First, the good news: a new study from InvestorsObserver notes that Pittsburgh is the eighth most affordable U.S. city, ranked by number of “unaffordable neighborhoods.”
That said…
Pittsburgh shows 34.5% unaffordability for married couples in 2025, a notable increase from 18.18% in 2024, indicating rising market pressure. Nonfamily households fare worse at 70.9%. Pre-COVID unaffordability was 13.91%, so the rise is significant. Median married-couple income is about $112,667 versus $51,436 for nonfamily households.
So things aren’t trending in the right direction, but there are still good spots in this town at good prices. Here are just a few:
For sale: 106 San Pedro Pl., Brighton Heights, $215,000.
I’m going to be honest, I picked this 1959 ranch because it’s inexpensive and it’s on San Pedro Place, sharing a name with the hometown of The Minutemen, the best American band of the past 50 years. The listing touts a basement with “vintage wood paneling,” which is the first time I’ve seen that. I mean, I’m not above a bit of nostalgia; put out a pitcher of Kool-Aid and a Sega Genesis and I’m basically already on the way over.
For rent: 1224 Mississippi Ave., Dormont, $1,395-1,595.
It’s crazy to think that in a few short years, someone will be working a future-job so stupid — Murder Drone Wrangler, AI Slop Trainer, Elon Musk’s friend, etc. — that we can’t even conceive of it yet. And they will likely live in this house, which was built when the automobile was still a suspicious new technology. And it’s still a good house, and likely will be when the sun burns out.
For sale: 843-845 Tripoli St., East Allegheny. $240,000.
There aren’t a lot of places in the flat, close-in North Side neighborhoods that are anything close to affordable, but this East Allegheny duplex (yes, two entire units) is an exception. 1900 was deep inside Pittsburgh’s heyday, which should be obvious to anyone but the unfortunates attempting to see out those bricked-in upstairs windows. Why you would do that is beyond me, but it should be worth a good ghost story or two.
For rent: 431 E. Ohio Ctr. N., Perry South, $1,000/month.
Let’s bring back “living above the store.” You don’t even have to work at the store. Of course, this is largely dependent on what kind of store, the clientele it attracts, and the smells it emits. So, uh, a bookstore or … clothing. Yeah, a clothing store should be OK. No idea what is/was sold here, or that there was even a business district here, but support your neighborhood retail (unless it’s a vape shop; we’ve got enough of those).
For sale: 2812 Waterman Ave., Carrick, $165,000.
Quite a lot about this listing doesn’t add up. I have a hard time believing this was built in 1975, and the photos look like they come from three different houses. That’s such a comfortable porch that I’m already trying to imagine what booze pairs with Turner’s Iced Tea, but the main photo depicts a shrubbery that has this house cowering in terror. Still, nice hardwood floors, nice door, and the nextdoor neighbor has a pool. At that price, it’s probably worth a look in person.
For rent: 35 Marion St., Oakwood, $1,600/month.
What’s going on here? Is it possible to have too many weird little porches? Was M.C. Escher the architect? Do the stairways to nowhere continue inside (even below ground)? Existing outside of time and space, this oddity is pretty cool except for the back, where they seemed to have just run out of ideas and quit. I mean, a back door would be nice, but what do I know?
This article appears in Aug 20-26, 2025.
