my son and his wife are going to live and work in Pittsburgh .?

Question

is it a good place to live and work.any info would be welcome .

Answer 1

How you like Pittsburgh has partly to do with where you were before you were here! Pittsburgh has great neighborhoods if you like city living, and lots of choices for suburban dwellers as well. Pittsburgh is the main city in Allegheny County, but there are 130 different municipalities in the county, so the number of school districts is rather large, a lot to consider if education is important. What field of work are they in? Health care, education and financial services are pretty big here, and some high tech, too. But other fields have limited options for finding another job if yours doesn't work out.

My wife and I moved to the northern suburbs (the 'north hills') from another state 17 years ago. We like it here a lot. We like a little space around us rather than a crowded urban environment, but we like the amenities the city offers, so for us it's a nice balance. We can get into the city in 25-30 minutes (many suburbs offer shorter commutes) on a weekend to enjoy a ball game or show. Great museums here.

The terrain is rolling hills, still heavily wooded overall in western PA. It's a rather green and lush area. The hills are a challenge for developers though, and they typically clear cut and level large areas when building. We hate to see this, but still I think the area is more wooded than most large cities.

Negatives are high taxes (many people decide to live in neighboring counties for their lower property taxes), declining city population, Pittsburgh's poor financial condition (from years of poor leadership), and business stagnation. However, in the past year, new privately financed building projects in the downtown area have picked up. The city seems to be finally getting a workable vision to develop downtown with a mix of residential and commercial properties. Some of the blighted buildings are getting knocked down finally, but many of the older buildings are also being preserved and restored.

Pittsburgh has a lot of great ethnic restaurants, and in the suburbs the national chains are everywhere. Big box retail is springing up in a lot of places, but at least it's a sign that companies are willing to invest in the area.

Recreational opportunities are outstanding, with the three rivers for boating, nearby whitewater rafting, lots of bike trails (you may have to drive to them) rock climbing and camping, state parks, fishing, and I'm probably forgetting some too.

The weather is much milder in the summer than the south or the mid-atlantic coast...during the heat wave a couple weeks ago in DC, Baltimore, Philly, it was 10-15 degrees cooler here. This week the high is low to mid 80s and we're enjoying a lot of sun and low humidity. Fall is typically gorgeous, sunny and mild with beautiful fall colors. However, winter tends to be extended weeks of gray, humid and windy weather. Sometimes snow is a relief from day after day of gray. Some people find that hard to cope with. We don't usually get hit with the nor'easters that paralyze NY/NJ area, though we can get heavy snow from time to time. But the summer and fall are the payoff.

Bottom line is that the Pittsburgh area offers a variety of living options and amenities in a moderate climate. While the taxes are a pain, the overall cost of living is a lot lower than the east coast. People moving here from Jersey find they get 2x the house for the money. I know a lot of people who grew up here and never want to leave, and a lot of people who moved here and decided to stay. It's not as transient as a lot of other places, though there has been a drain of population heading south over the last 15 years. Still, those who choose to come here generally seem to stay for a long time.

Answer 2

Why not try living with each for 6 months out of the year.From what you said if and only if I had to choose one I'd say with Dad , Florida , and funish wife. You and your sister could also live with one parent each for 6 months then switch back and forth that way your parent won't feel you chose one over the other and will get to enjoy both of you. This is a tough one for me but only you can decide- good luck.

Answer 3

It's been a while since I've lived there but really enjoyed it. I thought it was a nice part of PA to live. Mommouth Park is a lovely place to visit and Kuntz Bakery has some fantasic yummy things to offer.

Good luck in their move.

Answer 4

My daughter went to school there. It was the best four years of her life so far. We enjoyed visiting as often as possible.
We found lots of things to enjoy in the city.
It would be easy for us to live there ourselves.
We also knew folks who lived in the city and they really enjoyed it.
All new places seem dangerous for our children. The same common sense, morality, faith, civic values, you brought them up with will be found in Pittsburgh.
Enjoy and Discover.

Answer 5

It is a good place as much as i know from my uncle living there.

Answer 6

Well we've all been wondering where they we're gonna settle down at. How wonderful. I, for one will sleep better known where the're at. Thanks for sharing with us.