Is Pittsburgh Pennsylvania A Good Place To Live?

With a population of more than 302,407 people, Pittsburgh is a city in Allegheny County and is considered one of the best places to live in the state of Pennsylvania. Residents living in Pittsburgh enjoy a suburban feel and most of them rent their homes. This city offers great diversity, lively nightlife, good housing options and good quality of life.

Is Pittsburgh Pennsylvania a good place to live? Moving to Pittsburgh is well worth considering for any foreigner or USA citizen as the area offers many job opportunities and relatively cheaper property prices than other big cities. People are also attracted to this city because it has ample green space and a strong sense of community.

Whether you are planning to relocate to the United States soon in search of a better life or just moving to Pennsylvania to work, you have landed on this web page because you have questions about Pittsburgh.

Are the housing options good?
Does the city have good schools?
What transport services are available in the area?
What are the best neighborhoods?

In this article you will find out:

Is Pittsburgh a good place to Live? Prons and Cons.

Neighborhoods in Pittsburgh, PA have a lot to offer. Top neighborhoods in this city include Squirrel Hill North, Point Breeze, Shadyside, Highland Park, Squirrel Hill South, Greenfield, Westwood, Morningside, Regent Square and Friendship. These neighborhoods offer high incomes, low unemployment levels, low crime, high property prices, and high population densities.

On the other hand, Larimer, California-Kirkbride, Northview Heights, Lincoln-Lemington-Belmar, Homewood West, East Hills, Saint Clair, Homewood South, Beltzhoover and Homewood North are considered less desirable neighborhoods. The overall crime rate in Pittsburgh is generally low.

Moving to Pittsburgh with school-going children is worth considering as this city offers plenty of good public and private schools. Local public schools in Pittsburgh include multiple charter and magnet institutions like City Charter High School, Pittsburgh Montessori School, Barack Obama Academy and Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf.

For those who prefer private schools, some good examples include Central Catholic High School, Winchester Thurston School, Bishop Canevin High School, Oakland Catholic High School and St. Edmund’s Academy. The city is also home to many colleges and universities. The most well-known include Duquesne University, Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh.

There are many ways to get around in the city of Pittsburgh; car, bus, bike, boat, taxi, pedicab, or just walking. Public transportation in form of bus, rail, incline and other transit services for the Greater Pittsburgh area is serviced by Port Authority of Allegheny County. Residents also travel by air as the area is home to Pittsburgh International Airport.

As the city of bridges, Pittsburgh’s social scene is very lively. It has beautiful green spaces, restaurants, clubs, bars and coffee shops. This city ranks highly in diversity and culture.

Is Pittsburgh a good place to Work?

Pittsburgh’s economy is mainly driven by hi-tech, robotics, nuclear engineering, biomedical engineering, healthcare, tourism, finance, education and the service industries. The biggest employers in the area include the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, UPMC, Highmark Health, U.S. Government, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and PNC Financial Services Group Inc.

The unemployment rate in Pittsburgh, PA as of April 2019 stood at 3.8%, which was slightly higher than the USA average of 3.6%. It is not hard to find a job in the area.

Salaries are also relatively good. The average salary in Pittsburgh is $53,878. Holders of a Bachelor of Science degree earn $64,042 on average while those with a degree in Bachelor of Engineering earn an average salary of $78,712.

Is Pittsburgh a good place to buy a house?

The best places in Pittsburgh, PA to buy a house include Bradford Woods, Regent Square, Swisshelm Park, McMurray, Franklin Park, Level Green, Mount Lebanon Township, Murrysville, Indiana Township and Upper St. Clair. These places offer good public schools and top-notch housing options.

The median price of a property in Pittsburgh is $317,505 (as of May 2019). A five-bedroomed home in this city can go for $254,000, a three-bedroomed property can sell for $104,900, and a one-bedroomed home can cost $89,900.

The interest rate for a 30-year fixed conforming mortgage is 4.11%. Homeowners pay $877 on average for home insurance.

The median rent is $994.61 (as of June 2019), with the most expensive rental properties being situated in Oakwood, Fairywood, East Carnegie, West Wood, Crafton Heights, Banksville and West End Pittsburgh. More affordable rentals are found in Carrick, Overbrook, Perry South, Perry North, Regent Square, Homewood North, East Hills, Brookline, and Bon Air.

It’s possible to get a 5-bed rental property for $3,000 per month, a 3-bed rental home at $2,000, and a 1-bed rental for $1,752 a month.

Is Pittsburgh a good place to Retire?

Among the best cities in the United States to retire, Pittsburgh fits the bill. This is due to its low crime levels, fairly affordable cost of living and top-notch health care facilities, which are all important factors retirees, look out for when seeking a good retirement spot.

Retirees living in Pennsylvania also have access to a myriad of retirement homes. Some of the best retirement developments in Pittsburgh include The Pines of Mount Lebanon, Canterbury Place, Sunrise of Upper St. Clair, Asbury Heights, Masonic Villages, The Haven at North Hills Senior Residence, Friendship Village of South Hills, Longwood at Oakmont, South Hills Retirement Residence and Schenley Gardens Senior Living.

Is Pittsburgh a good place to Visit?

Tourism is a major driver of Pittsburgh’s economy. The city has plenty of attractive offerings. A good example is the Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens in Schenley Park. This venue offers visitors a range of things to view like the extensive outdoor gardens, a 13-room Victorian glasshouse, a Tropical Forest Conservatory, and a Discovery Garden for kids.

Another popular attraction in Pittsburgh is the Carnegie Museum of Natural History. This museum educates and entertains visitors so that they can gain a greater understanding of the natural environment. Exhibits at this place are based on the science surrounding the discovery of the earth and past and present inhabitants. The museum’s primary exhibit features authentic dinosaur fossils.

The Carnegie Science Center is located on the Allegheny River’s northern bank and it offers over 200 hands-on exhibits. As visitors explore the museum, they learn about how science and technology influence day to day lives from energy consumption, food production, industrial processing activities to space exploration.

At the University of Pittsburgh, there’s the Cathedral of Learning, which is a Gothic Revival skyscraper towering above the campus at 535ft tall. The building’s construction started in 1926 and university classes were conducted inside from 1931, but the exterior was completed in 1934.

Frick Art & Historical Centre is also worth visiting. It’s a complex made up of museums and historical buildings situated across several acres of gardens and lawns in the city’s residential East End. Frick Art Museum displays Helen Clay Frick’s art collection.

Another wonderful tourist attraction is the Duquesne Incline. This funicular railway has been serving residents and businesses in Duquesne Heights and Mt. Washington areas of Pittsburgh since 1877.

Pittsburgh Zoo has five special habitats and an aquarium for its wide range of animal residents. PPG Aquarium houses seahorses, sharks and other water dwellers. The Water’s Edge Area is dedicated to educating visitors about coastal wildlife and the environment and also serves as a home for polar bears and sea otters.

Strip District in Golden Triangle is a scene of lively activities throughout the day. This area offers visitors a chance to enjoy a meal, view fine art or do some shopping in any of the small boutiques. Saturdays are especially busy but are also a great time to visit.

There are also many luxury, mid-range and budget hotels where visitors can stay overnight. Some good examples include Omni William Penn Hotel, The Renaissance, The Fairmont, Courtyard Pittsburgh Downtown, The Priory, Hampton Inn, The Comfort Inn, Econo Lodge and Red Roof Plus+. The most convenient place for visitors to stay is straight in the city center.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the cost of living in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania?

Pittsburgh cost of living is 1% lower than the countrywide average. The housing expenses are 8% lower, utility costs are 10% more, transport prices are 7% higher, healthcare is 6% cheaper while the grocery prices are 10% higher in this city compared to the national average. The energy bill is on average $184.43 per month, the phone bill is 196.59 a month and gas costs $2.78 per gallon. A loaf of bread is priced at $3.68, a gallon of milk costs $2.14, a cartoon of eggs goes for $2.00, and a bunch of bananas cost $3.71.

Is Pittsburgh a good place to invest in property?

Pittsburgh’s real estate market consistently ranks high nationally among property investors. It is among the most affordable major metro areas to buy real estate and has been experiencing steady growth economically and a solid rental market. This is why it has received credit as one of the best places to invest in property in Pennsylvania.

Is Pittsburgh a good place to raise a family?

Pittsburgh, PA makes for a good place to raise a family and this can be credited to the affordable cost of living, wonderful cultural offerings, good sports teams, attractive physical surroundings, numerous parks, interesting ethnic diversity, good public transportation, high-quality medical facilities, and friendly locals. However, the weather is not good and the infrastructure is not perfect.