schools. Property crime — specifically theft at 22% and burglary at 15% of recent incidents — is the most relevant risk for homeowners, making investments in home security systems and neighborhood watch participation particularly worthwhile. Prospective buyers are encouraged to use this crime map to compare incident density block by block, focusing on the Northeast Pasadena and South Lake areas that have historically posted stronger safety profiles relative to the city average.