Rents are 4% below what Pasadena's 10-year trend predicts — a better deal than its own history suggests.
Rent by unit size
These are HUD Fair Market Rents, the payment standard for a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8). They often differ from the $2,543 market median above, and that is expected: FMR is the 40th percentile of standard-quality units and counts gross rent, so it includes essential utilities such as electricity, water, gas, sewer, and trash. The market median is asking rent, which usually excludes utilities. HUD sets FMR once a year; market rent here updates monthly.
Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents. Read the methodology →
12-month history
Last updated: October 17, 2026
What the numbers show
February. Asking rents in Pasadena usually run 1.3% below trend in February and 1.1% above it in July, about $61 a month apart at today's median. Based on 9 years of data.
Rent in Pasadena is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2017.
Rent in Pasadena changed +5.2% over the year to September 2026. Across the 81 Maryland cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +2.4%.
From 2019 to 2024, rent in Pasadena rose 39% while median household income rose 34.3% ($96,575 to $129,727). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in Pasadena is 48.2% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 6 months in a row, and rose in 10 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($129,727) is $3,243 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 3-bedroom ($3,200); a 4-bedroom is $3,580.
Glen Burnie, 7 miles away, rents for 32% less ($1,729/mo), about $9,800 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Pasadena. The seasonal pattern compares Zillow’s seasonally adjusted and unadjusted series. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.
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Who lives here
Pasadena, MD is majority owner-occupied, has a median income above the national average, 38.2% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Pasadena, MD has changed in 5 years
Since 2021, the typical rent in Pasadena, MD has increased from $1,868 to $2,543, a 36.1% change over five years. On the earnings side, the typical household in Pasadena, MD now reports about $129,727, up from $107,088 in 2021. That spread, with rent up faster than earnings, points to a tougher affordability environment than five years ago. The population has grown by 8.6% since 2021, moving from about 31,583 residents to roughly 34,309. Renters now make up 16.3% of households, compared with 18.2% five years ago. College-educated residents now make up 38.2% of adults here, versus 32.7% in 2021. For context, the 2021 to 2026 window covers an unusually volatile run for US rents nationally, and Pasadena, MD reflects that arc in its own way.
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Can you afford rent in Pasadena on your salary?
At $2,543/mo, how Pasadena rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Pasadena rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Pasadena. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Pasadena
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Pasadena is $2,543/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,780/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $2,490/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $2,030/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $3,200/mo.
At 24% of local median household income ($129,727/yr), Pasadena ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 5.2% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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At $2,543/mo, rent takes ~24% of Pasadena's median household income ($129,727/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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