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Renting an Apartment in Pittsburgh
What You Should Know
Pittsburgh is the second largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in
the United States. It is the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. It
is the economic, cultural, academic, transportational and service hub of the
Pittsburgh Metro Area and the Pittsburgh Tri-State. Built on the land between
the confluence of the Allegheny, Ohio and Monongahela rivers and the surrounding
hills, Pittsburgh features a skyline of skyscrapers and dozens of bridges.
Once an industrial center, the collapse of the United States steel industry has
had a lasting impact on Pittsburgh's economy and identity. However, in 2005 in
The Economist, Pittsburgh shared with Cleveland the top spot for most liveable
cities in the United States, and tied for 26th on cities world-wide. In response
to the collapse of the steel industry in the 1970s and 1980s, Pittsburgh has
become a nationally-known center for medicine, education, art education,
technology, and financial services.
Pittsburgh is the home of several prestigious universities, including the
University of Pittsburgh, Duquesne University, and Carnegie Mellon University,
among others. The city also hosts several nationally acclaimed sports teams,
including the five-time Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers, five-time World
Series champion Pittsburgh Pirates, and the two-time Stanley Cup champion
Pittsburgh Penguins.In addition, Pittsburgh is home of many top-rated medical
institutions, such as the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and Allegheny
General Hospital. Although still facing a declining population, Pittsburgh
remains the chief city of the eastern Ohio River Valley.
The city is located on the Allegheny Plateau, where the confluence of the
Allegheny River and Monongahela River form the Ohio River. The area between the
rivers is known as the Golden Triangle, the extremity of which is The Point.
Pittsburgh occupies the Golden Triangle as well as the slopes of the river
valleys, and the ridges beyond. Many of the city's neighborhoods, particularly
south of the Monongahela, are deeply sloped, making Pittsburgh one of the
hilliest cities in America.
Pittsburgh has a continental climate, with four seasons, spring, summer, autumn,
and winter. Because of its position between the Great Lakes and the Allegheny
mountains, Pittsburgh's weather is often overcast and rainy. It is the third
cloudiest city in the United States and it averages over 200 days of cloudy days
per year [citation needed]. In the winter, when a northwest flow establishes
itself over the Great Lakes, the wind blows from Lake Erie across eastern Ohio
and western Pennsylvania. That wind carries moist air from the lake, often
producing heavy snow squalls. It also produces clouds. In addition, deep low
pressure systems often establish themselves in the winter over Hudson Bay. Those
systems also bring clouds and precipitation to the lower Great Lakes and western
Pennsylvania.
The city can be broken down into the downtown area, called the Golden Triangle,
and four main areas surrounding it. These four surrounding areas can are further
subdivided into distinct neighborhoods. These areas, relative to downtown, are
known as the North Side, South Side/South Hills, East End, and West End.
The North Side is home to a neighborhood known as Central Northside as well as
many other neighborhoods including Allegheny West, Perry Hilltop, Brighton
Heights, Spring Garden, Troy Hill, Observatory Hill, East Allegheny/Deutschtown,
the Mexican War Streets, and Manchester. The North Side is primarily composed of
residential neighborhoods and is noteworthy for well-constructed and
architecturally interesting homes. Many buildings date from the 19th century and
are constructed of brick or stone and adorned with decorative woodwork, ceramic
tile, slate roofs and stained glass.
The South Side neighborhoods include the Southside Flats and Southside Slopes,
and South Hills neighborhoods such as Brookline, Beechview, Overbrook, Carrick,
Beltzhoover, and Allentown. The South Side was once an area composed primarily
of dense inexpensive housing for mill workers, but has in recent years become a
trendy part of the city known for its clubs, cafés, and restaurants.
The East End is home to the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon
University, Chatham College, and many of the most prominent city neighborhoods
which include Oakland, Squirrel Hill, Shadyside, Friendship, Point Breeze,
Bloomfield, Regent Square, Greenfield, Lawrenceville, East Liberty, Homewood,
Hazelwood, the Hill District, Highland Park, Greenfield, and many others.
The West End is perhaps the most overlooked part of the city, but it includes
Mt. Washington, with its world-famous view of the Downtown skyline, as well as
the West End neighborhoods, Elliott, Sheraden, and Duquesne Heights.
Pittsburgh is a patchwork of neighborhoods, many of which still retain an ethnic
character reflecting the city's immigrant history. This includes African
American (Hill District, Homewood), Jewish (Squirrel Hill), Irish American,
Italian American (Bloomfield), German American (Troy Hill, East Allegheny) and
Eastern European such as Polish (South Side, Lawrenceville, Polish Hill). There
is also a small but growing population of Hispanics centering around the
Beechview neighborhood.
Several neighborhoods on the edges of the city are less intensely urban,
featuring tree-lined streets, yards and garages giving a more characteristic
suburban feel. These include the South Hills neighborhoods such as Brookline,
Carrick, Beechview, and Overbrook, some of the West End areas such as Oakwood
and Westwood, as well as far North Side neighborhoods like Observatory Hill and
Brighton Heights. Other neighborhoods, such as Oakland, in which are located the
University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University, are characterized by a
more diverse, urban feel.
According to the 2000 census there were 334,563 individuals, 143,739 households,
and 74,169 families within the city limits. The population of the surrounding
metropolitan area was 2,358,695. The largest groups in terms of race were 67.63%
White, 27.12% African American, 2.75% Asian, and 1.32% Hispanic. The median age
was 36 years. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.8 males. The
median income for a household in the city was $28,588, with 20.4% of the
population living below the poverty line. Pittsburgh has the lowest property
crime rate and a lower-than-average violent crime rate among cities of similar
size.
The Pittsburgh region is home to many colleges, universities and research
facilities, the most prominent of which are Carnegie Mellon University and the
University of Pittsburgh.
Carnegie Mellon University houses one of the oldest computer science schools and
the oldest drama school in the United States, both of which are widely
considered to be among the best in their fields. Other top ranking programs at
Carnegie Mellon University include the Tepper School of Business, the School of
Design (including a masters and doctoral level course), the School of
Architecture, and the School of Art- considered by many as one of the most
unique and interdisciplinary programs in the United States. Carnegie Mellon University also houses internationally renowned research centers
including the world-famous Software Engineering Institute (SEI), the STUDIO for
Creative Inquiry, the Center for the Arts in Society, and the Robotics
Institute, the first of its kind in the world and a leader in the field of
robotics. It also houses a top ten engineering school, and its business
school, The Tepper School of Business, is consistently ranked among the best in
the nation. Carnegie Mellon University is famous for its unique
interdisciplinary environment and as an innovative leader in education.
The University of Pittsburgh is known for its highly respected programs in its
departments of philosophy of science, Asian studies, business, and philosophy, rated among the top 5 in the United
States in its School of Arts and Sciences, and for its Schools of Law and
Engineering. The university's Schools of the Health Sciences and the University
of Pittsburgh Medical Center operate some of the finest hospitals in the world,
and an advanced medical research center that performs pioneering work in areas
such as organ transplantation, AIDS and cancer research. University of
Pittsburgh's School of Medicine is ranked amongst the top 16 graduate medical
programs nationally.
Pittsburgh Public School teachers are paid well relative to their peers, ranking
17th in 2000-2001 among the 100 largest cities by population for the highest
minimum salary offered to teachers with a BA ($34,300). Pittsburgh ranked fifth
in the highest maximum salary offered to teachers with an MA ($66,380). Local
public schools include many charter and magnet schools, including City Charter
High School (computer and technology focused), Pittsburgh Montessori School
(formerly Homewood Montessori), Pittsburgh Gifted Center, Frick International
Studies Academy, Rogers Middle School for the Creative and Performing Arts,
Pittsburgh High School for the Creative and Performing Arts, and several schools
for blind, deaf, or otherwise challenged children.
Pittsburgh private schools include Central Catholic High School, which is run by
the Christian order of St. John the Baptist De La Salle. Oakland Catholic High
School, an all-girls high school, is located less than two blocks away from
Central Catholic High School. Both high schools are located in Oakland.
Shadyside neighborhood include Winchester Thurston School and The Ellis School
(an all-girls school). Shady Side Academy, whose main campuses are located in
Fox Chapel has a junior high school in the neighborhood of Point Breeze.
In the 19th and 20th centuries, wealthy businessmen and nonprofit organizations
donated millions of dollars to create educational and cultural institutions. As
a result, Pittsburgh is rich in art and culture.
Among the professional music venues, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra performs
in Heinz Hall, and the Pittsburgh Opera performs in the Benedum Center. Both The
Benedum Center and Heinz Hall provide venues for other groups, such as the River
City Brass Band and the Pittsburgh Youth Symphony Orchestra. Pittsburgh has a
long tradition of jazz, blues and bluegrass music. Pittsburgh also has a large
indie and punk rock scene. Additionally the National Negro Opera Company was
founded in Pittsburgh, and was the first all African-American opera company in
the United States. This led to the prominence of African-American singers like
Leontyne Price in the world of opera.
Pittsburgh Dance Council and the Pittsburgh Ballet Theater host a variety of
dance events. Polka, folk, square and round dancing have a long history in the
city and are celebrated by the internationally famous Duquesne University
Tamburitzans, a multicultural academy dedicated to the preservation and
presentation of folk songs and dance.
In theater, the Pittsburgh Playhouse of Point Park University has four resident
companies of professional actors. Other companies include Attack Theatre, City
Theatre, Pittsburgh Irish and Classical Theatre, Pittsburgh Musical Theater,
Pittsburgh Public Theater, and Quantum Theater. The city's longest-running
theatre show, Friday Nite Improvs, is an improv jam that has been performed in
the Cathedral of Learning and other locations for 17 years.
Pittsburgh has long been a center of film culture as well. Pittsburgh
Filmmakers, one of the oldest and largest media arts centers in the United
States, runs a filmmaking school and three art film theaters. The Three Rivers
Film Festival brings a venue of independent, documentary and international films
each November. Pittsburgh is also a popular location for films, including
Flashdance, The Silence of the Lambs, Lorenzo's Oil, Robocop, Wonder Boys, and
Night of the Living Dead. Rawson Thurber's The Mysteries of Pittsburgh currently
is being filmed in Pittsburgh.