What it's like to live in Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh is a large city in Pennsylvania with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, unemployment below the national average, and commutes that run shorter than most cities. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Pittsburgh deals with household incomes below the national average, crime rates above the national average, air quality that falls short of national benchmarks, and a poverty rate above the national average.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Low unemployment
- Short commutes
- Highly educated workforce
- Several well-rated hospitals
The not so good
- Below-average household incomes
- Crime above national average
- Air quality concerns
- High poverty rate
- Cold winters
- Snowy winters — 44" per year
How Pittsburgh compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Pittsburgh
Based on Pittsburgh's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,522
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $50,440 a year
- 45% of Pittsburgh renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$41,160
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $20,580
- Homes cost 3.1× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 11% below US
$1,261/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,261 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices here are genuinely accessible, with a median around $205,800. That kind of affordability is rare in today's market.
Median home value $205,800 · 45% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▼ 16% below US
3.6% unemployment
Unemployment here is 3.6%, a little below the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▲ 42% above US
468 violent crimes per 100k
Crime is worth weighing seriously here. Rates run above the national average, and while plenty of residents live comfortably, neighborhood selection matters a lot more than it does in a safer city.
Property crime 2370/100k · Pittsburgh Bureau of Police · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 13% below US
23 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 22.7 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 5 in 10 workers drive to work; 12% take public transit; 22% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 81°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 25°F and snow a regular occurrence. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
10 hospitals
There are 10 Medicare-certified hospitals inside city limits. They average 3.6 out of 5 on Medicare's star rating.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▲ 36% above US
49% bachelor's degree or higher
The population is well-educated, with 49% holding college degrees. That points to a strong professional base and generally a healthy local economy.
Schools
68 public schools inside the boundary
There are 68 public schools inside the boundary and 34 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 11:1, well below the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Friendship Hill National Historic Site (46 miles away). There are 6 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Pittsburgh'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 crime rates above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,261/mo) equals 23% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget, remote workers (22% of workers here already work from home), and people who would rather not drive.
Other places near Pittsburgh
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