Best San Gabriel Valley Cities for Families: Schools and Home Prices Compared

Most families shopping the San Gabriel Valley start with two questions: which school district, and what will a house cost there? This guide answers both for eight cities. It uses each district's 2024–25 results on California's standardized tests (CAASPP), facts the districts publish themselves, and twelve months of closed home sales. It doesn't use third-party school ratings. Every school number below links to the state's published results so you can check it.

Summary: eight SGV cities for families

Single-family figures are closed sales from October 2025 through September 2026. Test results are the share of students in the main district who met or exceeded the standard, all tested grades, in 2024–25.

City	Main school district	English met	Math met	Median house price	House sales	Sale-to-list	Condo/townhome median (sales)
San Marino	San Marino Unified	85.7%	84.7%	$3.20M	106	104.2%	None sold
South Pasadena	South Pasadena Unified	84.1%	78.8%	$2.00M	103	108.1%	$1.06M (26)
Arcadia	Arcadia Unified	72.0%	68.3%	$1.86M	311	98.6%	$891K (159)
Temple City	Temple City Unified	69.2%	66.0%	$1.20M	140	100.3%	$827K (24)
Alhambra	Alhambra Unified	63.8%	53.2%	$1.04M	139	100.1%	$715K (114)
Monterey Park	Alhambra Unified (most sales)	63.8%	53.2%	$975K	178	100.0%	$680K (105)
San Gabriel	San Gabriel Unified	59.0%	49.2%	$1.25M	192	100.1%	$800K (35)
Pasadena	Pasadena Unified	48.2%	36.3%	$1.55M	651	100.9%	$820K (421)
State of California		48.8%	37.3%

Condo and townhome figures for South Pasadena, Temple City and San Gabriel rest on fewer than 40 sales, so treat them as rough.

Two patterns are worth knowing before you go further:

• Price tracks test results, but not perfectly. Temple City and Arcadia post similar district results, yet Temple City's median house costs about $660,000 less. San Gabriel costs more than Alhambra with somewhat lower district results.
• The most competitive markets are the top-scoring ones. South Pasadena houses closed at a median 108.1% of list, and 73% sold over asking. San Marino ran 104.2%. Arcadia is the exception at 98.6%, which gives buyers more room there.

The mailing city doesn't decide the school district

This is the most practical advice in this guide. The city on a mailing address follows postal routes, not school district lines. Several SGV mailing cities cover more than one district, and some include unincorporated county areas. Over three years of house sales (October 2023 to September 2026), grouped by the high school district recorded on each sale:

Mailing city	District on the sale	Sales	Median price
Arcadia	Arcadia Unified	715	$1.96M
Arcadia	El Monte Union High	63	$947K
Arcadia	Monrovia Unified	47	$1.07M
Arcadia	Temple City Unified	26	$1.20M
Temple City	Temple City Unified	233	$1.24M
Temple City	El Monte Union High	80	$1.02M
Temple City	Arcadia Unified	33	$1.25M
San Gabriel	San Gabriel Unified	281	$1.22M
San Gabriel	Temple City Unified	54	$1.20M
Monterey Park	Alhambra Unified	297	$1.08M
Monterey Park	Montebello Unified	133	$915K

What this means in practice:

• About one in six Arcadia-address houses isn't in Arcadia Unified. Those homes sell for far less, partly because they're smaller.
• Some Temple City addresses are in Arcadia Unified. Those 33 sales closed at a median $1.25M, against $1.96M for Arcadia-address homes in the same district. They're mostly smaller houses, and the sample is small. Still, for a family focused on Arcadia Unified, a Temple City address is worth checking.
• About a third of Monterey Park sales are in Montebello Unified, not Alhambra Unified.
• A "San Gabriel" address in 91775 includes unincorporated East San Gabriel, and a "Pasadena" address in 91107 includes unincorporated East Pasadena and Chapman Woods.

Kelvin's take: treat a listing's school fields as a starting point. They're entered by the listing agent and are often blank. Before writing an offer, confirm the address with the district's own boundary map or enrollment office. The district links are in each city section below.

San Marino

School district. San Marino Unified has four schools: Valentine and Carver elementary, Huntington Middle School and San Marino High School. It serves over 3,000 students and reports a 100% graduation rate for the Class of 2026. In 2024–25, 85.7% of students met or exceeded the English standard and 84.7% the math standard, the highest of the districts in this guide.

Homes. 106 house sales at a median $3.20M, at 104.2% of list. No house closed under $1.5M, and no condos or townhomes sold.

Fits: families whose priority is San Marino Unified and whose budget starts well above $2M. Expect to compete, and to buy an older home, with a median year built of 1940. See the full Arcadia vs San Marino comparison.

South Pasadena

School district. South Pasadena Unified has five schools: Arroyo Vista, Marengo and Monterey Hills elementary, South Pasadena Middle School and South Pasadena High School. It lists 4,800 students and was established in 1886. In 2024–25, 84.1% met the English standard and 78.8% the math standard.

Homes. 103 house sales at a median $2.00M. This is the SGV's most competitive market: a median 108.1% of list, 73% of houses sold over asking, and just 1.9 months of supply in October 2026. A small condo market (26 sales, median $1.06M) offers a lower-cost way into the district.

Fits: families who want a top-scoring district with a single high school, and who are ready to bid over asking. More in the South Pasadena guide.

Arcadia

School district. Arcadia Unified runs six elementary schools, three middle schools and Arcadia High School, for about 9,500 students. In 2024–25, 72.0% met the English standard and 68.3% the math standard. The district publishes a school boundaries map.

Homes. 311 house sales at a median $1.86M, at 98.6% of list, with 4.4 months of supply. That's the most negotiable of the high-scoring cities. Condos and townhomes add 159 sales at a median $891K. ZIP 91007 ($2.08M) runs higher than 91006 ($1.68M), mostly because its houses and lots are larger.

Fits: families who want a strong district, a wide range of home types and prices, and some room to negotiate. They must verify the district by address. Compare it head to head in Arcadia vs San Marino.

Temple City

School district. Temple City Unified lists 5,246 students across Cloverly, Emperor, La Rosa and Longden elementary schools, Oak Avenue Intermediate and Temple City High School. It reports a 99.6% graduation rate. In 2024–25, 69.2% met the English standard and 66.0% the math standard, close to Arcadia Unified.

Homes. 140 house sales at a median $1.20M (up 5.1% on the prior twelve months), at 100.3% of list. The condo market is small: 24 sales at a median $827K.

Fits: families who want district results near Arcadia's at roughly two-thirds of the price. Note that nearly a quarter of Temple City-address sales are in the El Monte Union High School District.

Alhambra

School district. Alhambra Unified serves its younger students through 13 K–8 schools, and runs three high schools: Alhambra, Mark Keppel and San Gabriel High. In 2024–25, 63.8% met the English standard and 53.2% the math standard, well above the state.

Homes. 139 house sales at a median $1.04M, at 100.1% of list, with 2.8 months of supply. Condos and townhomes add 114 sales at a median $715K. ZIP 91801 ($1.13M) runs higher than 91803 ($950K).

Fits: first-time buyers and growing families who want a house near $1M with a central location, and buyers who want a K–8 school structure. Read the Alhambra guide.

Monterey Park

School district. Most Monterey Park-address sales fall in Alhambra Unified (see above). About a third fall in Montebello Unified, so the address matters here as much as anywhere.

Homes. 178 house sales at a median $975K, the lowest house median in this guide, at 100.0% of list. Over three years, homes in the Alhambra Unified part of Monterey Park closed at a median $1.08M, against $915K in the Montebello Unified part. Condos and townhomes add 105 sales at a median $680K.

Fits: budget-focused families who want a house under $1M, and who will choose the district part of town deliberately.

San Gabriel

School district. San Gabriel Unified lists 4,535 students in eight schools, including five elementary schools, Jefferson Middle School and Gabrielino High School. It reports a 95% graduation rate and three dual immersion schools. In 2024–25, 59.0% met the English standard and 49.2% the math standard. San Gabriel High School belongs to Alhambra Unified, not San Gabriel Unified, which shows how district names and city names don't line up.

Homes. 192 house sales at a median $1.25M (up 5.0%), at 100.1% of list. ZIP 91775 ($1.37M, 125 sales) runs well above 91776 ($1.01M, 66 sales).

Fits: families who want a mid-priced house and dual-immersion options, and who will check which district a given address belongs to.

Pasadena

School district. Pasadena Unified offers magnet and signature programs, open enrollment and inter-district permits. Its Find My School tool shows the assigned school for an address. District-wide in 2024–25, 48.2% met the English standard and 36.3% the math standard, in line with the state. A district average hides differences between schools, so in Pasadena the specific school and program matter more than the district number.

Homes. The largest market in this guide: 651 house sales at a median $1.55M, plus 421 condo and townhome sales at a median $820K. Prices vary by quadrant, from $1.43M in the northeast to $1.90M in the southwest.

Fits: families who want the most choice of homes and neighborhoods and are comfortable researching individual schools and programs. Read the Pasadena guide.

How to choose

• Start with the budget, then the district. Of the cities in this guide, Monterey Park and Alhambra hold most of the house sales under about $1.1M. Between $1.1M and $1.5M, Temple City and San Gabriel open up, along with parts of Arcadia. Above $2M, South Pasadena and San Marino come into range.
• Look at the specific school, not just the district. The California School Dashboard reports results school by school.
• Verify the address. Use the district's boundary map or enrollment office before an offer, not after.
• Match your offer strategy to the market. Expect to bid over asking in South Pasadena and San Marino. Arcadia currently gives buyers more room.

Frequently asked questions

Which San Gabriel Valley city has the best schools?

By 2024–25 state test results, San Marino Unified (85.7% met the English standard, 84.7% math) and South Pasadena Unified (84.1%, 78.8%) scored highest of the districts in this guide. Arcadia Unified and Temple City Unified came next, at about 69–72% in English.

What's the most affordable SGV city for a family house?

Of the eight cities here, Monterey Park had the lowest median house price ($975K, 178 sales), followed by Alhambra ($1.04M, 139 sales). Both are largely in Alhambra Unified, where 63.8% of students met the English standard in 2024–25.

Is Temple City a good alternative to Arcadia?

On district results and price, often yes. Temple City Unified scored 69.2% in English and 66.0% in math against Arcadia Unified's 72.0% and 68.3%, and Temple City's median house was $1.20M against $1.86M. Homes there are typically smaller, and part of the city's mailing area is in a different high school district.

Does the city on my address decide my school district?

No. Mailing cities in the SGV often span two or more districts. Over three years, about one in six Arcadia-address house sales and about a third of Monterey Park sales were outside the district most people associate with that city.

Sources

• San Marino Unified School District
• South Pasadena Unified School District
• Arcadia Unified School District and school boundaries map
• Temple City Unified School District
• Alhambra Unified School District
• San Gabriel Unified School District
• Pasadena Unified School District and Find My School
• CAASPP 2024–25 results: San Marino Unified, South Pasadena Unified, Arcadia Unified, Temple City Unified, Alhambra Unified, San Gabriel Unified, Pasadena Unified, State of California
• California School Dashboard
• Market figures: Kelvin Huang's analysis of closed residential sales, October 2025 – September 2026