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| Filthy, Dishonest, and Polluted City - 4/8/2013
I chose to relocate to Pittsburgh because it is rated as the best city to live in the USA, and the healthcare giant that employs most of its citizens to be in the top ten by US News. That is why I chose to relocate here to start my career in healthcare. First I was duped into signing a lease for an apartment that disguised itself (slumlords), and accepted a job for the healthcare giant that also disguised itself as a "world class" place to work (recently charged with over 80 counts of federal labor law violations). The air quality in the city is worse than I have ever experienced in the three cities that I have previously resided (Nashville, Traverse City, and Grand Rapids). Just getting off the plane in Michigan is a huge wake up call, to take that first breath of clean air immediately makes me realize what I'm missing. The area is covered with garbage and it is normal for restaurants to pile garbage on the sidewalks each night for trash collection services without the use of dumpsters and sometimes even bags. I have never seen a roach in any city I have ever lived until I moved to Pittsburgh where you see them crawling the sidewalks around the Oakland area. I eat out for each meal and have only once had good service by a friendly staff member (Fox and Hound, you guys are great!). Recycling is practically unheard of in Pittsburgh with no deposit on bottles or cans and no city funded recycling pick up service readily available to residents. I have met many great people here that I consider to be friends although there is a vast abundance of very rude people (the type that think you're flirting if you casually compliment them). Pittsburgh, PA is also a cancer hotspot due to the abundance of pollution. I found that to be very disturbing. The culture is nonexistent unless you are a die hard football fan. There is no public art or beautification happening in Pittsburgh on a respectable scale. The alcohol laws in Pennsylvania are also ridiculous since they made it illegal to buy a six pack of beer... To buy beer you must go to a beer distributor (not the same as a state liquor store) and must by law purchase an entire case of beer; you better hurry because they close at 10pm. The city is a complete disgrace due to the serious level of dishonesty that is considered business as usual here. If you're planning a move to Pittsburgh keep in mind that life here will be nothing like it is described to you, and be prepared for the worst. [read more...]
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| Snow 7 Months. a Year - 3/8/2013
Pittsburgh has great culture, universities, museums, libraries, pro sports...you name it! Great people too...a dichotomous blend of the completely uneducated blue collar yinzers combined with the highly educated academia and medical community of UPMC.
However, you must learn to live without sunshine. Also, believe no one when they tell you that winter isn't that long here. Check the stats. It snows up to seven months out of the year with less than 50 days of sun. You will go months without seeing the sun for even a split second...except as an odd moon-like shape behind the dark clouds on occasion. Cold, dark, damp and did I mention COLD? Summer is hazy and humid. Not horribly hot, but not comfortable either with the humidity and no sunshine.
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| Air quality - 2/6/2013
We are looking at Pittsburgh Pa as a possible retirement location. our children and grandchildren will also be relocating so Pittsburgh appears to ahve it all. But one thing scares me almost off the city all together and thats AIR QUALITY. Can anyone help me with this subject with your first hand knowledge.[read more...]
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| Almost perfect! - 1/28/2013
I have spent a lot of time in various cities around the world, but Pittsburgh will always be my home. I'm sad to see some of the negative reviews on here, but happy that most are positive.
Pittsburgh has a lot to offer. Outdoor life is big here, and with the many parks, it is easy to spend time outside. Mountain biking, kayaking, hiking/ trail running, camping, and skiing/ snowboarding are all readily accessible within or near Pittsburgh.
There are many theaters and museums for those looking to take in some culture. And of course, there are the sports teams. People from the Burgh bleed Black and Gold, giving an unparalleled sense of pride and community. We do more than watch football, though! There are many locally owned bars and restaurants, breweries, small productions and festivals to entertain you. If you are bored, just look in the City Paper for the huge list of events happening every weekend.
Pittsburgh used to be a blue collar town, but it is moving up. There are tons of jobs in health care, and Google just opened an office building here. You'll meet loads of professionals in addition to blue collar workers. But Pittsburgh's history has created a culture of being real, friendly, and decidedly un-snobby. I've never been anywhere as welcoming as Pittsburgh.
No place is perfect. It can be hard to find a job, and the sun only shines half the time. But with the low cost of living and housing, and all that the Burgh has to offer, I invite anyone to come check it out.[read more...]
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| Almost perfect- can't wait to move back! - 1/28/2013
I am originally from Pittsburgh, but have spent a lot of time in other cities in America and outside of the States as well. I am well educated and well traveled. It makes me sad to see some of the negative reviews of my hometown, but I am glad that most are positive.
Pittsburgh has a lot to offer. It's got great parks in the city and suburbs. It's very easy and enjoyable to spend time outdoors in Pittsburgh. Mountain biking, hiking, and kayaking are just some of the outdoor sports easily available. The mountains are nearby for camping and skiing/ snowboarding.
There are tons of museums and theaters for people interested in taking in some culture. And of course, there are the sports teams. People from the Burgh bleed Black and Gold, and it gives a sense of unparalleled community and pride. That doesn't mean that watching football is all we do, however! Local restaurants, bars, breweries, plays, festivals: I don't understand how anyone could be bored in Pittsburgh. Just pick up the City Paper- it's full of the week's events.
Pittsburgh used to be a blue-collar town, but it is on the rise. There are tons of hospitals around so medical jobs are booming. And Google just opened up an office building. You will meet lots of professionals in addition to blue collar workers. The great thing about Pittsburgh's history is that it has created a culture of being real, friendly, and decidedly un-snobby. I've never been anywhere as welcoming as Pittsburgh- I miss that so much.
No place is perfect. It can be hard to find a job, though things are starting to look up. And it is true that the sun only shines 160 days a year. But the cost of living and housing is very low, and I think for all the great things the Burgh has to offer, it is worth checking it out. I hope this review has helped![read more...]
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| I'm confused about cost of living - 11/29/2012
I currently live in Boston and am thinking of relocating to PGH. However, I am quite confused about cost of living. I see that there is supposedly a significant difference in cost of living between Boston and PGH so I should be able to survive on a lower salary. Yet when I look on craigslist at apartments to rent in the downtown area (Shadyside, Squirrel Hill), the prices seem to be the same as Boston. Right now, in Boston I live in the inner 'burbs -- downtown and work are 5 miles away -- and I pay $1100 for a 400 sq ft studio in Boston and that rent includes heat, hot water, and trash. Yes, the PGH apartments are larger, but I thought they would be cheaper. Can anyone confirm if the cost of living for PGH is coming out lower because they are factoring in data on the greater metro area?
I live on my salary alone. I work in education so I make a low salary and I have to be careful about budgets. What salary range would allow me to live in or close to downtown PGH and be able to have a social life, like afford to go out at least once a week, go to movies monthly, etc? The jobs in my field seem to have salaries in the mid40s and that seems way to low based on my research so far. Can anyone help?[read more...]
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| cost of living??...I'm confused - 11/29/2012
I currently live in Boston and am thinking of relocating to PGH. However, I am quite confused about cost of living. I see that there is supposedly a significant difference in cost of living between Boston and PGH so I should be able to survive on a lower salary. Yet when I look on craigslist at apartments to rent in the downtown area (Shadyside, Squirrel Hill), the prices seem to be the same as Boston. Right now, in Boston I live in the inner 'burbs -- downtown and work are 5 miles away -- and I pay $1100 for a 400 sq ft studio in Boston and that rent includes heat, hot water, and trash. Yes, the PGH apartments are larger, but I thought they would be cheaper. Can anyone confirm if the cost of living for PGH is coming out lower because they are factoring in data on the greater metro area?
I live on my salary alone. I work in education so I make a low salary and I have to be careful about budgets. What salary range would allow me to live in or close to downtown PGH and be able to have a social life, like afford to go out at least once a week, go to movies monthly, etc? The jobs in my field seem to have salaries in the mid40s and that seems way to low based on my research so far. Can anyone help?[read more...]
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| Pittsburgh - 11/11/2012
Pittsburgh is a very friendly city; has a small town feel with multiple interesting neighborhoods. Pros: reasonable cost of living, multiple universities in the area, decent restaurants, lots of professional and college level sports; Cons: workforce largely dominated by UPMC, public transit unreliable (bus system is the only form available), parks system is lacking, downtown area basically shuts down after 5pm. [read more...]
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| The Best City for Quality of Live - 7/25/2012
From healthcare to cost of living and education, Pittsburgh is a great small big city to live.[read more...]
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| Cost of Housing numbers for Pittsburgh don't add u - 7/5/2012
We have been living in the Pittsburgh area for 9 months trying to find a home that will allow us to commute downtown. In spite of the fact that Pittsburgh has great affordable housing on paper, ranking in top 50 affordable housing cities, great ratings with the HOI etc, and with a median home price supposedly around $100K, we have become very frustrated. The numbers and real life do NOT add up. We are looking at 4 BR homes somewhere in the Pittsburgh suburbs (we are watching multiple areas) less than 30 years old with reasonably good schools and it is very difficult to find anything less than 300K, and most reasonable options are under contract within a week or 2 of going on the market.
We're hoping for 5 bedrooms(forget it) and a little more space and searching up to $350K, we aren't expecting to find things as cheap as the "median" of course, but there is very little availability, most homes are rather old and many are in poor condition. At first I was thinking the excellent affordable housing numbers must be coming from comparing downtown urban areas, or some other part of town that we're not considering, but the more I research and shop for homes the more confused I am.
Now we're considering moving again, and as we compare statistics on the places we're finding job opportunities, I remain perplexed. Comparing homes for sale on any real estate website reveals the comparable expense of homes in the Pittsburgh area, yet every ranking and index designed to compare affordability erroneously claims that homes here are inexpensive. For example: We bought and sold our 3300 sqft home in San Antonio TX around $160K-170K (almost 5 years apart) but if I could find the same home here for $320K or less I would jump at it as an incredible deal, but nothing exists in that range (we'd be happy with 2400 sqft if we could find it). This site rates housing costs in Pittsburgh at "47", and San Antonio as "60", or around 30% more expensive, when in reality slightly nicer, newer (less than 20 or 30 years old) homes in San Antonio can be purchased for half as much as a comparable home here. Charlotte, NC is rated 102 for housing costs, but be we found dozens of extremely nice homes, large, upgraded homes in nice suburbs with top-rated schools in the $200s.
I can't figure out why the numbers for this area differ so much from the real-world experience, this is not the only site that rates Pittsburgh housing as more affordable that it is, I've seen the same problem everywhere I've looked, but it would be SO nice to find some sort of city-comparable housing numbers that actually reflect what we find for sale.
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| I Moved To Pittsburgh from Florida - 6/28/2012
I'm a FL native who moved to Pittsburgh in 2007 and I Love it! It's a small Big city or a Big small city depending on your perspective. Above all, there is a quality of life here that is world class, especially for the price. As the Sperling site here says, the cost of living is 13% less than average USA. There is so much character, scenery, culture, architecture, history, and smart people (college town). This was a very important American city in the past and it shows. Just be sure to stay in the best 'city living neighborhoods'(Google it) as they say here, otherwise it could be a little provincial if you're coming from a bigger city. Think Shadyside, South Side, Lawrenceville, Downtown, Mexican War Streets, Point Breeze, and others. Google has a big office here and is building a huge new campus here - So that must say something as far as I'm concerned. Looking for a place to move or retire? Be sure to research Pittsburgh for sure. [read more...]
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| Pittsburgh Is A Great Place To Live - 5/29/2012
I've lived in Pittsburgh for ten years now and really enjoy it. There's lots to do for families and singles alike, great education choices, a good health system and, of course, The Steelers! Pittsburghers are very friendly and welcoming. Also, the weather is milder than in many parts of the country. We don't get the sub-zero weather (usually) nor do we get the 100 degree temps other places do.[read more...]
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| air pollution - 5/22/2012
Is the city got bad air pollution? it says on the sperling rating 5.9 out of 100 so I assume it does[read more...]
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| braddock and pittsburg air quality? - 5/22/2012
I saw a house on ebay for $7,500. Im a retired baby boomer and heard Pittsburgh is the place. But only one thing scares me. when I go to "health" for Braddock neighborhood it shows a 5.9 for air quality with 100 being the best air quality. Sound to me that Pittsburg is a very smoggy air polluted place and dont know why boomers woulld choose that. its like the brown haze you see in the morning in LA or Phoenix but I lived in Phoenix and its not as bad as LA.How would those that live there compare the air pollution ? to a brown haze? Is the mountains keeping the smog in? what is your take.? thanks for your input. But no thanks I would rent before I would buy in Pittsburg. to test the air quality. and that is important to me.[read more...]
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| America - 1/16/2012
Need to make using this site easier[read more...]
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| Pittsburgh Area and Surrounding Counties - 1/3/2012
Pittsburgh and the surrounding area is a wonderful place to live! The cost of living is affordable, the scenery is beautiful, there is a rich history, and the people are friendly. There are many recreational opportunities including theaters, museums, parks, sporting events, and amusement parks. Pittsburgh also has many colleges, hospitals, restaurants, and stores.
In my opinion, one of the only drawbacks about the Pittsburgh area is the weather. It could use a little less rain and little more sunshine. Most people that live here enjoy the four seasons. Also, there are not many views more beautiful than Pittsburgh at night from Mt. Washington! [read more...]
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| Hot summers, cold winters - 10/8/2011
Hot summers, cold winters[read more...]
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| Our Weather - 9/27/2011
I think the weather here is exceptable ![read more...]
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| Hated Pittsburgh - 1/26/2011
If you are not a "Stillers" fan you will NOT fit in here. They are completely obsessed with football and I guess it's understandable, because it's really all they have going for them. The pollution is ridiculous. Traffic is terrible, public transportation is lacking and the geography of the land with the mountains and the rivers makes navigating it virtually impossible. Some areas of the city are are ridden with crime, bank robberies are commonplace and there are shootings every night. The people there love their beer and football, and there is a huge sense of community if that is your thing. I do see how some very specific type of people would like this city. I lived there for two years and was lucky enough to make it out, and I have no urge to ever return.[read more...]
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| Pittsburgh is the pits - 12/16/2010
I see all these places ranking Pittsburgh as the #1 most livable city, but obviously these people who rank it so high have never actually been here. The economy has been down for decades - even while the rest of the nation was booming in the 90s, Pittsburgh remained down. It is near impossible to find a job. I know this from experience - I have been looking for a job for three years and have not found one, and I have a college education. People in this city are apathetic about almost everything, except for two things - Steelers and beer. Finally, there is an arrogance about Pittsburghers, one you won't find in most other cities. They think they are the best, yet they don't have any real reasons to believe that. Come live in Pittsburgh, by all means. You won't think it's the most livable city after a few years here.[read more...]
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