Home to a wide variety of cultures, shopping centers, spectacular restaurants and in ownership of a fantastic public educational system, the San Gabriel valley is the perfect place to raise a family. Encompassing wonderful cities such as South Pasadena, San Marino and Pasadena, also known as the one and only “city of roses,” your family will never grow bored of the extreme livability of the San Gabriel Valley. If you’ve been thinking about moving to the San Gabriel Valley area here are few convincing features the charming location has to provide.
Education System
With seventeen kindergarten through fifth grade elementary schools, five middle schools, and four high schools, the Pasadena Unified School District has no shortage of high ranking institutions that will ensure the proper and thorough education of your children. In addition to these spectacular public institutions, there are numerous parochial and private schools in which your child will also receive a great education. The education in Pasadena does not stop with great fundamental schooling, but is home to multiple institutions of higher education. These highly revered and diverse institutions include the California Institute of technology (Caltech), the Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts, the Art Center College of Design, and the highly rated Pasadena City College, currently ranked eighth nationwide on the military’s list of veterans-friendly two-year colleges. However, the Pasadena Unified School District is not the only credible school district in the San Gabriel Valley.
The San Marino Unified School District is comprised of approximately 2,700 students enrolled in kindergarten through twelfth grade through the city’s two elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school. If you are looking for a quality education with a smaller and more intimate class size, the small San Marino Unified School district might be the place for you to educate your children. San Marino schools also have the benefit of being supported by the San Marino Schools Foundation, an organization that was formed in 1979 in response to substantial reductions in state and school funding. The foundation’s exclusive purpose is to raise money for the San Marino Unified School district, thus ensuring a well maintained education standard.
South Pasadena is also known for its exceptional public schools and family oriented community. South Pasadena has three elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school. South Pasadena is know for their continued effort to reduce California’s “achievement gap,” and their strict following of the No Child Left Behind, Adequate Yearly Progress, and the Academic Performance Index requirements. Due to South Pasadena’s highly coveted schooling system, you must be a resident of South Pasadena to enroll your children in one of the highly revered South Pasadena public schools.
Homes
One of the many advantages to living in the San Gabriel Valley are the various appeals it has to offer in terms of housing. Pasadena is known for its unparalleled charm and exquisite historical architecture. Notable architects include Greene and Greene, the famous designers of the Gamble House, Reginald Johnson, Myron Hunt and Sylvanus Marston, all who were believed to be somewhat responsible for establishing Pasadena as the vibrant community it is today. Home values in Pasadena are consistently valued at approximately 46.5% greater than California’s average home and 228% higher that the nation’s average home.
When it comes to beauty, San Marino does not let its Italian counterpart down. Named after the Republic of San Marino, Italy, the southern Californian version of the picturesque Italian town does not disappoint. Only spanning a little less than four square miles, the community of San Marino is uniquely residential and characterized by extravagant properties. Having climbed 11.2% in the past year, and predicted to rise 4.5% within the next year, San Marino homes are ranked as some of the highest valued properties in the nation.
Livability and Things To Do
The San Gabriel Valley is an extremely livable area with incredible weather, eclectic amenities and low crime rates. To say the least, there is never a shortage of things to do in the San Gabriel Valley Area.
With its mixture of historic conservation, modern sustainability and diverse cultures, Pasadena is a city in which its residents greatly value living. Pasadena has a vast collection of character homes, such as craftsman, bungalow, Spanish, and English Tudor, thus emphasizing Pasadena’s passion for accentuating historical beauty, and setting it aside from its Westside neighbors. If you are a lover of the environment, Pasadena is the place for you! Because of its easily accessible public transportation, and impressive walk-ability, the city of Pasadena does a adequate job of reducing its carbon footprint. Pasadena is best known for its Tournament of Roses Parade, a New Years celebration that has been held annually since 1890. During the rest of the year Pasadena remains relevant with it’s the uniqueness of Old Town Pasadena. Once nothing more than a few desolate blocks in Pasadena, Old Town has evolved into a historically charming, yet conveniently modern, collection of over 200 specialty boutiques, and over 100 immaculate restaurants, bistros, and cafes, all situated on a convenient 22 consecutive blocks.
Although much smaller than Pasadena, occupying only a little less than three and a half miles, South Pasadena packs big town amenities into a small town feeling. Some of the best know attractions in South Pasadena are the Fair Oaks Pharmacy and Soda Fountain, the Rialto Theatre and the South Pasadena Farmer’s Market. The Fair Oaks Pharmacy and Soda Fountain vintage theme, yet thoroughly modern, hot spot for people to grab a bite to eat or relax with friends and family. The Rialto Theatre was built in 1925, and is one of the few remaining single-screen movie-viewing locations in the entirety of the Los Angeles Area. The South Pasadena Farmer’s Market is, for many, the highlight of the South Pasadena resident’s week and deeply cherished throughout the San Gabriel Valley. Held every Thursday from 4:00pm to 8:00pm in historic South Pasadena near the Metro Gold Line at South Pasadena station, the Farmer’s Market is home to an eclectic mix of vendors, and a wonderful way to engage in community.
Whether you choose to reside in places South Pasadena, San Marino, or Pasadena, the San Gabriel Valley is a wonderful place to settle down and raise a family. With eclectic amenities ranging from nationally famous New Years day parades, or locally famous weekly farmer’s markets, the San Gabriel Valley will ever feel like a boring place to live. Fortunate to have great education systems and beautiful homes, anywhere in the San Gabriel Valley is an ideal place to live.
