Last updated: October 29, 2026. By the Apartments Club Editorial Team.
Caltech and Pasadena City College are about a mile apart in east-central Pasadena, close enough that the same set of neighborhoods serves both. Caltech draws graduate students, postdocs and researchers, including people working at JPL, while PCC is one of the largest community colleges in California, with many students commuting from across the San Gabriel Valley. Pasadena is generally quieter and greener than central Los Angeles, with good transit to Downtown. This guide compares current rents in Pasadena ZIP codes and explains the trade-offs.
Rents in ZIP codes near Caltech and PCC
| ZIP | Area | Zillow ZORI (Sep 2026) | ZORI change vs Sep 2025 | HUD SAFMR studio | HUD SAFMR 1BR | HUD SAFMR 2BR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 91106 | Pasadena (Caltech / PCC area) | $2,840 | -0.3% | $2,450 | $2,740 | $3,420 |
| 91101 | Pasadena (Old Pasadena / Playhouse) | $2,909 | +0.6% | $2,740 | $3,070 | $3,830 |
| 91104 | Pasadena (Bungalow Heaven / north-east) | $2,722 | +3.5% | $2,190 | $2,450 | $3,060 |
| 91105 | Pasadena (south-west / Arroyo) | $3,196 | +4.2% | $3,120 | $3,490 | $4,350 |
| 91107 | Pasadena (east / Hastings Ranch) | $3,209 | +3.0% | $2,490 | $2,790 | $3,480 |
Sources: Zillow ZORI (September 2026) and HUD FY2026 Small Area FMRs. See methodology below.
ZIP-by-ZIP notes
- 91106 (Pasadena (Caltech / PCC area)): the typical Zillow asking rent was roughly flat over the past year (-0.3%) to $2,840. That is $100 above HUD’s one-bedroom SAFMR of $2,740, so a typical one-bedroom here may sit near local voucher payment standards.
- 91101 (Pasadena (Old Pasadena / Playhouse)): the typical Zillow asking rent rose over the past year (+0.6%) to $2,909. That is $161 below HUD’s one-bedroom SAFMR of $3,070, so a typical one-bedroom here may sit near local voucher payment standards.
- 91104 (Pasadena (Bungalow Heaven / north-east)): the typical Zillow asking rent rose over the past year (+3.5%) to $2,722. That is $272 above HUD’s one-bedroom SAFMR of $2,450, so a typical one-bedroom here may sit near local voucher payment standards.
- 91105 (Pasadena (south-west / Arroyo)): the typical Zillow asking rent rose over the past year (+4.2%) to $3,196. That is $294 below HUD’s one-bedroom SAFMR of $3,490, so a typical one-bedroom here may sit near local voucher payment standards.
- 91107 (Pasadena (east / Hastings Ranch)): the typical Zillow asking rent rose over the past year (+3.0%) to $3,209. That is $419 above HUD’s one-bedroom SAFMR of $2,790, so expect most listings to price above voucher payment standards unless they are smaller or older units.
Getting to campus
ZIP 91106 contains both campuses and the surrounding blocks south of Colorado Boulevard. It has many 1920s courtyard buildings and small apartment complexes, plus Caltech’s own graduate and postdoc housing. Most residents can walk or bike to either campus.
Old Pasadena and the Playhouse District (91101) are the dense, walkable core of the city, full of restaurants and shops, with newer apartment buildings near the A Line. The Metro A Line (light rail) stops at Memorial Park, Lake, Allen and other stations along the 210 corridor, linking Pasadena with Downtown LA and the foothill cities. Pasadena Transit and Metro buses on Colorado Boulevard, Lake Avenue and Hill Avenue connect stations to the campuses.
North-east Pasadena (91104) includes the Bungalow Heaven historic district and the blocks around Lake Avenue north of the freeway. Its typical Zillow rent is the lowest in this table, and Allen station is a convenient link. East Pasadena (91107) covers Hastings Ranch and areas toward Sierra Madre, quieter and more car-oriented. South-west Pasadena (91105) borders South Pasadena and the Arroyo Seco, with larger older homes and some of the city’s higher rents.
Rent rules in Pasadena
Pasadena voters approved Measure H in 2022, which created a local rent stabilization program administered by the city’s Rental Housing Board. Coverage and the annual allowable increase are set locally and differ from the City of Los Angeles RSO, so our LA RSO calculator does not apply to Pasadena units. Check the City of Pasadena’s rent stabilization pages for the current annual general adjustment and whether your building is covered.
Which area fits which renter
Caltech graduate students often start with university housing and then move into 91106 or 91101 to stay within biking distance. Researchers who commute to JPL in La Cañada Flintridge may prefer north-west Pasadena or Altadena for a shorter drive. PCC students who commute by rail often look near A Line stations, and those on a tight budget compare Pasadena with cheaper San Gabriel Valley cities further east; see our guide to the cheapest Pasadena and San Gabriel Valley cities to rent.
The academic calendar matters here as well. Caltech’s graduate cohorts arrive in late summer, and PCC terms start in fall, winter, spring and summer, so demand rises before each term. Older courtyard buildings near campus may lack in-unit laundry and air conditioning; ask about both, because inland Pasadena summers are much hotter than the coast.
What the numbers mean for your budget
Across the ZIP codes in the table, the typical Zillow asking rent runs from $2,722 to $3,209 a month. Using the common 30%-of-gross-income guideline that HUD also uses as its affordability benchmark, a $2,722 rent points to a gross income of about $108,900 a year, and $3,209 points to roughly $128,400. Many renters near Caltech and PCC split a larger unit with roommates to get under those thresholds, so it is worth checking the per-person cost of a two-bedroom against a studio before you decide.
HUD’s one-bedroom SAFMRs for the same ZIP codes range from $2,450 to $3,490. If you use a Housing Choice Voucher, your housing authority sets payment standards from these figures, so a unit priced above the local payment standard may leave you paying the difference. If you do not use a voucher, the SAFMR is still a useful second opinion: when a ZIP’s ZORI is far above its SAFMR, the listings you see online are probably newer or larger units than the area average.
Plan for move-in cash, too. In California, most landlords may charge no more than one month’s rent as a security deposit for leases starting on or after July 1, 2024 (some small landlords may charge two). Our Move-In Cost Calculator adds the deposit, first month, fees and moving costs, and the Rent Affordability Calculator works backward from your income.
Checklist before you sign near Caltech and PCC
- Check whether the building is covered by the City of LA Rent Stabilization Ordinance on ZIMAS (Housing tab). If it is, annual increases are capped; see our LA RSO Allowable Rent Increase Calculator. Units outside the City of LA may fall under state law (AB 1482) or a local ordinance instead.
- Walk or ride the actual commute at the time you would travel. A 2-mile trip can take 10 minutes or 40 depending on the hour.
- Ask what utilities are included. HUD’s SAFMR assumes rent plus basic utilities, while most listings quote rent only.
- Confirm parking: permit districts, garage fees and street-sweeping days add real cost.
- Never wire a deposit before seeing the unit and verifying the landlord. Our guide to spotting rental scams lists the warning signs.
- Use our apartment tour checklist during viewings.
Related guides
- Pasadena Neighborhood Guide
- Cheapest Pasadena and San Gabriel Valley Cities to Rent
- AMLI Old Pasadena
- Glendale Neighborhood Guide
- Echo Park Neighborhood Guide
- LA Renting hub
Sources and methodology
- Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI), ZIP level, all homes plus multifamily, smoothed, September 2026 value (most recent month available), downloaded October 29, 2026 from Zillow Research Data. ZORI is a typical asking rent across unit sizes. It is not a quote for any specific apartment.
- HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents (SAFMR), FY2026 revised file (effective May 21, 2026), from HUD USER. SAFMRs are gross-rent estimates (rent plus basic utilities) used for Housing Choice Voucher payment standards. Values shown are the base SAFMR, not the 90% or 110% payment standard.
- Year-over-year change compares the ZORI value for September 2026 to September 2025 in the same file.
- Commute and transit notes are based on public Metro and campus information. Service changes often, so check metro.net before you sign a lease.
Read more about how we source and update data in our Editorial Standards & Sources.