In southwest Pennsylvania, at the confluence of the Allegheny River and the Monongahela River, sits the city of Pittsburgh. Founded in 1758, today it stretches across 58.3 square miles, and has a median age of 33.4 (2022). Pittsburgh is known both as “the Steel City,” because it’s home to more than 300 steel-related businesses, and as the “City of Bridges,” for its 446 bridges. Medicine, education, tourism, banking, and high-tech are the main drivers of its economy.

Residential neighborhoods, many of which are steeply sloped, are lined with homes in Ranch, Tudor Revival, Second Empire, and American Foursquare styles. The typical home value is $227,928, up 2.6% over the past year (Zillow, 2022). There’s always something to do in Pittsburgh, thanks to various annual events that include Pittsburgh Restaurant Week, the Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix, and the ReelAbilities Pittsburgh Film Festival.

Major thoroughfares serving Pittsburgh include I-76, 79, 279, and 376. The Shadyside neighborhood, north of I-376, is filled with Victorian mansions, restaurants serving all kinds of cuisine, and locally owned eclectic shops. Further north, quiet Stanton Heights offers affordable single-family Colonial homes with spacious yards. Swisshelm Park, which lies between I-376 and the Monongahela River, has everything from Ranch homes to Craftsman-style houses.

Pittsburgh’s quality of life is hard to beat. Its low cost of living comes with high-quality amenities, good schools, above-average access to healthcare, and growing job opportunities.