Pittsburgh PA
Pennsylvania · Pop. 304,759
Pittsburgh, PA: median household income of $65,742, median rent of $1,261/mo, 6.1% unemployment. Our verdict: It Depends.
Score Breakdown
Key Metrics
Median Income
$65,742
per year
Median Rent
$1,261
per month
Median Home
$206k
home value
Unemployment
6.1%
of labor force
Poverty Rate
20.1%
below poverty line
Avg. Commute
23 min
one way
City Reality Check balanced
"Pittsburgh, PA Reality Check"
In Pittsburgh, the rent-to-income burden runs around 23% — refreshingly manageable by national standards. Median income sits at $65,742 and median rent is $1,261/month. 45% of renters are cost-burdened (30%+ of income on housing). Landlords are winning; everyone else is treading water. Median home value: $205,800 — that's 3.1× the median income. 49% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher — a highly educated workforce that drives (and inflates) this local economy. Employment picture: 6.06% unemployment — a average employment landscape. Poverty rate: 20.1% — well above the national average. The headline economic numbers hide a bifurcated city. Average commute: 23 minutes — acceptable. Violent crime: 35.9/100k avg monthly rate (4641 reported); Property crime: 156.2/100k avg monthly rate (20206 reported). Pittsburgh was founded in 1758 — that's 268 years of history baked into the streets. The city covers 58.3 sq miles at 5,227 people/sq mile — moderately dense. Elevation: 1,224 ft — elevated terrain. Pittsburgh has 24 sister cities — cosmopolitan on paper, at least. RoastMyCity overall score: 67/100 — It Depends.
Local Context
Safety
/100Violent crime: 35.9/100k avg monthly rate (4641 reported); Property crime: 156.2/100k avg monthly rate (20206 reported).