What it's like to live in Pittsburg
Pittsburg is a small city in Kansas with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, commutes that run shorter than most cities, and schools with class sizes near the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Pittsburg deals with household incomes below the national average, a poverty rate above the national average, cold winters, and fewer dining and entertainment options than a bigger city.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Short commutes
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Below-average household incomes
- High poverty rate
- Cold winters
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Pittsburg compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Pittsburg
Based on Pittsburg's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$1,708
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $34,160 a year
- 50% of Pittsburg renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$24,640
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $12,320
- Homes cost 2.8× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 40% below US
$854/mo median rent
Rent here is genuinely low, with median rent around $854 a month. Factoring in local incomes, the value gets even better. Money stretches further here than in most of the country. Home prices here are genuinely accessible, with a median around $123,200. That kind of affordability is rare in today's market.
Median home value $123,200 · 50% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
4.6% county unemployment
Unemployment in Crawford County is 4.6%, close to the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Crawford County (county-wide)
SafetyNear US average
361 violent crimes per 100k
Crime runs about typical for a city this size. Some neighborhoods are safer than others, and one overall rate doesn't tell the whole story, so a neighborhood-level look matters more than the headline stat.
Property crime 2948/100k · Pittsburg Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 39% below US
16 min average commute
Commutes run short here, averaging 15.8 minutes. That's an underrated perk of living in a smaller or well-planned city, where time isn't lost sitting in traffic. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 6% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 89°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 27°F and snow a regular occurrence. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits, rated 3.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforceNear US average
33% bachelor's degree or higher
Education levels run about average, with 33% college-educated. It's a mix of white-collar and blue-collar work, which can be an asset or a limitation depending on the field.
Schools
6 public schools inside the boundary
There are 6 public schools inside the boundary and 2 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 17:1, close to the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Fort Scott National Historic Site (30 miles away). There are 4 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Pittsburg's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are household incomes below the national average and a poverty rate above the national average. A year of median rent ($854/mo) equals 24% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget and people who want short commutes.
Other places near Pittsburg
All Kansas guides →Moving to Olathe →
101 mi away · pop. 145,057
Rent $1,314/mo · Income $114,009
Compare with Pittsburg →Moving to Overland Park →
102 mi away · pop. 200,306
Rent $1,515/mo · Income $104,834
Compare with Pittsburg →Not sure Pittsburg is the one?
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