On its age, its old homes and the National Register, East Pasadena is more historic than 57% of U.S. towns, #118 of 847 in California. Its share of homes from before 1940 holds the grade up; its National Register listings pull it down.
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HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of East Pasadena’s overall grade.
Few California towns list much on the Register (a typical California town has 0.0 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so East Pasadena’s 0.0 sits below most of its state (31% of California towns have fewer) while its 0 listings outnumber those of 23% of U.S. towns.
How sure. Graded on two of the three inputs, so a change in either one moves the letter more than it would with three. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±5.9 points).
Founding year: our sources. Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →
What stands out about East Pasadena’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of East Pasadena. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1896Pasadena sheet · 1:62,500
U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of East Pasadena.
The story so far
East Pasadena, in brief
Wikipedia doesn’t have a history of East Pasadena yet. The photos, dates and memories neighbors add here are how it gets written.
East Pasadena () is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in the San Gabriel Valley of Los Angeles County, California, United States. The population was 6,021 at the 2020 census, down from 6,144 at the 2010 census. For statistical purposes, the United States Census Bureau has defined East Pasadena as a census-designated place (CDP).
Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses its population fell from 6,144 to 6,021 (-2%).
Intro from Wikipedia. Population: U.S. Census Bureau.
East Pasadena is more historic than 57% of U.S. towns, #118 of 847 in California. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
How old are the homes in East Pasadena?
27% of East Pasadena’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±5.9 points), against a typical 3.4% for a California town; the median home was built in 1950.
Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
From Wikimedia Commons (9), U.S. Geological Survey historical maps and U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
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