Pittsburgh Rankings

Pittsburgh is proud to rank among the top places to live, work, and visit in the United States. Our city is consistently recognized with accolades from major travel and financial organizations as one of the most livable cities with one of the most viable economies. We have been honored as a first rate city for livability, culture, and economy for several years.

2012 Rankings

• Pittsburgh was named the #1 cheapest last-minute getaway by Hotwire.com. Ten U.S. destinations were surveyed where travelers found the most significant last-minute hotels bargains, versus general rates on Hotwire. Stating "built on a foundation of industrialism, this up and coming tourism hot-spot now boasts a thriving arts scene." Pittsburgh is also the ideal destination for shopping as clothing is exempt from sales tax.
• ABC City Guides for Kids has voted Pittsburgh as their #1 family fun destination in their annual list. Stating "The Heinz History Center and the Carnegie Science Center are world class. Ride the Duquesne Incline for the best view of Kidsburgh and the city's 3 Rivers. Visit Primanti Bros., the Strip District and Andy Warhol Museum."
• Pittsburgh remains as one of the top 10 most literate cities since the rating began in 2003. The survey, created by Central Connecticut State University, is based on number of bookstores, newspaper circulation, educational level and libraries.
• Forbes ranked Pittsburgh in the top 20 best places for a working retirement. Factors include low unemployment rates and cost of living, plus solid job growth.

2011 Rankings

• The 8th Annual Farmers Insurance study ranks Pittsburgh as the most secure city among large metro areas (500,000 or more residents). The rankings, complied by Sperling’s Best Places, site crime statistics, extreme weather, housing depreciation, life expectancy, among other factors.
• Pittsburgh is one of eight U.S. cities included in the top 50 of the Mercer 2011 Quality of Living Survey, which covers 221 cities worldwide. Local living conditions are evaluated including economic environment, health and sanitation, schools and education, among others.
• National Geographic Traveler chose Pittsburgh as one of the best places in the world to visit, according to the 2012 Best of the World list. Calling Pittsburgh an “Extreme Metropolitan Makeover,” the city’s transformation over the past 50 years qualifies as revolutionary. From stunning architecture to sustainable design, this newest renaissance transformed Victorian and contemporary landmarks alike.
• US News & World Report released their report of the top places to retire in 2012. Pittsburgh ranked in the top five due to a number of amenities and low cost of living.
• Sporting News has ranked Pittsburgh in the top 10 of the best cities for sports. Categories included won-lost records, post-season appearances, power ratings, number of teams and attendance.
• Forbes Magazine ranked Pittsburgh as the 4th best area for working mothers. Fifty of the largest metropolitan areas were rated in terms of earnings, childcare costs, commuting time and cost of living.
• Travelandleisure.com voted Pittsburgh International Airport the 4th Safest Airport in the Country. Analyzing the Federal Aviation Administration's latest Runway Safety Report and more recent statistics, led to determining which of the 35 busiest commercial airports had the fewest and least severe runway incidents from 2006 to 2010. The state-of-the-art snow- and ice-removal system makes Pittsburgh one of the safest airports in the world during severe winter weather. Among its innovations are front and rear de-icing teams, runway sensors that relay real-time snow and ice conditions and direct radio communication between the snow-removal crews and the FAA control tower.
• Cheapflights.com rated Pittsburgh International Airport as One of the Most Affordable Airports in the United States. Rankings are based on flight searches to the most popular domestic and international destinations.
• “Pittsburgh is a happening place culturally and economically,” says New York-based Creative Cities International’s Vitality Index. Ranked 11th out of 35 Cities for Urban Vitality, Pittsburgh, a medium-sized city, boasts all the offerings of a larger city. Numbers were crunched on demographics, cultural offerings, recreational amenities, such as parks and trails, neighborhood life, attitudes and atmosphere.
• CNBC named Pittsburgh as the #1 Best City to Relocate to in America. The city has made a major transformation from an industrial town into a hub for education, healthcare and the arts.The cost of living is below the national average, as are home prices and unemployment rates. Crime rate is low, repeatedly rated one of the most livable and ranks high on both arts and colleges. And, of course, Pittsburgh is rated as one of the best sports cities in the U.S.
• According to Yahoo Real Estate, Pittsburgh is One of America’s Most Underrated Cities, stating Pittsburgh is not only surviving but thriving. With a continuous population decrease, the city economy is among the strongest, noting educational institutions and financial and technology companies taking Pittsburgh out of the steel age.
• The Mercer ranking lists Pittsburgh as one of The Most Affordable Cities in the World as well as one of the least expensive in the United States. Factors that influence cost of living are housing, transportation, food, entertainment, among others.
• Brookings Institute ranked Pittsburgh in the Top 25 Largest Metro Areas for the Number of “Clean Economy” Jobs. The Washington think tank examined the nation’s 100 largest metro areas and ranked them for their number of jobs related to renewable energy and the environment. The research identified 21, 963 clean jobs in Pittsburgh, nearly as many as in larger cities.
• Monster.com ranked Pittsburgh as the Top 10 Hottest Areas for Jobs. According to new data, Pittsburgh is attractive for job seekers due to the high demand for talent. Data collected included the number of openings posted online by firms and government agencies, as well as career sites.
• Business travelers rated Pittsburgh International Airport the 7th Best U.S. Airport in an annual poll by Conde Nast Traveler magazine. The categories included location and access, ease of connections, baggage and customer operations, design, safety and security and food and shopping.
• Pittsburgh was named One of the Best Six Cities for Kayaking by National Geographic Traveler. The adventure starts on the Allegheny River from Downtown, paddle three-miles to Washington’s Landing, watching for beavers and other wildlife. Solo and tandem kayaks can be rented near PNC Park.
• Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh made the Best Children’s Hospital Honor Roll, ranking in the top 10. The top specialties surveyed included cancer, cardiology and heart surgery, diabetes and endocrinology, gastroenterology, neonatology, neurology and orthopedics.
• Pittsburgh is home to eight Fortune 500 Companies, with U.S. Steel Corp. and PNC Financial Services Group topping the list. This list of vibrant, growing companies speaks to the continued appeal of the region as a corporate headquarters.
• Idlewild Park and SoakZone, located in Ligonier, was named Best Park for Families by the National Amusement Park Historical Association. Park highlights include Storybook Forest, which allow visitors to interact with people dressed as nursery rhyme characters; the park’s most popular wooden ride, the RolloCoaster; and the Caterpillar, one of only three rides still operating in the world.
• The international publication, fDi Magazine’s North American Cities of the Future ranked Pittsburgh as #1 on their list of Large Cities of the Future, with a population between 250,000 and 750,000.
• Pittsburgh International Airport ranked in the Top 10 Best Airports For Kids by Today.com. From a life-size cast of Tyrannosaurus Rex and a padded play area on Concourse C to a memorabilia-filled shrine to Mister Rogers Neighborhood TV show, these areas make the airport kid-friendly during long delays.
• TravelandLeisure.com listed Schenley Park as one of America’s Coolest City Parks. Located in Oakland, the park includes 456 acres of trails and woodlands, 13 tennis courts, golf courses and a running track. A stone’s throw away from the University of Pittsburgh and Phipps Conservatory & Botanical Gardens, the conservancy spent $3.4 million to restore the park’s Visitor Center.
• Fox Sports rated PNC Park, home of the Pittsburgh Pirates baseball team, as #1 of the Top 10 Ballparks in MLB. Seats angled toward the field, best skyline view in sports, best out-of-town scoreboard, the Roberto Clemente Bridge over the Allegheny River, beautiful architecture, an uncommonly intimate feel and the best sight lines of any ballpark.
• Pittsburgh is a “leading location of the future” for international investment, economic development and business expansion, according to fDi, published by London-based Financial Times. Pittsburgh has been ranked first overall in the large cities category among the fDi 2011/2012 Americas Cities of the Future. Cities were compared on 80 criteria including quality of life.
• For the fourth time in four years, Pittsburgh has been named America’s Most Livable City, by the respected Economist Intelligence Unit. Pittsburgh was also the 29th most livable worldwide, being the first U.S. city on that list. The survey ranks cities based on 30 factors such as healthcare, culture, environment, education and personal safety.
• CONSOL Energy Center, home of the Pittsburgh Penguins and the first LEED certified National Hockey League arena in the country, was named Best New Major Concert Venue in the U.S. Voted by the Pollstar Industry Awards, the multi-purpose arena is also host to concerts, circuses, various stage shows and other sporting events such as the new arena football team.
• Parents Magazine named the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh as the 7th Best Children’s Museum in the United States. Moms and Dads were surveyed to identify those museums with clever educational exhibits, mommy-and-me outings and festivals, healthy places for lunch, nursing areas, family restrooms and stroller parking.
• For the third consecutive year, Pittsburgh ranked near the top of the . The annual list, compiled by Sperling’s Best Places, ranked Pittsburgh 11th among populations of more than 50,000. Sperling’s list considered criteria such as air pollution unemployment rate, job growth, crime rate and housing
• Pittsburgh ranks 6th on the Forbes Magazine list of America’s most affordable cities, stating the combination of a newly diversified economy and a history of sustained low costs make the city affordable.
• Pittsburgh ranks 4th among the most literate cities in the United States, according to Central Connecticut State University. The study includes cities of 250,000 people or more, with a focus on education levels, Internet usage, newspaper circulation, library services and number of booksellers.

2010 Rankings

• Pittsburgh ranks 2nd on the Forbes.com list of America’s most affordable cities, stating the combination of a newly diversified economy and a history of sustained low costs make the city affordable.
• Pittsburgh was named Best City to Relocate to in America by cnbc.com. The list took into consideration a variety of data points from cost of living to crime rates, the number of colleges and how healthy the population is, as well as access to museums, shows, sporting and other events and stability.
• Kiplinger named Pittsburgh as one of the 10 best cities for empty nesters. Residents 45-64 typically look for affordable neighborhoods with a large amount of cultural amenities, antiquing opportunities and historical attractions, such as the area’s 47 covered bridges.
• The Huffington Post voted Pittsburgh as one of the forty prettiest cities in the world. The research on each city included the many food options available, the ability to walk around, architecture, diversity, culture, shopping and the ultimate beauty of the city, such as modern, classic, gothic or a mix.
• Idlewild & SoakZone earns the title of best children’s amusement park in the world by Amusement Today magazine. The magazine polls amusement park fans who rate the world’s top parks in 25 categories, such as for roller coasters, friendliest staff, water rides and more.
• Parents Magazine ranked Pittsburgh as the fourth best city to raise a baby. Out of the 100 cities polled, affordable housing, safety, recreation, good neighbors, were all factors.
• For the third time in four years, Pittsburgh has been named America’s Most Livable City, this time by Forbes Magazine. Pittsburgh's art scene, job prospects, safety and affordability have contributed to this distinction. The city has rebounded from its manufacturing past. Disused steel mills have been repurposed into multimedia art centers, and Pittsburgh has a strong university presence, which helps bolster its livability.
• Pittsburgh ranks fourth as the most improved housing markets in the U.S. Bloomberg and Businessweek.com rated 50 of the largest metropolitan statistical cities in the areas of first-quarter home prices, foreclosures and delinquent loans, as well as overall home sales, distressed sales and local unemployment figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
• Pittsburgh ranks 13th among the top 50 global eco-friendly cities. Eco-City Ranking includes the following criteria: water availability, water portability, waste removal, sewage, air pollution and traffic congestion. Pittsburgh is only one of three United States cities listed in the top 20.
• Pittsburgh ranked 12th on a list of the easiest U.S. cities for job seekers to find work. Job search site, Juju.com, ranked the 50 largest metropolitan areas according to how many job seekers vs. advertised jobs.
• Forbes magazine rated Pittsburgh as the best place to buy a home. The ranking was based on a number of factors including the fact that home prices are expected to increase in the region, 85 percent of homes are affordable to those making the median income and foreclosures are low.
• Pittsburgh ranks 12th on the "Fun Cities" list for running a business based on fun. Statistics were gathered on relevant businesses, from retails stores and restaurants to casinos and golf courses. Categories of fun were analyzed, such as shopping, food, drink, high and low-impact sports and entertainment.
• Pittsburgh ranked fourth among the best 50 cities for working mothers in the U.S., according to Forbes Magazine. Rankings were based on women’s income, cost of living, pediatricians, unemployment rate, violent crimes and spending per pupil by schools.
• Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh is one of eight pediatric facilities to be named to the America’s Best Children’s Hospitals list as part of U.S. News & World Report. Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh ranked #3 in Diabetes + Endocrinology and #6 in Gastroenterology and Pulmonology.
• Forbes Magazine ranks Pittsburgh number seven out of ten Best Places to Raise a Family. The criteria was based on cost of living, home ownership rates, median household income, commute time, crime and the percentage of young adults who graduate high school.
• Ezinearticles.com has named The National Aviary the best overall destination for bird lovers in its Top 20 Bird and Parrot Vacation Destinations list. The National Aviary received first place ranking in the top 20 list, beating out large zoos and other aviaries across the United States. The wide variety of bird habitats and species and the wonderful feeling of being immersed in the bird's natural environment were key factors.
• Singlemindedwomen.com, an online web community devoted exclusively to the needs of single women, voted Pittsburgh as the 8th best city for single women. Factors included career opportunities, low cost of living, several top universities, thriving art and cultural scene, three major league sports teams and an abundant of outdoor/recreational activities.
• Kennywood Amusement Park was voted the world's favorite traditional park by the National Amusement Park Historical Association. Kennywood’s Phantom’s Revenge was named the world’s third favorite steel roller coaster.
• Bicycle Magazine ranked Pittsburgh 28th on the list of bike-friendly cities with populations greater than 100,000. Factors considered were the hiring of the city’s bicycle/pedestrian coordinator, more than 14 miles of dedicated bike lanes, bike parking areas and the distribution of 100 bike racks to businesses around the city.
• ABC News rated Pittsburgh’s PNC Park as one of the seven best ballparks in America. The riverfront facility combines the best features of yesterday’s ballparks, such as rhythmic archways, steel truss work and a natural grass field. The ballpark is best known for the view and the scenic vistas of the downtown skyline and riverfront, plus pedestrian and riverboat access.
• Real Simple ranked Pittsburgh as the 8th top time-saving city in the United States, noting the ease of Pittsburgh's public-transit system and number of bookstores per capita. The survey was based on these categories: Getting Around, Health and Safety, Information and Technology, Green Time-Savers and Lifestyle.