Altadena Real Estate
Foothill character without the incorporated price tag, artistic, architecturally rich, and a longtime favorite for buyers seeking character and the outdoors.
Homes for sale in Altadena
Current Altadena listings, updated directly from the MLS as they hit the market.
Altadena is an unincorporated community in the foothills above Pasadena, offering some of the most characterful homes in the area at relative value to its incorporated neighbors.
Its artistic community, mountain access, and remarkable architectural diversity, from Craftsman bungalows to mid-century gems, make Altadena a favorite for buyers seeking individuality and the outdoors.
An unincorporated foothill original
Unlike its neighbors, Altadena never incorporated as its own city, it remains a community governed directly by Los Angeles County, a fact that’s part of its independent, free-spirited character. Settled in the late 1800s and named by the Woodbury brothers (“alta” for the higher ground above Pasadena), Altadena drew artists, writers, and inventors, a creative legacy still felt in its eclectic streets today.
The heart of Altadena
As an unincorporated community, Altadena has no formal city center; daily life gathers along the Lake Avenue shops and the Altadena Farmers Market, with Christmas Tree Lane as its seasonal heart.
What defines the market
Altadena's appeal is architecture and setting. Original Craftsman and Spanish homes, larger lots, and proximity to trails drive intense competition for well-preserved properties.
Who's buying here
Buyers here prize character, gardens, and the foothill lifestyle. Distinctive, well-maintained homes routinely draw multiple offers.
Median price, last five years
Inside the district
Altadena is served by Pasadena Unified, which offers a range of neighborhood, magnet, and dual-language programs, complemented by several respected independent schools.
Where Altadena eats
The San Gabriel Valley is one of America's great food destinations, here's where to start in Altadena.
Altadena’s food scene is small, beloved, and fiercely local, neighborhood cafés, the artisan caramels of Little Flower, and longtime diners where regulars have ordered the same breakfast for decades. It’s the kind of place where you walk or bike to coffee, run into neighbors, and finish the morning with a hike up Eaton Canyon. Community, not flash, is the flavor here.
Christmas Tree Lane
For more than a century, one Altadena street has glowed each December under a canopy of giant deodar cedars.
A mile of lights, lit since 1920
Every December since 1920, the towering deodar cedars along Santa Rosa Avenue are strung with lights, the oldest large-scale outdoor Christmas lighting display of its kind in the world. Just up the road, the gates of the old Cobb Estate mark the trailhead toward Echo Mountain, and Eaton Canyon’s waterfall is a neighborhood hike, the outdoors woven right into daily life.
Buying & selling in Altadena
Is Altadena a good place to live?
What is the average home price in Altadena?
Which school district serves Altadena?
Is Altadena a buyer's or seller's market?
How long does it take to sell a home in Altadena?
Let's talk about your move.
Whether you're buying, selling, or just exploring the Altadena market, I'll give you an honest, data-backed read, no pressure, no obligation.