Where to Live

Perhaps it’s Pittsburgh’s steep hills, rolling rivers, and more than 400 bridges that earned it the top spot for most livable city in 2009 by The Economist. Or maybe it’s the city’s medley of friendly residents, low cost of living, cultural treasures, and ethnically and architecturally diverse neighborhoods.

In its 58.3 square miles, Pittsburgh has 89 neighborhoods, each of them shaped by their early British, Eastern European, Jewish, and other immigrants’ spirit, wealth, and work ethic. From row houses to Victorian mansions, synagogues to museums, each community offers its own history and charm.

Where you choose to spend the next few years will depend on your personality, lifestyle, and even your available transportation. Do you prefer an urban area with cultural amenities within walking distance, or are you looking for a quiet residential area with quality schools? Do you need a parking space, or would you like to use public transportation or walk to campus? Whatever you choose, you’ll have access to everything that Pittsburgh has to offer.

Explore the following top six neighborhoods, and discover a home that offers the perfect mix of character, proximity to campus, access to basic services, and fellow Tepper students available nearby for study groups and carpooling. Note: other neighborhoods may suit you well - like Regent Square, Lawrenceville, or the South Side. Check with Admissions for advice.
 

Shadyside

1.0 mile from campus
70% of Tepper students reside here
Shadyside is an upscale residential area that mixes Victorian mansions and modern condominiums with upscale boutiques, restaurants, and markets.
 

Squirrel Hill

1.6 miles from campus
12% of Tepper students reside here
Squirrel Hill is a comfortable residential neighborhood that’s popular with students and families. It features large Tudor homes, condos, and apartments, as well as ethnic eateries and two large parks: Frick Park and Schenley Park.
 

Bloomfield

1.8 miles from campus
5% of Tepper students reside here
Known as Pittsburgh’s Little Italy, Bloomfield is a working-class, urban neighborhood with a diverse population, numerous row houses, and a host of small businesses and restaurants.
 

Friendship

1.8 miles from campus
2% of Tepper students reside here
Friendship is a small, completely residential area that features turn-of-the-century Victorian homes, many of which are broken up into apartments, as well as a small park and the Western Pennsylvania Hospital.
 

Oakland

0 miles from campus
2% of Tepper students reside here
Urban with a distinctly academic and cultural feel, Oakland offers apartment and condo living alongside casual restaurants and shopping venues. It’s home to the Carnegie Museums of Art and Natural History, Carnegie Library, and the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
 

Highland Park

3.0 miles from campus
2% of Tepper students reside here
Built around the 380-acre park of the same name and inclusive of the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium, Highland Park is a diverse residential neighborhood in the northeastern area of the city.