Allegheny County · Pennsylvania · Northeast · 305k residents
Pittsburgh, PA: economy, jobs & business costs
The site-selection read on Pittsburgh: labor costs, talent, corporate tax, energy, and business activity, 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.
Average weekly wages in the surrounding labor market run $1,563/wk. Pennsylvania's corporate income tax rate is 7.99%. Commercial electricity averages 11.0¢/kWh.
Compare Pittsburgh side by side
Avg. weekly wage
$1,563/wk
Corporate income tax
7.99%
Bachelor's degree or higher
49.1%
Commercial electricity
11.0¢/kWh
Economic momentum
How fast Pittsburgh's economy is moving, ranked against the US cities we track.
50/100
Steady
Ranks Pittsburgh's residential building-permit and jobs 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. This is economic activity, not commercial lease rates or vacancy. Not investment or relocation advice.
| Median home value | $230,000 |
| Price per sq. ft. | $165 |
| Property tax rate | 2.1% |
| 1-bedroom rent | $1,300/mo |
| 2-bedroom rent | $1,550/mo |
| State & local income tax | 6.07% |
| Sales tax | 7% |
| Corporate income tax | 7.99% |
| Avg. weekly wage | $1,563/wk |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 49.1% |
| Commercial electricity | 11.0¢/kWh |
| Businesses per 1k residents | 29.7/1k |
| Wage: Software developer | $124,500 |
| Wage: Registered nurse | $82,370 |
| Wage: General manager | $100,840 |
| Wage: Customer service | $42,790 |
| Wage: Warehouse worker | $35,900 |
| Wage: Heavy truck driver | $57,880 |
| Wage: Electrician | $69,340 |
| Wage: Retail salesperson | $30,840 |
| Cost of living index | 93 |
| Groceries index | 99 |
| Utilities | $170/mo |
| Transit pass | $98/mo |
| Gas price | $3.55/gal |
| Healthcare index | 99 |
| Childcare (per child) | $1,200/mo |
| Median household income | $60,000 |
| Unemployment rate | 4.2% |
| Population | 305k |
| Crime index | 45/100 |
| School rating | 6.0/10 |
| Walkability | 62/100 |
| Disaster risk | 98/100 |
| Avg. commute | 24 min |
| Sunny days / year | 160 days |
| July high | 85°F |
| January low | 21°F |
| Annual snowfall | — |
| Home price YoY | -0.6% |
| Home price MoM | -0.2% |
| Rent YoY | +4.3% |
| Rent MoM | +0.5% |
| Employment (jobs) YoY | -0.1% |
| Building permits YoY | +19.2% |
| Ocean coast | 286 mi |
| Big lake | 108 mi |
| Mountains | 125 mi |
| Major airport | 15 mi |
| Ski resort | 47 mi |
Popular comparisons
Nearby
- Baldwin, PA · 21k
- Allison Park, PA · 22k
- West Mifflin, PA · 19k
- Monroeville, PA · 28k
- Plum, PA · 27k
Similar size
- Allentown, PA · 126k
- Reading, PA · 95k
- Erie, PA · 94k
- Bethlehem, PA · 78k
- Scranton, PA · 76k
Real listings in Pittsburgh
LoopNet ↗Crexi ↗CommercialCafe ↗
Links open third-party listing searches. WhereToHQ has no paid relationship with these sites.
- Is Pittsburgh a good place to run a business?
- Pennsylvania's corporate income tax rate is 7.99%; average weekly wages in the surrounding labor market run $1,563/wk; commercial electricity averages 11.0¢/kWh. Weigh these against your own priorities in the business comparison tool.
- 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 (compiled estimate; individual listings vary).
- How much is rent in Pittsburgh?
- A two-bedroom in Pittsburgh rents for about $1,550/mo.