Living in Pittsburgh, PA

Located at the junction of the Allegheny, Monongahela, and Ohio Rivers, Pittsburgh offers big-city perks at small-town prices. Once the heart of the American steel industry, Pittsburgh has reinvented itself as a cultural, economic, and educational hub. With its low cost, high-quality lifestyle, it’s a magnet for anyone searching for an affordable place to settle down and pursue the American dream. From its food to its schools to its sports teams, here are a few reasons why living in Pittsburgh is so unique.

Resilient Job Market

After the steel industry declined in the 1980s, Pittsburgh’s business community shifted towards finance, healthcare, and technology. Investments in these sectors successfully broadened the city’s economic base, transforming it into a major player in banking, robotics, logistics, medical science, and advanced manufacturing techniques, such as 3D printing.

The growing economy has created an insatiable demand for labor. Pittsburgh has more jobs per capita than any city in the United States except Scottsdale, AZ. Skilled professionals have no trouble finding work and employee satisfaction is high across the city, thanks to the competitive salaries and benefits offered by most industries.

Affordable Lifestyle

The cost of living in Pittsburgh is two percent below the national average. While Pittsburghers pay more for utilities, they spend less on healthcare, groceries, and consumer goods. Housing is even more affordable. Residents typically pay around $133,000 less to buy a house than they would in most other American cities, while renters pay about thirteen percent less for their apartments and rental homes.

Prestigious Schools

While finding the right school can be a challenge in any city, Pittsburgh offers some outstanding opportunities for high school and middle school students, including Magnet programs, gifted classes, college curriculum, advanced placement courses, and career and technical education.

It’s also home to more than 29 colleges and universities, including Carnegie Mellon and the University of Pittsburgh, whose graduate and undergraduate programs allow students to pursue lucrative careers in a range of fields, including the arts, business, engineering, medicine, and computer science.

Unforgettable Culture

Though Pittsburgh has changed significantly, it hasn’t forgotten its working class roots. Pittsburghers aren’t only attached to their city, they’ve developed their own dialect as well. New arrivals are often bewildered by the colorful words locals pepper into their conversations, such as:

• Yinzer (Y’all)
• Nebby (Nosy)
• Slippy (Slippery)
• Dahntahn (Downtown)
• Spicket (Spigot)
• Gumband (Rubber Band)
• Jaggers (Thorns)
• Stillers (Steelers)
• The Burgh (Pittsburgh)

The city also has an astonishing collection of museums, including the Andy Warhol Museum, Carnegie Science Center, Carnegie Museum of Art, and Carnegie Museum of Natural History, where residents can explore the achievements and discoveries from some of the world’s greatest scientists and creators. 

There are even institutions dedicated to the history of bicycles, Heinz Ketchup, and the Shawnee, Lenape, and Seneca-Cayuga tribes who settled the Three Rivers Area approximately 19,000 years ago. At the Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, visitors can tour 23 distinct gardens dedicated to trees, ferns, flowers, and cactuses from all over the world.

Pittsburgh also hosts several public festivals, such as the Three Rivers Arts Festival, which showcases some of the city’s best painters, craftsmen, performers, and photographers. Music lovers won’t want to miss the Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival, which features talented soul, jazz, and blues artists from around the world.

Gearheads love the Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix, where they can watch classic cars tear across the blacktop. There are also events celebrating the diverse communities living in Pittsburgh, allowing everyone in the city to experience its heritage and traditions.

Fine Dining

In 2019, BBC Good Food named Pittsburgh a top-10 destination for foodies, the only American city to make the list. While you’ll still find traditional favorites such as pierogies, kielbasa, cabbage rolls, and chipped ham (thinly shaved ham served with BBQ sauce), a series of award-winning chefs have introduced a bold new range of flavors. Hungry residents eager to expand their palate should book a table at:

• GI-JIN. A trendy spot for cocktails and sushi that made Yelp’s list of top 100 restaurants in 2022.
• DiAnoia’s Eatery. Voted Pittsburgh’s best Italian restaurant in 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022.
• Pigeon Bagels. Food & Wine named it one of the best bagels shops in the United States.
• Pitaland. According to Yelp, this Middle Eastern bakery was one of the city’s top restaurants in 2023.
• FET-FISK. A Nordic seafood restaurant named one of America’s best by the New York Times in 2024.
• P&G’s Pamela’s Diner. Not only voted Pittsburgh’s “best breakfast,” it was also a favorite of President Obama and his wife, First Lady Michele Obama, who both frequented the restaurant whenever they visited the city.

The best American and international cuisine is found Downtown or in the Strip District, which feature over a hundred restaurants serving pizza, pasta, burgers, burritos, crispy pancakes, pepperoni rolls, and banh mi sandwiches, amongst others. But for a truly special night, check out one of the restaurants on Mount Washington, which offer craft cocktails, gourmet food, and panoramic views of the Pittsburgh skyline.

Active Nightlife

Pittsburgh has more bars per capita than any other city in America. From Downtown to Allentown to the South Side and the Strip, Pittsburgh is packed with lively clubs and nightspots. Head to Tequila Cowboy for country western music. Sip sake under pink cherry blossoms at Social 7. Order bottle service at Cavo.

Enjoy a quiet drink at Kelly’s Bar & Lounge. Sing along to your favorite musical at Bottlerocket Social Hall. Quench your thirst with bucket cocktails at Howl at the Moon or indulge your spooky side at Jekyll & Hyde, which celebrates Halloween year round. With so many places to choose from, it’s no wonder that most nights, the party rarely stops before two or three in the morning.

Best Sports City

Few places love sports as much as Pittsburgh. The city has three professional sports teams - the Steelers, Penguins, and Pirates - and residents are devoted to all of them. Stadiums, ball parks, and hockey rinks are packed on game day as Pittsburghers turn out, decked in black and gold, to cheer their players on to victory.

The University of Pittsburgh Panthers provide plenty of excitement for basketball fans, while soccer enthusiasts can check out the action at Highmark Stadium, home to Riverhounds SC. For more hard-hitting action, check out Steel City Roller Derby. Or take part by joining one of the dozens of amateur leagues and clubs throughout the city. 

Moving to Pittsburgh

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