?WhereToHQ

Allegheny County · Pennsylvania · Northeast · 305k residents

Pittsburgh, PA: cost of living, taxes & quality of life

Residential facts for Pittsburgh: housing, taxes, monthly costs, climate, schools, and household income, with the Pennsylvania median as the yardstick. Compare it live against any of 3,000 US cities.

Data coverage: Curated city row; coverage varies by fact.

The median home value in Pittsburgh is $230,000, 8% above the Pennsylvania median. A two-bedroom rents for about $1,550/mo. Day-to-day costs index at 93 against a national baseline of 100. The median household here earns $60,000 a year.

What the numbers show

Source-confirmed findings

Limited coverage: This profile does not yet have enough source-confirmed local data for a city brief.

This profile does not yet have enough source-confirmed local data for a city brief.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 American Community Survey 5-year estimates(2024 ACS 5-year; tables B01003, B15003, B19013, B25077). Geography: Census place where available. This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.

WhereToHQ calculates the comparisons. Figures are estimates for context, not a guarantee or personal financial advice. Read the methodology or send a correction.

What makes this place distinctive

A factual snapshot of the place, based on the profile data. It is not a tourism or cultural claim.

A three-river city where steel history, steep hills, and a practical innovation culture meet.

Known for: Bridges, industrial heritage, universities, sports, and neighborhood food traditions.

Calendar note: The Three Rivers Arts Festival is a major annual downtown event.

Story source: Visit Pittsburgh

  • Scale: A large city with a quarter-million or more residents in the profile data.
  • Setting: The profile places Pittsburgh about 108 miles from the nearest tracked lake.
  • Climate signal: The profile records 160 sunny days.
  • Daily pace: The profile records a walk score of 62 and an average commute of 24 minutes.

WhereToHQ derives these signals from the committed city dataset. Read the methodology for coverage and source limits.

Compare Pittsburgh side by side

Cost of living index

93

cheaper than 65% of US cities

Median home value

$230,000

+8.1% vs state mediancheaper than 76% of US cities

2-bedroom rent

$1,550/mo

≈ US median

Median household income

$60,000

10% vs state medianhigher than 20% of US cities

Housing momentum

How fast Pittsburgh's housing market is moving, ranked against the US cities we track.

51/100

Steady

Rents YoY: +4.3% (top 25%)Home prices YoY: -0.6% (bottom 29%)Rents MoM: +0.5% (top 30%)
Momentum slowing · 12 over 2 yr

Ranks Pittsburgh's home-price and rent growth against the US cities we cover. The label is relative pace, not a direction, so a market can rank low while some figures still rise. A higher score moves faster, it is not cheaper or better. Not investment or relocation advice.

$a year

Adjusted by Pittsburgh's cost-of-living index versus the US average.

All facets · Pittsburgh
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Real listings in Pittsburgh

Homes on ZillowRealtor.comRentals on ZillowApartments.com

Links open third-party listing searches. WhereToHQ has no paid relationship with these sites.

Questions & answers
What is the cost of living in Pittsburgh, PA?
Pittsburgh indexes at 93 for day-to-day costs against a national baseline of 100, with a typical two-bedroom renting for $1,550/mo and a median home value of $230,000.
How much does a house cost in Pittsburgh?
The median home value in Pittsburgh is $230,000, 8% above the Pennsylvania median (compiled estimate; individual listings vary).
How much is rent in Pittsburgh?
A two-bedroom in Pittsburgh rents for about $1,550/mo.