Most Affordable City in the US - Pittsburgh - The Straight Talk Pros and Cons

[@JohnSteech]

I used to live in Pittsburgh MT LEBANON

[@waltwenzel9549]

I've lived in many parts of the U.S. and I have to say that Pittsburgh residents are some of the friendliest folks I've met.

[@ShouldWeLiveHere]

Thanks for sharing! 😊👍🏻

[@filmvi37]

Absolutely agree. Several Generations of my ancestors are from Pittsburgh. I've lived all over the world, but when I hear the Pittsburgh accent I hear love and kindness.

[@Pleasure_Baron]

until they're driving...

[@daveskelton7101]

Hahaha . That's funny.

[@amyapplegate4356]

You need diction/elocution coach.

[@antonioruberto7077]

I live in Pittsburgh (Squirrel Hill) and bike almost everywhere. Love living and biking here, the hills will whip you into shape in no time and most yinzers aren't afraid to tackle them. The fact that I can walk out of my front door, hit the GAP and go for a weekend of bike camping is an amazing thing to have in a city. Public transit needs some work but it's come a long way and depending on where you live in the city depends on how good it is for you. For example, if you live in the South Hills (like Mt. Lebanon) you have much better T access. You could also take to the South Side stop and hop right on the Mon incline and that will get you to Mt. Washington real quick. Most locals don't spend a lot of time downtown unless you're going to a game, there is a summer festival or you work there. There are 90 unique neighborhoods in Pittsburgh, all with their own feel. Definitely come back and check out places like the Mexican War Streets, Polish Hill, etc. I've lived here all my life, moved back after living in NC for ten years and the vibe and spirit of the city is infectious. You won't meet a more real and friendly group of people than the ones from the 'Burgh!

[@ShouldWeLiveHere]

Thanks for your comment! Love that you can bike everywhere including those hills we saw….👍🏻⭐️

[@andrefjbernardo]

What are the most artistic neighbourhood? Is there a nice music scene, or scenes?

[@patrickbrazell6404]

​@@andrefjbernardothere are many artsy hoods in the 412, such as Lawrenceville and Allentown, but even several bordering Boroughs like Millvale and Homestead have a bit of artsiness to them. The music scene offers something for everyone. Personally I really love the Carnegie music hall in Homestead or there's always a show at the City Winery in the Strip. I really love Pittsburgh. But I'm always perplexed about the "warm and friendly" description we always seem to get. People are generally kind, but I wouldn't call most Pittsburghers warm and friendly. I live in a very rough part of the South Side and my car has been broken into a dozen times - literally windows were smashed to search for valuables. Warm and friendly is definitely not what you think of in my neighborhood.

[@stefengriff7956]

Yehoodiville AKA Squirrel Hill.

[@kuta424]

Pittsburgh is walkable within its many neighborhoods. Not inbetween the neighborhoods though.

[@RobCamp-rmc_0]

This is it, yeah, I found Pittsburgh to be eminently walkable, within certain parameters. I lived in Allegheny Center from 1999 to 2001 and walked everywhere to get around, and walked across the Clemente (Sixth Street) Bridge to get to class at the Art Institute. Within the Golden Triangle, you could get absolutely anywhere on foot, and you could also walk to adjacent neighborhoods, like the Strip District, if you really wanted to. But to go beyond that, like say to Oakland or Mount Washington, yeah, take the bus or the T if you wanted to go somewhere in its route.

[@maryannao]

Exactly!

[@Mongoose-ct6us]

​do I need a car if I decide to stay in Bloomfield for a week?​@@RobCamp-rmc_0

[@kmonyt]

Well put! Yes, walking in downtown, Oakland, Shadyside, squirrel hill, South Side, East Liberty or even burbs like Mt Lebanon, or Dormont, no problem! But Pittsburgh on the whole, you really need a car. Public transit is very nice in some cases (to and from South Hills and downtown) but generally insufficient. Biking again is great in some places, but it's really not safe in others. The many steep hills are not conducive!

[@Mongoose-ct6us]

@@kmonyt What about in Bloomfield?

[@TheLucasValone]

I'm not surprised that you stayed downtown on your first visit, but I recommend you stay somewhere like Shadyside or East Liberty during your next stay (eg. The Maverick; Hyatt House; Hotel Indigo, etc). You'll find it more walkable and neighborhood-like.

[@mikeymutual5489]

Then you will need a car, which not everybody brings when they visit.

[@sage3609]

@@mikeymutual5489Shadyside and east liberty are super walkable and have some of the best transit connectivity in the city, so no, a car will not be needed to stay there.

[@alanfriedrich4221]

im from buffalo and visit pittsburgh 4 times a year and love it,now im in cleveland and also love it

[@ShouldWeLiveHere]

We’ll have to check out Cleveland someday. What do you like about living there?

[@alanfriedrich4221]

i just visit but i would live here,alot going on downtown@@ShouldWeLiveHere

[@brianarbenz1329]

Thank you for mentioning apartment prices, right down to studios. You're the first "pros and cons of living in" channel I've seen do that.

[@csestini]

Great video! Pittsburgh is awesome!

[@seanhenriques808]

We visited Pittsburgh for a week last year and just scratched the surface. We loved it and are looking forward to going back Great balanced opinions in your videos Subscribing now!

[@ShouldWeLiveHere]

Thanks for watching and subscribing. Really appreciated!

[@banjomechanic]

Well, compared to other cities this looks pretty walkable and bikeable to me. I plan on checking it out. Thanks for the video!

[@ShouldWeLiveHere]

And thanks for watching! Cheers….

[@JM-bb8xi]

Pittsburgh is very much a car city for a couple reasons that make sense here. The winter is long and cold, and flat roads are few and far between. You wouldnt want to ride a bike through a winter here and even in summer biking up our hills is a chore and youll be a soaked by the end. Even when they tried to put more bike lanes in, the go largely unused and are disliked by residents who think they just increase traffic. Thankfully traffic in Pittsburgh is not bad at all.

[@SuzanMiller-ou5kq]

I plan on moving to Pittsburgh next year. Looking forward to checking it out.

[@ShouldWeLiveHere]

Thanks for your comment! Let me know what you think of Pittsburgh when you visit there.

[@MRresievil310]

Lived in Pittsburgh for 5 years. Best little big city in the country. Living here saved me so much money from inflation/covid than it would have living elsewhere doing the crisis. The author isn't kidding when he says living here is affordable. You can get a decent apart here in the outer boroughs (Bethel Park, Mt lebanon, St Claire, Pleasant Hills, etc) for around 600 - 800 dollars.

[@ShouldWeLiveHere]

Thanks for your comment! Glad you like Pittsburgh. We’ve gone back for a visit and it’s great fun. And affordable!

[@amangupta-uo3wc]

Excellent Coverage

[@jimburns33]

I lived in Pgh for over a decade and found it to be very bikeable. There are trails throughout the city that connect many neighborhoods. Being an older city, a lot of bike routes are normal city roads, however, many are low traffic and well marked for bikes. If you know the bike routes, you can get around very easily. Living in Shadyside, I could bike to anywhere in the city in a half hour, often faster than driving/parking. Your comments on public transit are spot on, it's quite poor. Overall, it's a lovely city to live in, especially for 20 and 30-somethings.

[@ShouldWeLiveHere]

Thank you for your comment. Nice to know that the bike routes are doable. Cheers!😊

[@CharlieStormslll]

A Toilet in every basement and a Potato in every food dish but don't forget about the narrow congested roads so you'll never travel outside of your town unless you wait an hour into the tunnels to pittsburgh - I moved to Tennessee , you don't have to live like that people!

[@bethdabruzzo7112]

Unfortunately, Pittsburgh roads always seem to be under construction. As someone who relied on public transportation to get around, it can be really frustrating.

[@Orozco_PNW]

My sister lives there now (Cranberry Township) and I LOVE visiting the city core when I'm around! Love the architecture and it looks like a postcard everywhere you look. I feel like the affordability is going to quickly become a thing of the past...

[@ShouldWeLiveHere]

Thanks for your comment. Much appreciated!

[@Only2genders43]

Sadly it has. Rent is really high and home prices are as well. Taxes in Allegheny county are very high. Pittsburgh is a great city. I'm a proud resident. But the cost of living here is getting crazy.

[@ArleneArnold-jz6cq]

pretty spot on. its getting and gotten better however so i would give it another shot.

[@SmilingDahliaFlower-wz6ld]

My deceased dad worked in Pittsburgh, PA for 11 years (1958 -1969) as a civil engineer specialized in Steel Construction. I and my sister were born in Pittsburgh. ❤ and enjoyed the video. There has been no better happiness and joy that I had somewhere else in my life time but in Pittsburgh.👍

[@ShouldWeLiveHere]

Thanks for sharing! Really appreciate your nice comment.

[@Elise__Mae]

I think you caught some bad breaks in terms of transit. The fact that you didn't mention the three existing busways (and the new one on the way between Oakland and downtown) suggests that you didn't see the best of it -- they are fast bus-only superhighways that move at 55 MPH even when surface roads are crawling with bumper-to-bumper traffic. Also, you went to Mt. Washington but didn't take the incline? A quick light rail ride and then a few steps to the incline, and you're there (looks like you took buses?). PGH driving is stressful for sure -- you're 100% right there! Please come back and stay somewhere other than downtown next time

[@ShouldWeLiveHere]

Thanks! We will come back someday…

[@Elise__Mae]

@@ShouldWeLiveHere Thanks! Keep up the great work.

[@bethdabruzzo7112]

I think you should give Pittsburgh another chance. I'd recommend visiting Dormont & Mt Lebanon in the South Hills & Bellevue in the North Hills.

[@ShouldWeLiveHere]

Thanks for the tip. Will definitely check them out next time we visit.😊

[@jmichaeljj]

Try the South Hills.That's where I live. I can walk down my street hop on any inbound T and be downtown in about 20 minutes.

[@dessiesolomonjr-nl6zl]

Pittsburgh native here. I moved away but I will say it's a nice city to visit and a very affordable place to live and really good public transportation. You definitely don't need a car there. The Steelers are king there even with the Pirates and Penguins in town. Squirrel Hill and Shadyside are the nicest neighborhoods. I recommend Primanti Brothers as far as food. Also stop by Pamela's, good food there too.

[@ShouldWeLiveHere]

Thanks for sharing!

[@jeffpc22]

Pittsburgh is very walkable, unless you are wanting to experience the entire city. With its makeup of neighborhoods, you have everything that you need right around you.

[@Mongoose-ct6us]

Is Squirrel hill or Bloomfield better to stay in?

[@sage3609]

@@Mongoose-ct6ussquirrel hill has better transit connectivity for most of the east end of the city. Bloomfield is cooler. Squirrel hill is a family-oriented part of town. Bloomfield is a denser part of town with more multi-family housing and hipsters. Both places are probably some of the best in the city for food, tho.

[@Mongoose-ct6us]

@@sage3609 I really appreciate the information. Thanks so much 🙏

[@danmorrison8194]

I’d stay away from that $650 apartment in McKeesport. Lots of great people still live there but the area’s seen better times. I live in Dormont which is the first suburb to the south of the city and it is walkable. I do many errands by foot, plus I live a 4 minute walk away from the light rail. Plus, we have a 5yr old and we live 2 blocks away from a nice park/playground and the county’s largest swimming pool.

[@ShouldWeLiveHere]

Thanks for your comment!

[@tommeadows-ie2xb]

The research paper VIOLENCE IN ALLEGHENY COUNTY AND PITTSBURGH sums up Pittsburgh pretty well.

[@rhondagrey6143]

They paint Pittsburgh to be what it used to be this city is going to hell just like the rest of the cities in the country

[@kimberlyhouser5522]

Pa is Ranked number 1 place to retire.

[@412StepUp]

by people that obviously have been doing hard drugs for the last 4 years.

[@SuzanMiller-ou5kq]

By whom? And what do they base that on?

[@kimberlyhouser5522]

@@SuzanMiller-ou5kq several recent reports from different resources have stated that Pittsburgh has reasonable housing rates, good job opportunities, friendly people and good community relationships.

[@Towboatin]

I just moved to the area this past spring. So far I like it a lot, but the public transit definitely needs some investment. It'll get you to most places, but it's usually not the easiest or most efficient way to get to those places. That's probably the biggest downside. Apart from that, the city punches way above its weight terms of what it offers, and I think the next 20 to 30 years will see some significant growth and big improvements to liveability and accessibility. It has a long way to go, but things are starting to move in the right direction.

[@ShouldWeLiveHere]

Glad to hear that you’re overall enjoying your new life in Pittsburgh. We’re looking forward to returning one day…

[@bradleyschmidt7190]

It's sad that this city has doubled down on buses and decided not to extend the light rail instead. They always use the excuse that it's too expensive, and yet they don't even bat any eye at spending millions on new sports stadiums🙄

[@leeriterii2128]

Motorboating?

[@leeriterii2128]

Pusher props.

[@mikeymutual5489]

@@bradleyschmidt7190 Extend the light rail? The light rail is terribly slow once you leave the downtown area. I can't imagine anyone using it to commute to and from the city.

[@RichKozaczka]

What was the reason that people staying in tents were yelling at you?

[@ShouldWeLiveHere]

I got to close when I was checking out some flowers…nice city though!

[@honeym210]

Because a lot of the homeless here need to be hospitalized for mental problems.

[@JM-bb8xi]

While cars are still king here in Pittsburgh, traffic is nothing here compared to just about any other city ive been too. I think that deserves a positive point when describing the city. I think you hit things at the wrong time, and you managed to find a tent camp, homeless populations seem to eb and flow with the season, no idea how true it is, but Ive heard from people traveling thru that homeless travel seasonally from NYC to warmer climates in the south pan handling there way south, where pittsburgh is one of the stopping points.

[@ShouldWeLiveHere]

Pittsburgh is one of our favorite places and we will be coming for another visit this summer. We do wish the public transit and walkability was better. As far as driving you are braver than we are! See this article: www.edgarsnyder.com/resources/pittsburgh-ranked-one-of-the-least-safe-driving-cities

[@mrman3523]

We have a rib fest in august too 🤤

[@Only2genders43]

I live in Pittsburgh. And I love my city. But it is not as affordable as this video says. At least not anymore.

[@jeremybenton458]

You haven’t been anywhere else, have you?

[@Only2genders43]

@@jeremybenton458 been all over the country. I own a business and travel every two weeks.

[@benjaminwagner8141]

I walked from the point to pitt University which was wild

[@joechernay5361]

HAHA You would have walked through some...very DIFFERING neighborhoods!

[@jmurphpitt]

I wouldn't recommend that haha...but good for you

[@Mongoose-ct6us]

If Ingo to Pittsburgh for a week on vacation, can I get around with public transportation or walking? Thank you in advance

[@ShouldWeLiveHere]

It depends where you want to go. We found a car was needed to get to the places we wanted to see or else it would have taken hours.

[@Mongoose-ct6us]

@@ShouldWeLiveHere Thank you!

[@thomasreto2997]

@@Mongoose-ct6usrent a car…..I’ve been here my whole life……our buses and trolleys suck

[@Mongoose-ct6us]

@@thomasreto2997 Can the Pittsburgh public transportation be worse than NYC?

[@thomasreto2997]

@@Mongoose-ct6us don’t know as I’ve never used it when I was there

[@ryanzmuda3167]

time for an update on this

[@ShouldWeLiveHere]

What else do you suggest we cover? Thanks for watching!

[@fuqoff8583]

Time to update for the new police dept policies. Need to warn people.

[@draneym2003]

​@@fuqoff8583You have the perfect username for people who parrot Fox talking points. If you're so scared of life, don't come and enjoy your third world red state.

[@matthewhudson5685]

Very nice and pretty accurate. Public transportation is FAR worse than reported here. The "T" is down again in various parts (it NEVER works) and the buses constantly break down or are very late (15-20 min). 97 score? More like 9 OR 7! WORST public transportation I have seen in any major city. Ever.

[@ShouldWeLiveHere]

Thanks for your comment….

[@sage3609]

Idk. I find it very reliable and much more reliable than Boston’s where I lived for two years before moving to Pittsburgh last August. Buses in the east end run on schedule and are frequent, especially between Oakland and Friendship, where I am. It is no surprise that’s the case, since most students don’t have cars, so this would be the part of the city best served by transit as opposed to the suburbs where the T takes you.

[@mrman3523]

Did you expect a quiet downtown? Im confused.

[@JacobParkYusuk]

House prices in areas with "good schools" (great schools ratings) are sky high (just like anywhere else in the nation). Traffic is horrendous for the actual # of cars on the road (they don't time the lights (which ultimately creates even more emissions!) and there are ALOT of "no turn on red" in places where it makes no sense whatsoever, some people who are "conservative" won't like it TOO "progressive".... It is pretty walkable though, the weather is mild (but cloudy), the people are friendly, and the surrounding hills and nature are beautiful. For now, it's home.

[@ShouldWeLiveHere]

Thanks for the feedback! I wish traffic lights were timed everywhere….

[@sage3609]

The no turn on red encourages walkability. It’s a good thing and you don’t lose much time unless it’s one of those lights where it cycles through each side of a 4-way intersection, but I don’t see many of those.

[@SuzanMiller-ou5kq]

I was going to say the houses he pointed out we are only seeing the outside. Lots of homes on Redfin or Zillow show the insides and most need a major renovation. Ugly wallpaper, carpeting, old appliances and outdated bathrooms. Not sure if the renovation would cost as much as a newer home with new every thing.

[@JacobParkYusuk]

@@sage3609 I totally understand the walkability/safety for some intersections. But just try driving around Pittsburgh and you'll see many many many intersections where it makes NO SENSE whatsoever (barely any foot traffic, clear line of sight, etc).

[@sage3609]

@@JacobParkYusuk I don’t need to drive around Pittsburgh because the walkability makes it accessible on foot. I don’t think it’s a genuine problem that city traffic is slower where the street intersections are weird (which Pittsburgh has a lot of) or where it’s dense. The city isn’t meant for cars to go fast. It’s a good thing that driving two miles in the city can take around twelve or fifteen minutes, because that encourages other modes of getting around. And also, unless you chose to live in the suburbs and therefore committed to being ok with more time driving, driving won’t take you too long, unless they’re doing construction on roads with one lane for each direction of traffic. That’s annoying, but it still moves in comparison to other cities where the whole streetscape would collapse from a lane carrying two directions of traffic. Genuinely everything I need to do is possible within the city limits, which are highly walkable and accessible by bus.

[@robertmarbella7715]

Pittsburgh is above the National average in crime and since our police chief have announced that there will only be 20 police officers working between the hours of 3 & 7 AM their should be a spike in crime. But, don’t worry it will only be during those hours.

[@MrKyle12386]

Thinking of moving here from Houston. I want to move to a smaller city. I'm sure it's all what your use to. Your traffic looks like a joke to houston.

[@andrejka_talking_out_loud]

Thank you for the real assessment of whether the city is walkable with a real person actually walking ithere.. I notice places on a map (and that City Nerd hypes) often fail in reality. The map and statistics are not the territory. For instance a place is not walkable if there are aggressive homeless every ten feet on the sidewalk, or construction blocking off the sidewalk entirely (various locations in Denver Oct 2023) FOR YEARS; the buses stop at 5 or only go from downtown to the university once an hour until 5 pm, no one shovels the sidewalk in the winter because everyone else drives and you are an idiot for walking, reckless drivers pull out on in front of you because they can't bother you to walk past as cars wait to leave a parking lot.. Cities like PDX like to hype how green and walk friendly they are yet the first five months I was there while walking on sidewalks cyclists crashed into me from behind, when they were turning a blind corner and so on.. Now with scooters here in Denver people ride as fast as possible ON THE SIDEWALK and in groups of five expecting pedestrians to jump out of the way. Cyclists and those on ebikes do the same. Making walking like being in a war zone because it is up to you to preserve your life as scooters and cyclists on the sidewalks have a death wish and like the thought of taking you with them.. It is not enough to have a map .. a tell of a good city are if people in wheel chairs, the blind and elderly are walking around rather than sequestered in a nursing homes in the boonies. In the 1980s going to and fron school I would see elderly people and blind people walking around NYC. In the 1990s there were be elderly,, blind and people in wheelchairs taking the bus or on the sidewalk. I would say those were the two best cities for the most vulnerable members of our country. Now with public use elevators I notice many are broken like ihere in Denver or in NYC ... even though we KNOW things are supposed to be ADA compliant and cities get funding assuming they are up to par, it is a lie.

[@ShouldWeLiveHere]

We really wish more places were truly walkable. We just checked out some places in Tennessee and Florida and we saw almost no one walking snd six lanes of traffic even in smaller towns. Mexico City was walkable but the sidewalks were in terrible shape for someone in a wheelchair.

[@SireGalahad]

Lived in the burgh for 20 years now, and it seems you ran into some problems with bad timing

[@michaelsix9684]

you can almost live here without a car

[@jeremybenton458]

Streets geared toward CARS?!? Imagine that??? Who would’ve thought streets would be geared to cars for all things!!!??!! 🙄

[@NewBunny-vc2pm]

I know it's before your lifetime, but American cities were actually working wonderfully before cars were introduced about 100 years ago. Where I live we are known for being a walking city with excellent public transit and bicycle infrastructure, and working hard to limit motor vehicles. It's great.

[@KarlPoorbaugh]

If you come to Pennsylvania, stay in the cities.

[@PrettyGoodLookin]

High Property taxes. Taxavania.

[@stuartlee6622]

Pittsburgh is terribly boring. Especially compared to places like New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Miami. Don't waste your time going back. There's really nothing there.