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Living in
Pittsburg.
About
Life in Pittsburg
Life in this southeast Kansas city centers around Pittsburg State University, which anchors the local job market and gives the downtown a younger, more dynamic feel than you'd find in comparable small towns—the median age hovers around 27, and nearly a quarter of residents are college-aged. The economy is stable if modest; with a 4.6% unemployment rate and a median household income around $43,419, you're looking at genuine affordability—median home values sit at $123,200 and rent averages $854 a month—but that income-to-cost ratio also reflects limited high-wage opportunities outside the university. Your commute will be short (averaging just 14.7 minutes), and the city itself feels walkable with genuine downtown activity, including the Pittsburg Art Walk on Broadway and the three-day Little Balkans Days festival celebrating the community's European ethnic heritage, which speaks to real neighborhood character and local pride.
Pittsburg at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
25.7 yrs
Poverty Rate
29.6%
Foreign-Born
6.6%
Broadband Internet
90.5%
of households
Population Growth
-0.5%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics6.6% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Pittsburg: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Pittsburg, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (18.9%), and 7.1% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
22.6%
of residents
65 and Older
12.6%
of residents
Households with Kids
32.3%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
36.2%
of households
Married Couples
32.4%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.32
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 19% below KS average
Rent, home values, and income in Pittsburg
In Pittsburg, rent runs 19% below the KS average, and home values are 43% below the KS average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
49.7%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
25.7%
spending 50%+
Median Property Tax
$1,626
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
46.3%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1968
median year built
Vacant Homes
12.4%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $136,797 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.8 pts above KS average
Unemployment in Pittsburg
Unemployment in Crawford County, which includes Pittsburg, is 0.8 percentage points higher than the KS average.
Unemployment rate
Pittsburg: Crawford County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Crawford County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Pittsburg Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute15.8 min avg
How Pittsburg residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Pittsburg, most residents drive alone to work (77%), and 85% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 21 mi
Joplin Regional Airport (JLN)
Regional airport · few flights23k passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 9% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Pittsburg runs 9% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
360.5
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
2,947.6
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Pittsburg Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 17 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
71.4 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Crawford County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Crawford County, which includes Pittsburg, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 17 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 17 | Hail | $326,000 |
| 2024 | 13 | Thunderstorm Wind | $62,500 |
| 2023 | 21 | Drought | $230,000 |
| 2022 | 16 | Drought | None reported |
| 2021 | 10 | Thunderstorm Wind | $65,000 |
| 2020 | 8 | Winter Weather | $285,000 |
| 2019 | 31 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1.3M |
| 2018 | 9 | Thunderstorm Wind | $45,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
1 earthquake of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Crawford County, county-wide
Air Quality38 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Jasper County, MO (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 24 miles from Pittsburg) is typically good — 305 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
38
Good Days
305
per year
Moderate Days
58
per year
Unhealthy Days
1
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Jasper County, MO (24 mi away)
Climate89°F summers, 27°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Pittsburg has warm summers (avg high 89°F) and cold winters (avg low 27°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
68°/46°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
89°/68°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
70°/48°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
46°/27°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
48.8"
Annual Snowfall
9.5"
Hot Days/Year
57
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
91
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
97
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 43°F | 24°F | 1.77" |
| Feb | 48°F | 28°F | 2.10" |
| Mar | 59°F | 37°F | 3.24" |
| Apr | 68°F | 46°F | 5.06" |
| May | 76°F | 56°F | 7.13" |
| Jun | 86°F | 65°F | 6.07" |
| Jul | 90°F | 70°F | 4.50" |
| Aug | 90°F | 68°F | 3.64" |
| Sep | 82°F | 60°F | 5.18" |
| Oct | 70°F | 48°F | 3.61" |
| Nov | 57°F | 36°F | 3.29" |
| Dec | 46°F | 28°F | 2.30" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 3.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Pittsburg
Pittsburg has 1 hospital, averaging 3.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
15.1%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
3.0 / 5
Mercy Hospital Pittsburg, Inc.
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Girard Medical Center
Critical Access Hospitals · ER available · 11.2 mi away · Girard
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education16.5:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Pittsburg
Pittsburg's student/teacher ratio is 16.5:1, close to the national average of 16:1, and 33.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
6
within city limits
Private Schools
2
within city limits
College Degree Rate
33.2%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
16.5:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Pittsburg
Public · 4-year · 4,210 students · in-state tuition $8,599 · 60% graduate · median earnings $53,785 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Fort Scott National Historic Site, 30 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Pittsburg
Pittsburg has 4 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Fort Scott National Historic Site (30 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Fort Scott National Historic Site
National Historic Site
30 mi awayGeorge Washington Carver National Monument
National Monument
35 mi awayWilson's Creek National Battlefield
National Battlefield
74 mi awayPea Ridge National Military Park
National Military Park
76 mi awayPublic Libraries in Pittsburg
Pittsburg Public Library
308 North Walnut, Pittsburg
Cities Near Pittsburg
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Pittsburg?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Pittsburg FAQ
Is Pittsburg, Kansas affordable?⌄
Pittsburg's median rent is $854/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $43,419/year. Median home value is $123,200.
Is Pittsburg, Kansas safe?⌄
Pittsburg's violent crime rate was 361 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is close to the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 2948 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Pittsburg, Kansas?⌄
Crawford County, which includes Pittsburg, has an unemployment rate of 4.6%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Pittsburg, Kansas?⌄
The cost of living in Pittsburg is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $854/month and median household income is $43,419/year. The median home value is $123,200. About 50% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Pittsburg, Kansas?⌄
The average commute in Pittsburg is 16 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from