As far as home prices go, the “Steel City'' might want to consider renaming itself the “Steal City.” With median home prices well below the national average, Pittsburgh provides a wide variety of living options for smart money, despite being a city that provides the same amenities as bigger or more popular cities. The money, however, isn’t the only thing that’s smart about Pittsburgh. A number of first class universities within the city limits, including Carnegie Mellon and The University of Pittsburgh, provides amazing local opportunities for higher education, and gives the city a younger vibe than other bigger cities.

Even better that these great housing opportunities exist on the stunning landscape of the hilliest city in America (sorry San Francisco). Who knew the midwest had such hills?

**Here's a list of pros about Pittsburgh from a local:** 
*-Friendly people*
*-Condensed downtown (one of the few areas where you can walk/bike from the suburbs to downtown)*
*-Amazing geography (hills, rivers, forests, lakes); more bridges than any other city in the world (yep, we passed Venice)*
*-Medical care — long history (Salk was here) and excellent*
*-University culture (bunches of colleges), leading to high-tech environment*
*-Tightly-knit communities, without cliquishness — Kids still march in parades on holidays — and get candy from firetrucks*
*-Fall — the display of colors is amazing*
*-Sports — Steelers football, Pirates baseball, Penguins hocky, Riverhounds soccer, PIT or Duquesne basketball, (Jerseys are considered acceptable wear to church, and during playoffs, by the pastor)*
*-Cost of living — quite modest compared to many cities with all of the above*

For more reviews of Pittsburgh from locals check out: [**The Buzz**](https://lookyloomove.com/locations/pittsburgh?page=buzz)

Smart Money On Hilly Streets

The Best Thing About Pittsburgh?

Ever gotten road rage? If not, you might feel inclined to start getting it while driving through Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh’s drivers are consistently rated as either the worst or one of the worst in the nation. To make matters worse, whoever designed Pittsburgh’s road system would likely be rated as either the worst or one of the worst at their job as well if that were a thing. Steel City is notorious for its nonsensical and confusing road map, turning normal commutes into complicated odysseys. Wear a helmet, bike riders.

**Here's a local on oddities of Pittsburgh roads:** 
*Every city has some idiosyncratic intersections. Pittsburgh is all idiosyncratic intersections. It is a very challenging city to drive in. Cities also have unique rule systems that develop outside of the laws. You may think that all situations are covered by the laws, but it is impossible to do so. And thus in a place like Pittsburgh, with so many unusual intersections, local customs and exceptions spring up all over the place. It is the design, not the people*


The driving? Not thriving.

The Worst Thing About Pittsburgh?

There are very few cities in the U.S. that genuinely shock people – Pittsburgh is definitely one. If you think you’re visiting a rust belt city struggling to recover from the decline in manufacturing you will have missed that shift by more than 50 years. It never lost population the way Detroit or Cleveland did and so individual neighborhoods remain energized as is the city as a whole. 

Pittsburgh has the “city” lifestyle you get from two great universities, an incredibly rich performing arts and museum culture,  and downtown sporting stadiums. It also has excellent restaurants, pubs, clubs and boutique shopping. The  intimacy and energy of the truly unique neighborhoods is well matched by the vibrancy of the city at large. 

If you want to know what happens in Pittsburgh check out the calendar of events: https://www.visitpittsburgh.com/events-festivals/


Lifestyle Of Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh has one of the most robust economies in the U.S. Early diversification from manufacturing saved “Steel City” and created an economy with opportunities in medicine, higher education, banking, high tech and services. City employment hasn’t seen a decline in 50 years. Pittsburgh is one of the most educated cities in the U.S. and a high percentage professional workforce. As was noted the roads, drivers and infrastructure are kind of a mess but find an easy commute to work from your home and this is an idyllic place to find and keep a job. 


Workstyle Of Pittsburgh

With more people switching to remote work and looking for larger homes with access to parks and trails, there has never been a better time to move to Pittsburgh. More affordable houses conveniently situated around these amenities and those of other large American cities, including beloved sports stadiums such as Heinz Field, home of the fabled Pittsburgh Steelers, make Pittsburgh a phenomenal destination for the present and the future.


he Price is Right. And the Timing is too.

Why You Should Move Here Now?

**The Best Thing About Pittsburgh?** - Smart Money On Hilly Streets

As far as home prices go, the “Steel City'' might want to consider renaming itself the “Steal City.” With median home prices well below the national average, Pittsburgh provides a wide variety of living options for smart money, despite being a city that provides the same amenities as bigger or more popular cities. The money, however, isn’t the only thing that’s smart about Pittsburgh. A number of first class universities within the city limits, including Carnegie Mellon and The University of Pittsburgh, provides amazing local opportunities for higher education, and gives the city a younger vibe than other bigger cities.

Even better that these great housing opportunities exist on the stunning landscape of the hilliest city in America (sorry San Francisco). Who knew the midwest had such hills?
	
**The Worst Thing About Pittsburgh?** - The driving? Not thriving.

Ever gotten road rage? If not, you might feel inclined to start getting it while driving through Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh’s drivers are consistently rated as either the worst or one of the worst in the nation. To make matters worse, whoever designed Pittsburgh’s road system would likely be rated as either the worst or one of the worst at their job as well if that were a thing. Steel City is notorious for its nonsensical and confusing road map, turning normal commutes into complicated odysseys. Wear a helmet, bike riders.

**How You Living?** - Urban towns

People are often shocked how pleasant Pittsburgh is in comparison to most of the other rust belt cities. A great majority of Pittsburgh is made up of single family homes located near vibrant mini-commercial districts. Highland Park puts families well within reach of parks, trails, and the famed Pittsburgh Zoo. Neighborhoods such as Regent Park are built around independent businesses, coffee shops and art galleries. Finally, the neighborhoods around the Universities, like Shady Side, feel like small college towns, and are great destinations for young people and singles. 

**Why You Should Move Here Now?** - The Price is Right. And the Timing is too.

With more people switching to remote work and looking for larger homes with access to parks and trails, there has never been a better time to move to Pittsburgh. More affordable houses conveniently situated around these amenities and those of other large American cities, including beloved sports stadiums such as Heinz Field, home of the fabled Pittsburgh Steelers, make Pittsburgh a phenomenal destination for the present and the future.


It is rare that people who visit Pittsburgh aren’t impressed with the beauty of the city, the energy of the neighborhoods and the success of the economy alongside inexpensive real estate. So, what keeps the population from exploding? Location. Pittsburgh is on the far western side of the state, right next to the border of Ohio. When Northeasterners look at Pittsburgh they get queasy about how far it is from the eastern seaboard line from Boston to NYC, to Philly and then down to DC. That’s the question for people considering Pittsburgh. Amazing city but it’s ~4 ½ hours from that east coast line. If that bothers you this ain’t your place. If it doesn’t bother you then you’ll love it. 


The Area

Downtown, also known as the Golden Triangle, is where the headquarters of the big corporations are and so for those looking to walk to work this is your spot. Plenty of large condo/apt buildings offer reasonably priced options for those on the way up that corporate ladder and all the cultural and sporting options are balanced by a downtown foodie and bar scene. Outside of downtown lie incredible neighborhoods like Shadyside and Lawrenceville that can be pricier but have small commercial districts with amazing diverse food options, pubs and boutique shopping. 
- Downtown
- Shadyside
- Lawrenceville
- Oakland


Young Professionals

Downtown

The neighborhoods of Shadyside and Squirrel Hill are beautiful places to live for virtually anyone but if you want to avoid downtown and still have a local social scene these are good options. Shadyside is near Carnegie Mellon and has an interesting mix of families enjoying the huge historic homes, and younger couples and singles living in apartments, smaller home options and condos. Squirrel Hill is another great option. Built into the hill and near Frick Park it has a social/commercial scene like Shadyside but an added bonus of being surrounded by nature for hiking, biking and strolling. 
- Shady Side
- Squirrel Hill

DINKs/SINKs

Shady Side

Pittsburgh is frequently ranked the #1 city in the U.S. for LGBTQ+ homebuyers. It doesn’t have a specific neighborhood for the community to congregate but the East End area, including the East Liberty, Strip District, Polish Hill and Lawrencefill neighborhoods, is a good place to start. These are more downtown feeling neighborhoods with condo/apartment living options + great social scenes. Also consider the quieter neighborhoods of Squirrel Hill and Shadyside – again, the city leans heavily progressive and most areas worth considering.https://www.reddit.com/r/pittsburgh/comments/ejpd16/does_pittsburgh_have_a_gayborhood_or_lgbtq_area/
- East End (East LIberty, Strip District, Polish Hill etc.)
- Squirrel Hill
- Shadyside


LGBTQ+

East End

Squirrel Hill is a favorite of families in Pittsburgh. The historic Jewish neighborhood in Pittsburgh, Squirrel Hill has tons of kids running around, riding their bikes into the commercial district to get ice cream, or just riding around with friends. The schools are amazing and the homes are big and beautiful. It’s pricier than other neighborhoods but if you’re coming from New York or Boston or Chicago you’re going to love the price tag. Point Breeze is another favorite and it has the same advantage as Squirrel Hill in that it borders Frick Park. This means you get the best balance of nice lively blocks of restaurants, shopping, book stories and cafes, and nature in your backyard.
- Squirrel Hill
- Point Breeze
- Regent Park


Families

Squirrel Hill 

Pittsburgh

**What is it like to live in Pittsburgh, PA?**

I moved to Pittsburgh last year for my graduate studies. It grew on me very, very fast. I didn’t know anyone here, and none of the people I know ever visited Pittsburgh. To be honest, I wasn’t expecting much. I had lived in Los Angeles a few years back and naturally anticipated that Pittsburgh would have a much lower quality of life, and thus I lowered my standards accordingly.

My flight from Chicago to Pittsburgh landed at around 11am on August 10th, 2019. I did not get enough sleep that night. I looked out the window having mixed feelings of how adventurous it is to move to a new city that you’ve never visited before. My only concern at the time wasn’t that I wanted to love it, I simply didn’t want to hate it. I just wanted it to be decent enough for me to tolerate for the next 2 years and graduate.

I walked out of the plane and into the sunny, unusually colorful terminal of the airport. I look up and there was a picture of a farm that said “there once was a farm”, I walk again for about 20 feet and find another picture of the airport that said “..that turned into an airport.” I think that was my first experience of Pittsburgh humor. It felt like an uncommon way of welcoming, one that I had never experienced before.

The city was empty, my Uber driver was the only car parked on the curb of the arrivals area. He wasn’t in a good mood, I was tired, and there wasn’t anything “special”, but considering all of the above, the vibe was amazing. It felt calm, peaceful. It reminded me a lot of Wisteria Lane on a good day. Seeing the streets of Pittsburgh for the first time, I didn’t know that exhausted and happy could overlap.

**What is it like to live in Pittsburgh, PA?**

As in any place, there are pluses and minuses.

On the plus side:

- friendly people
- long history with a lot of aspects of the town reflecting that
- Condensed downtown (one of the few areas where you can walk/bike from the suburbs to downtown)
- Amazing geography (hills, rivers, forests, lakes); more bridges than any other city in the world (yep, we passed Venice)
- medical care — long history (Salk was here) and excellent
- university culture (bunches of colleges), leading to high-tech environment
- tightly-knit communities, without cliquishness — Kids still march in parades on holidays — and get candy from firetrucks
- Fall — the display of colors is amazing
- Sports — Steelers football, Pirates baseball, Penguins hocky, Riverhounds soccer, PIT or Duquesne basketball, (Jerseys are considered acceptable wear to church, and during playoffs, by the pastor)
- Cost of living — quite modest compared to many cities with all of the above

On the minus side:

- Roads - pot-holed, frequently under construction early spring - late fall, not rectilinear (most used to be game trails), often two that meet on a map won’t in real world (see “geography” and “bridges” above).
- Mass transit — it mostly isn’t, except really close to downtown
- Pollution (air, water, some ground)
- Mine subsidence (how your home becomes a hole in the ground)
- Job offerings limited, but improving
- Food — lots of immigrant communities, not much good ethnic food (maybe Polish or Italian)
- Airport: it was world-class, once
- Politics: A dead Democrat could beat any Republican
- Ice storms: we don’t get hurricanes or mass snow-storms, but a quarter inch of ice will mess you up. The salt they spread to deal with ice doesn’t help your car much, either.
- February: The month the temps don’t get UP to freezing.

**What is it like to live in Pittsburgh, PA?**

Heaven, I mean, not always, but it’s pretty great. Ton’s of affordable, beautiful, old houses, extensive parkland with trails, ample greenspace, bike lanes, windy roads, and stunning views at EVERY turn. Lots of young people in the city, maybe not so much outside of it, no reason to leave the city really… Great Cafes, (try commonplace coffee), unique hotels (the Ace, Mansions On Fifth, and whatever that big one downtown is called), tons of universities, some brick streets, and a sizable population f good people (matched with some really bad ones to be honest). 

Grey skies are common here, but there is sun often enough. Lots of cool cars if you know where to look. I like the rain, but if you don’t well… Perhaps this place isn’t for you. Summer is utopian, warm beautiful weather, Fall is beautiful (Maple Trees), winter is refreshing at first, but, yeah, gets old about January first, maybe earlier, and Spring is great. Takes about two years to get to know people here, but once you do it’s like you know everybody. Eatings good to, even for vegans. Excessive amounts of bubble tea. Great place, but not for everybody.

**People who moved to Pittsburgh in the last 5-10 years, would you do it again?**

I moved here 5 and 1/2 years ago. I grew up in central PA, and went to college and worked in Boston before moving here. If money wasn't a factor in the equation I would 100% move back to Boston. But since money is always a factor I would make the choice again to move to Pittsburgh. I think Pittsburgh resides in this weird space where its not as dense and doesn't have as good as transit as your typical east coast city(Boston, NYC, Philly, DC) but still more dense than almost all midwest and southern cities. You have similar size areas like Columbus, Nashville, Raleigh growing at a healthy rate and I can only deduce that we are competing less with these suburban sprawl cities and are instead competing more with the east coast cities. I like the more compact city and Pittsburgh is certainly the most cost friendly among them. In addition to that we have many amenities that exceed the population of our city from the former glory days as well as having great access to outdoor recreation, specifically for me whitewater. My wife and I are in the process of buying a house and having a family thus setting our roots down here for the foreseeable future.

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Blitzburgh

Looklyloo Score: 84