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Data from U.S. Census Bureau · 2026 · Methodology
CitySpend

Pasadena, CA

Population: 137,554 (2022) · Mid-Size Cities (100K–250K)

B
65/100

Good fiscal health — above-average across most metrics

Total Spending
$5.2B
Per Capita
$38,011
Total Revenue
$7.6B
Total Debt
$0

Spending Breakdown

Other
43.2%$2.3B
Housing & Community Development
18.7%$979.7M
Utilities
12.8%$669.9M
Hospitals
6.7%$350.6M
Parks & Recreation
6.3%$330.4M
Interest on Debt
3.9%$204.2M
Public Welfare
2.9%$154.2M
Health
2.8%$144.8M
Sewerage
2.6%$135.2M

Spending data sourced from the Census Bureau's Annual Survey of State & Local Government Finances. Per-capita comparisons use the Lincoln Institute's Fiscally Standardized Cities methodology for fair cross-city benchmarking.

Revenue Sources

Property Tax
0.2%$13.2M
Sales Tax
3.8%$289.5M
Income Tax
2.5%$190.2M
Intergovernmental
0.2%$16.9M
Charges & Fees
8.3%$635.4M
Other
9.3%$710.8M

Per Capita Spending by Department

Parks & Recreation$2,402/person
Health$1,053/person

Score Breakdown

Budget Balance & Reserves (25%)58/100
Debt Burden (20%)100/100
Pension Funding (20%)76/100
Spending Efficiency (15%)0/100
Revenue Diversity (10%)100/100
Trend Direction (10%)50/100

Compare Cities

See how Pasadena stacks up against another city.

vs Los Angeles, CAvs San Diego, CAvs San Jose, CA
Data source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023). Population from American Community Survey.

Other Cities in California

Los Angeles, CA

Pop. 3.9M

D
Total Spending
$331.6B
Per Capita
$85,432

San Diego, CA

Pop. 1.4M

C
Total Spending
$59.9B
Per Capita
$43,306

San Jose, CA

Pop. 1.0M

A
Total Spending
$18.0B
Per Capita
$17,934

San Francisco, CA

Pop. 851K

D
Total Spending
$156.7B
Per Capita
$184,131

Compare Pasadena With

Los Angeles, CA

Spending: $85,432/person · Grade: D

San Diego, CA

Spending: $43,306/person · Grade: C

San Jose, CA

Spending: $17,934/person · Grade: A

San Francisco, CA

Spending: $184,131/person · Grade: D

Frequently Asked Questions

Pasadena, CA spends $38,011 per resident, based on total expenditures of $5.2B for a population of 137,554. The city has a Fiscal Health Score of B (65/100).

Pasadena, CA has total expenditures of $5.2B and total revenue of $7.6B. The city carries $0 in total debt, based on Census Bureau data from 2023.

Pasadena, CA employs 0 government workers, of which 0 are full-time. The average government salary is $0, with 0.0 employees per 10,000 residents.

Pasadena, CA has a Fiscal Health Score of B (65/100). This score evaluates budget balance, debt burden, pension funding, spending efficiency, revenue diversity, and 3-year fiscal trajectory compared to peer cities of similar population.

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