Explore South Pasadena local geography, civic resources and voter guides, with dated official population and registration facts for Los Angeles County.
At a glance: South Pasadena is an incorporated city in Los Angeles County. Population: 26,380 (California Department of Finance estimate as of January 1, 2026). Registered voters: 18,333 (California Secretary of State, as of September 4, 2026).
South Pasadena lies along the Arroyo Seco between Pasadena and northeastern Los Angeles. Its established residential neighborhoods and Mission Street commercial district preserve a notably intact late-nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century streetscape. Garfield Park and Orange Grove Park provide neighborhood green space, while the South Pasadena Public Library and its Community Room form an important civic and cultural gathering point. Arroyo Seco recreation areas offer a different, canyon-edge setting on the city's western side. South Pasadena officially incorporated on March 2, 1888. It is a general-law city using a council-manager government, with a municipal identity separate from Pasadena despite their connected names and early settlement history.
No. South Pasadena is a separate incorporated city with its own council, city manager, and municipal offices.
Yes. South Pasadena Public Library is a city library, distinct from Pasadena Public Library and LA County Library.
The official Our History page describes the incorporation vote and records March 2, 1888, as the incorporation date.
18,333 (California Secretary of State, as of September 4, 2026).
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