Pittsburgh, PA
Census place 4261000 · pop 304,759
The 'Steel City,' once the heart of American steel and home to 446 bridges, more than any city in the world.
Source ↗Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities
Gini 0.52 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities
47.7% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities
20.1% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median 42 AQI · worse than most cities
52 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 1 days · worse than most cities
9 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median +2.4% · worse than most cities
+0.8% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median $67,857 · worse than most cities
$65,742 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 90.0% · worse than most cities
90.4% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities
0.89% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities
23 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
U.S. median $1,756/mo · better than most cities
$1,603/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
U.S. median 3.6% · better than most cities
3.4% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 77/100 · better than most cities
78/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median $214,900 · better than most cities
$205,800 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities
49.1% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
Not measured for Pittsburgh: Crime, Obesity, Mental, Inactive, Smoking, Uninsured, Property crime. Not every public source covers every city — EPA air monitors and Zillow rent only reach some places, and national crime data is still being added.
Frequently asked
- Is Pittsburgh, PA a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Pittsburgh scores 49/100 — a D− (Rough) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 15 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is bachelor's degree or higher and its weakest is income inequality. Pennsylvania overall ranks #37 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
- Is Pittsburgh, PA expensive to live in?
- Pittsburgh has a median home value of $205,800 and typical rent around $1,603/mo — more affordable than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Pittsburgh, PA?
- Its weakest measured area is income inequality (0.52) — 6/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
- What is Pittsburgh, PA best at?
- Its strongest measured area is bachelor's degree or higher (49.1%) — 81/100, better than most U.S. cities. Fun fact: The 'Steel City,' once the heart of American steel and home to 446 bridges, more than any city in the world.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.