Pittsburgh at a Glance
The Iron City, the Steel City, the City of Bridges, Pittsburgh is an enclave of innovation with a heart of industrial grit. The city came to prominence in the 19th century, thanks to its position on the riverways and the rich ore beneath it. The former made it a major hub for trade and transportation, and the latter made it a giant in industry, creating the infrastructure for development across the country.
But this rapid industrialization came with a price, and collapsing demand and damaging pollution sullied the city’s skies and reputation. This ultimately drove the city to reinvent itself, which it did on many fronts. Industries diversified and modernized, and the city took a revolutionary step toward clean energy when it became the first American city to use nuclear power. Contemporary Pittsburgh is now dominated by industries like healthcare and finance, with operations in decarbonization, robotics and AI fueling a new service-driven market.
Pittsburgh may have an iron core, but the Steel City certainly has a softer side, too. Whether you’re gazing out at the confluence of Ohio, the Allegheny and the Monongahela from Point State Park, or taking in the rolling hillsides from the top of the Duquesne Incline, you’ll never have to look hard to appreciate the beauty of the terrain.
Pittsburgh has plenty of indoor wonders, as well — the Andy Warhol Museum, the Heinz History Museum and the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh are just three of the incredible institutions that call the Steel City Home. And don’t forget sports. You’ll find no more fearsome fans than those for the Pirates, the Penguins and — of course — the Steelers.
Even if the city seems small in your imagination, Pittsburgh delivers the amenities of a much larger metro. And if you move to Pittsburgh, you’ll soon understand why the city has earned so many accolades lately, including being named one of the best cities for outdoor recreation and one of the most fun cities in America.
If you’re looking for a northeastern city with cultural charms and a rich history, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, should be on your list. Learn more about the pros and cons of living in Pittsburgh below — the weather, the cost of living, the job market, popular neighborhoods to live and hang out in and the city’s coolest attractions.
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Understanding Pittsburgh’s Climate and Weather
A city of four seasons, Pittsburgh’s climate offers cause for celebrating and chagrin in every quarter of the year. Some days will be too icy and others too steamy, but relief will never be far from sight.
Pittsburgh winters are cold but not so cold that you’ll go all Punxsutawney Phil on your friends. The average low outside a groundhog’s bunker in January is a manageable 21 F, but by mid-April, temperatures usually stay above freezing for good. Of course, there is snow in the Steel City — 44 inches, on average — so you will need good winter gear, here, for practical and recreational purposes.
Pittsburgh summers will, likewise, only occasionally drive you to hide in climate-controlled, underground spaces. The average high in July is 83 F, and although climate change is causing heat domes to cook even the northernmost metropolises in America, Pittsburgh has reliable summertime rains and cooling winds off the rivers that turn the burners down on the climatic blast furnace.
Spring usually arrives in full force by May, but the season is announced earlier by popular events like the Pittsburgh Humanities Festival, Pittsburgh Fringe and the Pittsburgh Marathon, which draws 40,000 athletes from around the country, many of whom can easily outrun a groundhog — they max out at about 8 mph and have to stop at every yard for grass.
Fall is leaf-peeping season across the northeast, and with the hilly terrain and rolling rivers, Pittsburgh is never more glamorous than in this season. For a bird’s-eye view, take in the color show from West End Overlook Park, or make the drive out to Falling Water to see Frank Lloyd Wright’s beloved masterwork in autumnal glory.
Breaking Down Pittsburgh’s Cost of Living
Compared to nearby Northeastern cities like Philadelphia, Boston and New York, Pittsburgh’s real estate prices are a steal. The median home value in the city is just $171,800, compared to $215,500 in the City of Brotherly Love, $684,900 in Beantown and $732,100 in the Big Apple. Even the U.S. median tops Pittsburgh’s average by more than $100,000.
Rents in the Steel City are also lower than its northeastern counterparts, but with housing shortages driving up prices across the country, renters are getting pinched even in more affordable cities. In Pittsburgh, the median gross rent averaged $1,153 between 2018 and 2022 — several hundred dollars less than in Boston and NYC but only a hundred dollars behind Philly.
About half of Pittsburg residents own their own home in Pittsburgh (comparable to Philadelphia), and the monthly cost with a mortgage comes out to $1,347 — just a little more than renting. Income levels in Pittsburgh are actually a bit higher than they are in Philly, so residents of the Steel City have an easier time buying, too. This may be one reason why Philly’s poverty rate is more elevated than Pittsburgh’s, but both exceed the U.S. average by eight points or more.
Even though housing is affordable in Pittsburgh, other common household costs in the city may trend higher than the national average. In the northeast, the price of food, healthcare, personal insurance/pensions and all other items are all higher than what the average U.S. consumer pays.
Unlocking Job Opportunities in Pittsburgh
No longer a single-industry town, the Steel City’s job market is now defined by its diversity and innovation. Education and health services leads the pack, employing 258,000 residents in the greater Pittsburgh area at renowned institutions like the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC), Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh and Highmark Health. Of course, the academic side of this city also contributes greatly to the workforce, training a new generation of workers and drawing top researchers from around the globe to institutions like Carnegie Mellon, the University of Pittsburgh, Duquesne University and Carlow University, among others.
Trade, transportation and utilities still employs more than 200,000 individuals in Pittsburgh, and, relatedly, manufacturing employs 80,000. So, it’s safe to say that while some of the industrial dominance of the past has faded, the city remains a critical inland port and a site for innovative production. Now those industries include automated and green technologies, advanced manufacturing and partnerships with healthcare, driven by companies like IAM Robotics, Philips Respironics, Meta, Boeing and Krystal Biotech. These join longstanding powerhouses like Kraft Heinz, GNC, Alcoa and U.S. Steel. The arrival of these newer-to-Pittsburgh industries have made professional & business services the third-largest sector in the city, followed by leisure and hospitality, which has been boosted by the city’s diverse cultural amenities, from professional sports (Go, Steelers!) to museums and festivals.
This eclectic commercial mix has helped keep Pittsburgh’s unemployment rate at a low, 2.9% — trailing the national average by more than half a point. Unfortunately, both the median annual income and the average hourly wages are lower in Pittsburgh than elsewhere in the U.S. Pittsburgh residents earn an average of $29.60/hour, compared to $31.48/hour nationally, which affects everyone from cashiers to civil engineers.
Finding Your Community in Pittsburgh
Of all the cities we’ve moved people to, Pittsburgh’s downtown scene holds a big place in our hearts. The Golden Triangle, as its familiarly known, juts its nose into three riverways at Point State Park, and the bridges that connect the business and entertainment district to the other part of the city earned The Burgh one of its many monikers — the City of Bridges. The vistas from every corner of downtown are exceptional, but so are the many destinations within, from the Benedum Center for the Performing Arts to the Fourth Avenue Historic District, where architectural wonders like the Burke Building and the Centennial Building fill commuters with a little morning awe.
Just up the street in the Strip, you’ll find Pittsburgh’s warehouse district, full of markets, street vendors and rehabbed industrial charm. The Strip District is where you’ll go when you want your weekly produce, an organic houseplant, a facial or a high-stakes round of mini-golf. The Terminal converted Pittsburgh’s former wholesale produce market into a trendy spot for eating and relaxing, and you’ll find some great local dining spots here, from classic Italian sandwicheries like PrimoHoagies to the elegant Argentine restaurant Balvanera. Okay, yes, there’s also a Chipotle. No place is completely free from chains, is it?
Venture even farther down the road and you’ll find yourself in the almost too-cool-for-school Lawrenceville neighborhood, where many artists have their studios and galleries open their doors to collectors and aspirational window-shoppers. Appropriately configured around a cemetery, this artsy enclave has edgy music venues like Cattivo, quirky bars like the Abbey, which is housed in a building that was once a funeral parlor and a brass foundry, and the Butterwood, an organic cakery that serves happiness by the slice until 11 p.m.
Take a trip across the iconic Roberto Clemente Bridge from Downtown and you’ll find yourself in the buzzy Allegheny district, where museums and diversions abound. Catch a Steelers game, watch a spaceship being made at the Moonshot Museum or make friends with the toucans at the National Aviary. After a day of sightseeing in your new hometown, refresh your spirits at the family-friendly Federal Galley, a micro food hall where you can order Caribbean BBQ, “truffalo” chicken, chilaquiles and chicken & waffles brunch pizza all under one roof.
Just an acorn’s throw from downtown, the cozy and cosmopolitan district of Squirrel Hill is divided into two areas, north and south. Squirrel Hill North is trendier and spendier, while Squirrel Hill South appeals to a younger set who haven’t, er, squirreled away as many nuts for the winter. The entire district is sandwiched in between two fabulous greenspaces: Frick Park, with its iconic blue slide and Schenley Park, where the Phipps Conservatory and Botanic Gardens are located. You can walk to the Carnegie Museum of Art from the northwest side and the Frick Pittsburgh Museum and Gardens on the northeast side. In between, there are tons of fun places to shop, eat and play. See the latest indie movies at the Manor Theatre and grab a shawarma “pitza” afterward from Aladdin’s, a casual Lebanese joint that’s been around for 30 years.
Just north of here lies one of our favorite hang-out spots: Shadyside. Contrary to what its name suggests, everything always looks a little sunnier on these streets. Which is precisely one of Shadyside’s claims to fame — its wooden street. Yes, that’s right, a street paved with wood. Roslyn Place is cobbled with creosote-soaked Nicholson blocks — the last of its kind in the country. On its shop-lined avenues, you can treat yourself to all manner of delights: scallion pancake-Sichuan beef dips at Soba, face-size chocolate chip cookies at Georgie’s Corner Bakery & Café or novelties from the Shadyside Variety Store. You may be able to have too many rubber chickens, but you cannot say the same for dinosaur water pistols.
Note: If you’re thinking of moving to the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, it’s important to thoroughly research neighborhoods you might be interested in living. Before you decide where you are going to live, make sure you understand the area’s cost of living, commute time, tax rates, safety statistics and schooling information.
Living in Pittsburgh Like a Local
Commuting
The average Philly commuter spends 23.4 minutes getting to work each day, which is a few minutes faster than average American does. The city of 300,000 has access to three bike-friendly lines of light rail service from the PRT (Pittsburgh’s Regional Transit), a robust network of buses, and our very favorite thing — the inclines. Fun is baked right into riding Pittsburgh’s two funiculars — the Mon Incline and the Duquesne — both of which will help you skedaddle up two of The Burgh’s steepest slopes and treat you to a panoramic view of the river valley below. Standard fare for the PRT is $2.75/three hours, $7.00 for a day pass, and just shy of $100 for a monthly pass.
Hard-core cyclists will want to check out BikePGH to meet the city’s many other two-wheelers (and the occasional unicyclist). The group has successfully lobbied for even more bike infrastructure, which will deliver even more bike lanes and pathways for Pittsburgh riders and pedestrians by 2030.
Pittsburgh is easy to access by car, train or plane, of course — this is still a major hub for transportation. You can reach 135 cities in the U.S., Canada, the UK and Iceland nonstop and Amtrak simplifies regional business commutes.
Sports
Pittsburgh has all the bragging rights when it comes to pro sports. None of the three major teams here has brough home fewer than five championship wins, making the Burgh both the envy and the enemy of other cities.
The “Sixburgh” Steelers play in the Allegheny area northwest of Downtown at Acrisure Stadium. As the winningest Super Bowl team in the NFL, the Steelers were originally known as the Pirates, but that kind of stealing would eventually be left to the MLB.
The actual Pittsburgh Pirates were called the Alleghenies until their habit of stealing ball players from opposing teams gave them a reputation of high-seas hijinks. Still, the Bucs have come by their five World Series wins the hard way — that is, honestly — but that winning streak ended way back in 1979. Here’s hoping the team can make off with a better record at PNC Park in 2024.
No team brings the hometown pride like the birds on ice, though. The Pittsburgh Penguins play at PPG Paints Arena just north of Duquesne University, and this NHL team took home the Stanley cup in back-to-back wins in 1991/92 and 2016/17 with another victory in 2009.
Outdoors
You never would have thought that a city once known for its blackened skies and pollution would someday be named one of the best cities for outdoor recreation, but it is. The Steel City is home to some of the most amazing city parks, nature preserves and hiking trails in the region.
Let’s start from the outside in. Almost everyone has heard of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater (about an hour outside the city), but just around the corner on the Youghiogheny River is Ohiopyle State Park. Lush trails, gorgeous falls and whitewater rapids make this jewel of the Laurel Highlands a must-hike for the outdoorsy. The Ohiopyle low and high bridges cross the river more than 600 feet in the air, treating hikers and bikers to a truly spectacular sight in this part of the Great Allegheny Passage, which provides a car-free path from Pittsburgh all the way to Cumberland, Maryland.
Within the city, regional greenspaces like Emerald Hill give sweeping views of the skyline while Schenley Park offers recreation for every season, from disc golf to swimming and ice skating. The Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium is the best place in the city to go wild. Help the staff feed the black-tipped sharks or the Masai giraffes or learn to draw a Visayan Warty Pig, known for its long snoot and its breeding-season-only mohawk. Snort!
When you just need to chillax, you’ll have your pick of annual festivals — free concerts at the Millvale Music Festival, coasting through the past at the Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix and colorful cosplay at 3 Rivers Comicon. You can embrace your salty, acidic side at Picklesburgh, where you can bob for pickles, sip pickle-flavored tea, or do shots of Eau de Pickle, a 100-proof, double-distilled rye infused with all the flavors of your local delicatessen. We wouldn’t say that anything goes at Picklesburgh, but it seems clear that almost everything can be pickled, even if it shouldn’t. Looking at you, pickle-flavored cotton candy vendor.
When you really need a thrill, Kennywood awaits. Spin yourself silly on the Black Widow, which will rotate you like a human centrifuge on a pendulum. Or watch your family turn a ghostly white on the Phantom’s Revenge, where you’ll plummet 232 feet so fast, you’ll wish you were dead.
Arts and History
Pittsburgh’s cultural scene runs as deep as the Steel City’s iron ore, and there are galleries, museums and one-offs to please even the finickiest of visitors. The Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh are world-renowned destinations that include a Museum of Art, Museum of Natural History, Science Center and the Andy Warhol Museum, which celebrates the pop art of the city’s native son, who continues to enjoy fame well in excess of his allotted 15 minutes.
The Mattress Factory brings exciting contemporary artists to create unusual exhibitions and installations in a repurposed industrial space, while down the street, the City of Asylum House Poem makes verse writ large on a clapboard townhouse.
One of Pittsburgh’s quirkier venues is Bicycle Heaven, where all good things on two wheels can go to retire or be given a second life by the proprietor, who can fix just about anything, even your broken spirit.
The Center for PostNatural History will really blow your mind, though. You’ll learn about the many organisms that have been altered by humans, from tiny pathogens like E. coli to the chicken on your dinner table.
How to Move to Pittsburgh
Now that you know some key things about Pittsburgh and feel ready to make the move, start looking for a national, reputable moving company. Mayflower® and our trusted team of movers will guide you Every Step of the Way® of your move.
Get a moving quote now for Pittsburgh.
Since 1927, Mayflower has been on the move, helping American families relocate to new homes across the country. We offer long-distance moving services to move your family to Pittsburgh from any place in the U.S. Our custom full-service moving packages include a personal move coordinator, packing and unpacking services, storage, debris removal and even car shipping.
Confused about the moving process? We’re here to help you with everything from hiring the best movers to settling into your new home. Leave the details to Mayflower for a streamlined move.
If you’re relocating within the city of Pittsburgh or from another part of Pennsylvania, Mayflower’s interstate Pennsylvania agents/movers provide local moving services in Pittsburgh independently under their businesses and brands.
Even if you’re planning a DIY move to Pittsburgh, Mayflower’s moving resources are still available to you, including our step-by-step guide to moving.
Want a more in-depth guide to settling in? Welcome HOME magazine will give you the latest tips and tricks for a stress-free move.
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