​​7 Best Neighborhoods to Live in Pittsburgh, PA

Living in Pittsburgh, PA is an experience you won’t forget! Nicknamed “Blitzburgh” and “Steel City,” Pittsburgh’s gained so much attention some are calling it the “reinvention city.” Its star is on the rise, all the way to now being the best city to live in Pennsylvania. And, with a progressive atmosphere and affordable living opportunities, it’s also cracked the top 20 list of “Best Places to Retire” and the top 50 “Best Places to Live in the US,” according to US News and World Report in 2023.

Pittsburgh is a top bet if you’re looking for an inexpensive city to live in without sacrificing the quality of life rich in cultural attractions and things to do. It ticks the boxes when it comes to the whole urban lifestyle, with good schools and universities, above-average access to healthcare, growing job opportunities, and diverse cultures.

So what will life be like living in Pittsburgh? Let’s start by looking at why Pittsburgh ranks as Pennsylvania’s top city, followed by a few of its top-choice neighborhoods.

Why Live in Pittsburgh?

How about we start with the cost of living? It ranks as the sixth cheapest place to live in the United States. It can be hard to believe that a dense major city with 300,000 residents can be 8% cheaper than the US average, but it’s true. The average annual salary in Pittsburgh is $54,300, which was right on par with the national average of the time. Living expenses for a family of four were around $42,750.

What do you get for this lower cost of living? A selection of diverse employment opportunities, from healthcare at the Saint Clair Hospital to education at Carnegie Mellon University to the financial industry, as with PNC Financial Services headquarters. Yes, there are still steel mills and industry in Pittsburgh, but it’s also a growing tech hub that’s attracted Google, numerous tech accelerators and earned a no. 13 world ranking for tech startups.

Families with kids will be pleased to know that the education system in Pittsburgh is strong. The local school district runs 125 elementary, middle, and high schools. 84 of its high schools appeared on the US News and World Report’s best high school national rankings. It also has 17 colleges and universities, four of which are also on its best colleges rankings: the University of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon University (no. 22 in the nation), Duquesne University, and Chatham University.

The dining scene features everything from local mom and pops to big-name chains, so you can take your pick when it comes to food. Some have cracked independent lists about the best places to eat in the nation. And the craft breweries! Pittsburgh has some of the best in the country, perhaps the most well-known being East End Brewing.

And why you may think of Pittsburgh as an industrial city, littered with old brick warehouses and steel towers, that’s not necessarily the case. There are over 2,000 acres of green spaces inside the city to experience the joys of four-season weather. Frick Park in Point Breeze is a famous historical park with trails, birding areas, and a dog park, but Emerald View Park has the best city skyline views. Three rivers also come together inside the city: Monongahela, Allegheny, and Ohio. These provide you access to water recreation, from yachting to paddle boarding.

Pittsburgh is also home to world-class museums like the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, the Frick Art and Historical Center, and the Andy Warhol Museum. But if the family isn’t into art, why not stop at the Pittsburgh Zoo or Children’s Museum? Iconic destination Kennywood Park has been thrilling people for 125 years with its rides. It mixes modern and classic attractions with steel roller coasters besides carousels.

Live music fans will love Pittsburgh, too. Home to live venues like the Rex Theater, Mr. Smalls Theatre, and the Petersen Events Center on the University of Pittsburgh’s campus, concerts are a hit in this city.

Sports fans have professional championship-winning teams to root for! Cheer on the Steelers at Heinz Field or catch a Pirates game at PNC.

For those who live in Pittsburgh, the attractions are genuinely endless. As for neighborhoods, you’ll be spoiled for choice. With over 90 recognized communities, the biggest problem you may have is deciding which great neighborhood to call home. Here are a few stand-out options for top Pittsburgh neighborhoods:

Squirrel Hill

Squirrel Hill is the perfect place for students because it is close to Carnegie Mellon and the University of Pittsburgh. Regarding location, this is truly one of the best as it is so close to many of Pittsburgh’s top attractions and sandwiched between two green spaces. You can walk around or hop on one of the transportation options to take you downtown or onto campus.

What can you do in Squirrel Hill? There’s an 18-hole golf course at Schenley Park, which also has walking paths, playgrounds, and an ice skating rink. Part of Frick Park is the iconic Blue Slide Park, with a blue slide attached to a steep hill. In total, residents have 1,000 acres of green spaces accessible from this East End neighborhood.

The community has a dizzying selection of places to eat and shop. Dining selection is one of its perks and another thing Squirrel Hill is known for! When you live here, you can easily grab takeout or dine in whenever you want from the many places lining Murray Ave. Between the strip here and Forbes Ave, independent shops are selling vintage clothing, vinyl records, and unique goods. Daily necessities are served with a Giant Eagle supermarket, banks, and a library.

The community is known as an affluent area in Pittsburgh. Its tree-lined streets and pockets of historic, Victorian-style homes stand out. February 2023 had 65 listings at a median of $619,000.

Regent Square

Bordering the iconic Frick Park, Regent Square is well-known for its local businesses and classic architecture. It’s regularly recognized as a great place to live, making Niche.com’s top communities list in 2018. The community sits on an elevated plateau in the city, making it feel like a small-town oasis inside a big city, thanks to steep valleys and creeks. Add to that the charm of tree-lined streets and big front porches, and it’s no wonder it’s a top place to live.

Frick Park in the residents’ backyard gives ample roaming space, with access to sports fields, tennis courts, walking trails, and a dog park. At the historic Regent Square Theatre, locals have a nonprofit art house showcasing independent movies and performances. Local shops around Braddock Avenue include vintage stores, art galleries, coffee shops, and bakeries.

Thanks to an active Civic Association, there is a sense of community here. Regent Square has two annual events drawing visitors: the Regent’s Yard Sale and Run Around the Square, a 5K running event,

Regent Square crosses into four municipalities, which adds to its eclectic character mix. The Pittsburgh section of the neighborhood had 11 homes for sale at a median of $344,900 in February 2023.

Point Breeze

Another East End community, Point Breeze is a popular spot for young professionals and families who live in its classic Victorians and cozy townhouses. The wooded one-square-mile community north of the park has a lot to offer in a compact package. Residents have Frick Park bordering to the south, while Regent Square and Squirrel Hill frame its sides.

The historic community once had numerous mansions, but there’s only one left. Today, the Frick Art & Historical Center runs from the iconic estate once owned by Henry Clay Frick. Still, the area’s history influences remain in the wide streets and mature landscaping. Sidewalks make it a highly walkable community.

While it’s primarily residential, some restaurants and shops are here along Reynolds Street, but more are in the surrounding neighborhoods. There is an optional Point Breeze Organization, a civic group that organizes community events like block parties, holiday lighting, and yard sales.

Styles are mixed with older stone homes, ranches, townhomes, and cul-de-sac single-family homes. The February 2023 real estate market had nine homes for sale at a median of $710,000.

Lawrenceville

Nestled along the Allegheny River north of downtown, Lawrenceville has been described as a hipster paradise, full of art galleries, live performance venues, and unique boutiques. It’s the city’s largest neighborhood and breaks down into three communities, referred to as upper, central, and lower.

Lawrenceville has evolved plenty during its history, from being a Civil War Arsenal to serving as a center for the ironworks industry. When that collapsed, so did the local neighborhood. However, interest began to uptick again after the University of Pennsylvania Medical Center opened a children’s hospital in the neighborhood.

Since then, Lawrenceville has transformed, attracting people first for its affordable housing prices and then for the numerous restaurants, bars, and attractions that have developed to meet local needs. Most of these craft brewers and boutique attractions can be found along Butler Street, making them walkable from some residences.

Modern Lawrenceville feels like a dynamic place to live. It hosts art and music events throughout the year, like “Doo Dah Days” at the historic Allegheny Cemetery, where famous Pittsburgh residents are buried. It’s still evolving, and its master plans call for new pedestrian riverfront access, enhanced parks, and redevelopment industrial sites.

Homes in Central Lawrenceville had a median list price of $377,000 in February 2023, with 42 listings. Upper Lawrenceville had 29 homes for sale at $315,000, while Lower Lawrenceville had 23 for $415,000.

Mount Washington

Mount Washington is the city’s most-visited neighborhood, thanks to the breathtaking views of the city skyline from Grandview Avenue. The Mount is a precipice rising above the Monongahela Rivers. Besides the view, the neighborhood has excellent dining along its Restaurant Row, yet another reason visitors ride the incline trains up.

Residents prize the area’s walkability to its parks and restaurants. At Emerald Park, you not only have views at the confluence of the Allegheny and Monongahela but wooded trails to walk. The park connects to Olympia and Mount Washington Parks, where locals take the kids to playgrounds and their pups to the dog park. Dining is available along Grandview and Shiloh Street. And while the incline trains are a popular tourist attraction, residents can easily access the North and South Shore districts below with attractions like Hard Rock Cafe.

One of the neat sub-villages on Mount Washington is Chatham Village, a National Historic Landmark designed as a residential garden community in the 1930s. It has a Georgian design style distinct in Pittsburgh.

You have row homes, newer apartments, condominiums, and single-family homes here. Mount Washington had 51 homes for sale for a median of $230,000 in February 2023.

East Liberty

This once-bustling commercial center is now a great place to live. East Liberty has gone through ups and downs; today, it is on the upswing as it attracts many startups and entrepreneurs.

What makes East Liberty a great place to live is its growing selection of more affordable amenities than the downtown or nearby affluent neighborhoods. Just check out the summer farmer’s market at Citi Park or the restaurants along Penn Ave or Highland Ave. Your local options for necessities include Whole Foods, Target, Trader Joe’s, and Home Depot. Bakery Square has outdoor markets with farm-to-table and local vendors.

Outside the bars and nightclub scene, fun attractions include performing art venues like the Kelly Strayhorn Theater and the Quantum Theater.

Real estate here includes buildings that have been renovated into condos and apartments. There were 15 listings in February 2023 for a median of $562,500.

Shadyside

Shadyside is a lively neighborhood with a reputation for being highly walkable and a reforming “hippie” part of town once called the “Greenwich of Pittsburgh.” Today it is bursting with great shopping choices, independent vintage stores, and upscale boutiques. You can hoof it to groceries, home goods, pharmacies, and trendy dining spots with three business centers spread across the community. And if you like vintage shopping, the independent shops have you covered.

Chatham University and Carnegie Mellon are nearby, so some of the historic mansions have been converted into apartments catering to student housing needs. The younger population is drawn to the robust nightlife along Walnut Street. Speaking of Walnut, The Jam on Walnut summer music festival draws thousands for its block party and concert event.

Parks are less common here, but you have some green spaces. Plus, Frick Park and Schenley Park on the Hill are in the communities next door.

A fun note: Roslyn Place is paved with “wooden” blocks and is one of the few streets in the nation left with this style of pavers.

Restored mansions are mixed with modern homes and condos. Shadyside had a median list price of $499,900 for 39 homes for sale in February 2023.

Living in Pittsburgh

No matter what neighborhood you choose, you’ll enjoy a robust lifestyle living in Pittsburgh. Steel City is still evolving, meaning residents will always have something new to explore. With its affordable cost of living, growing job market, countless attractions, and great neighborhoods, what’s not to love about living in Pittsburgh? Check it out with a local real estate agent today.