Pittsburgh Neighborhood Renter Housing Burden Map

Housing costs are a big part of our expenses.  Your household is considered cost burdened if you spend more than 30% of your household income on housing-related costs , such as rent, mortgage, taxes, and utilities. Let's say your monthly pay is $3,000. If you rent your home for $1,200 and pay $300 for utilities. Then you spend 50% of your income on housing. Your housing is cost burdened. No matter your income level, your housing should be affordable to you.

The map below illustrates the housing burden across Pittsburgh neighborhoods. The data source is  American Community Survey 2019-2023 5-year estimates on housing affordability from the US Census Bureau . The original data was at the tract level, we converted it to the neighborhood level using the  housing unit method . Neighborhoods were sorted into five levels of renter housing burden, ranging from very low to extreme, using the same methodology as the  Allegheny Community Need Index . Darker shaded areas represent neighborhoods with a higher renter housing burden level.

In addition, the map highlighted the areas classified as High or Extreme Need by Allegheny CNI and the Multi-Unit Zoning Districts.

• High renter housing burden is driven by low incomes, high rents or a combination of both. Areas with high housing burden are often in High or Extreme Need, probably due to low incomes, while other areas with a high renter housing burden have a lower need level, probably due to high rents. In both cases, there is a need for more affordable housing.

• The Multi-Unit Zoning Districts are largely situated within or near areas with a high renter housing burden. Land use policies restricted to these Districts can target support where it is most needed.

The map presents additional housing burden-related metrics, including: The estimated number of households and renter households ( ACS B25070 ); The percentage of renter households spending over 30% or 50% of their income on rent ( ACS B2507 ); The percentage of owner households spending over 30% or 50% of their income on housing costs ( ACS B25140 ); The percentage of renter households aged 15-34 or 65+ spending over 30% of their income on rent ( ACS B25072 ); The percentage of population aged 20+ enrolled in school ( ACS S1401 ); The percentage of the 18-34 age group that moved to the neighborhood in the past year ( ACS B07001 )

More than half of the Pittsburgh households rent houses. According to the American Community Survey 2023 1-year estimates, Pittsburgh has 72,345 renter households, accounting for 51% of all households. Among every 100 renter households, 47 are cost-burdened, including 26 that even spend over 50% of their income on rent. In contrast, for every 100 owner households, only 17 are cost-burdened. Renter households face housing burdens at a much higher rate than owner households. The median gross rent has risen from $917 in 2018 to $1,260 in 2023, outpacing the inflation rate.

If one considers only the renter housing burden, Pittsburgh appears less attractive and welcoming to newcomers compared to some of the largest U.S. cities. The graph below illustrates the percentage of total households that are cost burdened renters across major U.S. cities, with Pittsburgh ranking in the middle. Addressing this issue is essential to making Pittsburgh the most welcoming city.