Pittsburgh, PA

[LittleDarlings]

Some of my friends who have been to Pitt say that the campus is really nice but like as soon as you get off of the campus it is dangerous. I know there are some rough areas and I am wondering as a potential student is there affordable housing in a place that is not dangerous.  My friend said one of his girlfriends lived there and when he went to visit he was worried that his new car would be stolen or something. 

[raneck]

Since Pitt is an urban school , there really isn't a separate campus. The area around the Pitt campus is safe enough (Oakland, Shadyside, Squirrel Hill, Bloomfield, etc.) and very affordable for students.  I've lived in the area for 5+ years and never had any problems.

[negarey]

I lived on the ground floor of an apartment in South Oakland for three years (at the very end of McKee Pl). I was about a 5 minute walk from campus, if that. I wasn't going to school at the time, so I found out really quickly that Oakland can be a scary place if you're looking for it, but if you mind your business you will be fine. After that I moved to the South Side Slopes, which I found was a popular neighborhood for students as well. 

 

I loved living in Oakland because Schenley Park is absolutely beautiful. I'm a "dive bar" kinda girl so living near Uncle Jimmy's was great for me. Forbes Ave. has just about everything you could possibly need, and there are a ton of great restaurants within walking distance. 

 

As raneck said, it's an urban campus and you have the typical urban problems, but even then it's on a tiny scale. Someone I worked with in Point Breeze of all places (one of the safest neighborhoods in Pittsburgh) got me into drugs but until that happened -- about a year after I moved to Pittsburgh -- I had no idea of the scale of the drug scene in Oakland. It's not a ghetto, you don't have dealers standing on corners and whatnot, but there was a lot more activity there than I had noticed before. There are layers to the city and it all depends on how deep you want to dig. It's easy to walk on by and focus on school if that's what you want to do. It's also easy to get swept up into the undergraduate party scene or drug scene if that's what you want. If you're easily influenced and looking for quieter places but still have easy access to the campus, stick with North Oakland, Squirrel Hill or Shadyside. However, these places are much more expensive. If you're looking to save a bit of money, don't mind a little hustle and bustle and want more access to the restaurants and the bar scene and all of that, South Oakland and South Side are the place to go. And the walk from South Oakland over the Hot Metal Bridge to South Side (E. Carson St.) is incredible as well. The bus system into Oakland is ridiculously effective and reliable so you have a ton of options. 

 

All in all, even though I've moved past that part of my life, I would still move back to South Oakland because I loved the neighborhood so much. If their MA program funded, I'd be applying there. I'll probably apply there for my PhD.

 

Can you tell that I'm nostalgic? If it was up to me, I'd live there for the rest of my life. I've lived in four different states and traveled and spent time across the whole country and that's my favorite place. I hope this helped a little bit.

[babynaj101]

hii...

I lived in Shadyside and Squirrel Hill while I was there, and both are great neighborhoods with easy busline access to campus. Oakland is okay, too, but it's dirtier and more drinking/party oriented. If you're looking for a quiet residential area, head to Shadyside.

[katethekitcat]

 The bus system into Oakland is ridiculously effective and reliable so you have a ton of options. 

 

Overall, Is Pittsburgh doable without a car? I REALLY don't want to buy one.

[Authorization]

Just going to put in my two cents by saying that I really like that big black tower with the spikes that looks like it wouldn't be out of place in Mordor. 

 

The Cathedral of Learning is pretty cool too. 

[raneck]

Overall, Is Pittsburgh doable without a car? I REALLY don't want to buy one.

 

I have been here for about 7 years now, car free!  Just make sure to keep in mind the locations of grocery stores when looking for apts.  I have friends/family in the area that I can sometimes get to give me a ride for shopping purposes, but that doesn't happen that often.

[negarey]

I agree that living without a car is very very doable! Almost every single bus in the city runs through Forbes or Fifth Avenues on campus, and they mostly run very frequently as well. Very reliable, in my experience.

 

To expand upon raneck's advice, there's a Zipcar right on Forbes Ave, I think right in front of Caribou Coffee? Here is a map of all of the cars they have in Oakland: http://www.zipcar.com/pittsburgh/find-cars . I always wanted to sign up for that myself, but I don't have a license. Kind of need one of those.

 

If you choose to live in South Oakland, there's an IGA on Forbes Ave. that suffices for most grocery needs. It's nothing special and choice is limited because it's a small space, but they DO have big granola dispensers that reduce waste!

 

Many major buslines also stop at Giant Eagle Market District Shadyside and run every 10-20 minutes. I used to stop there a few times a week to get some essentials and took the bus home. Since you'll have free bus fare with your ID, you can probably make as many trips there and back as you'd like if you find an apartment on a 71 line (which includes South Oakland, North Oakland, and Shadyside). Fun facts: Nearby there's also UPMC Shadyside Hospital, Shadyside Family Health Center which is a great clinic, and I believe there's also a MedExpress urgent care location. This is a pretty great area, although it was too expensive for me when I lived there (I wasn't a student). 

 

Lastly, there's a Target in East Liberty which is very accessible by bus as well, though I would definitely take a cab home from there because, if you're like me, you end up walking out of Target with more than you went in for and don't want to walk very far for a bus stop. Every borough in Pittsburgh is a short drive away from most of the others, so shelling out for cab fare every now and then doesn't break the bank as long as you don't live in Regent Square or Highland Park or something (both incredibly beautiful neighborhoods but more residential and a little further out).

Edited December 12, 2013 by negarey

[pearspears]

I lived in Pittsburgh two years....I'd make sure you can deal with winters...the winters there are not pretty like you'd imagine, because it's urban...

 

So better have some hobbies  because you'll go crazy otherwise...

 

Oh yeah, and everyone telling you not to have a car? DON'T LISTEN. I have been stranded during winter because sometimes the buses don't run due to inclement weather, and it can get so cold out you can literally die from exposure. One year 911 shut down and a dude died because there were no ambulances. This is no joke. If you don't have a car prepared to be very immobile in the winter. Don't trust the buses!!!

[negarey]

Pearspears, where did you grow up? It sounds like you moved from somewhere relatively warm/snowless and happened to pick the two worst years ever to live in Pittsburgh. I lived there for three years and although there were indeed issues with the bus system every now and then when the weather was out of control, it was the exception, not the rule. 

 

Buses aren't invincible machines that can power through blizzards and other natural phenomena. It sounds like your issue is with the WEATHER, not the bus system. It's illogical to advise someone that getting a car will make everything all better when in reality there are far more issues with cars than buses in that kind of weather. I've seen cars spin out into ditches, stall out completely, crash into everything around them. Cars are MUCH harder to control in that weather than buses.

 

If you know how to dress properly for winter and are not a complete moron when it comes to checking the weather in the winter months and planning for extra travel time, you'll be fine.

 

At least when you ride the bus you know you'll be in a larger vehicle that has more traction than your $1,500 honda civic with no heat, and you'll be on the big roads that have all been plowed rather than dealing with idiots on side streets who moved to a super snowy city and never bothered to learn how to drive in the snow.

 

Basically, if you're not a wuss, you'll be fine.

[UrbanWonk]

Ditto on negarey.  I've lived in PGH for the last 3 years (PhD at CMU) and though I have a car, I hardly ever use it (have put 6,000 miles on it over the 3 years and most of that comes from 5 hour drives to visit my parents). BUT I was very particular in where I chose to live.  I live on the edge of East Liberty & Shadyside, which means there are 2 CMU shuttles and 6 public buses that could get me to school (and there is redundancy at the stops so weather isn't too much of a problem), and I live within 10 minutes' walk of Trader Joe's, Giant Eagle, and Target.  You pay more for the convenience, but it's totally doable car-free. If you live in Oakland, you'll have a closer walk to school, but it'll be less convenient for groceries, etc. There's ZipCar as mentioned and also rentable bicycles at various stations throughout the city.

 

Coming from up North, I will say that PGH drivers are terrible in the snow...I almost missed my flight because people were driving 30 mph on the highway just because there was a bit of white stuff in the air. Weather does screw up schedules somewhat, but you should never plan on taking "the last bus" with any public transportation in any city--it's never perfectly reliable.

[CagedBird]

Hey guys! I plan on attending Duquesne for grad school. Any advice on living arrangements? I prefer to live by myself (maybe a cat too? lol), so what options would be affordable, safe, and provide easy access to campus? (I plan on having a car)

[PowderRiver]

Duquesne sits right downtown, about a mile from Pitt and Carnegie Mellon, so housing options are more or less the same between all three schools. One of the many perks of university life in Pittsburgh is the public transit system; the bus system in Pittsburgh will take you just about anywhere in the area with about 30 minutes. As a result, your living options are wide open. Oakland (where Pitt and CMU are located) is a popular area for undergraduate students (and more party-oriented), and the graduate students I know live in Squirrel Hill, Shadyside, Bloomfield, Highland Park, Lawrenceville, or Greenfield. Mount Washington might have some options, but I'm not familiar with that area. You can find nicer places in any of these neighborhoods, though Shadyside and Squirrel Hill are probably the most expensive options; I found my places by reviewing the off-campus housing links at all three of the big universities (Pitt's website is probably the best). 

The one neighborhood I left off the list is South Side: I know of a lot of students and young professionals that live in the area, and there is a shuttle service from the area to Duquesne, but it has the largest concentration of bars in the city. Parking is tough, nights can be loud, and housing can be pricey, but if that's the scene you want then the Southside would be good for you. 

As far as safety: I've never felt unsafe in Pittsburgh, but then again I'm a pretty big guy so I may be a poor judge. I would certainly avoid Homewood and Wilkensburg, but those are quite a distance from Duquesne. Downtown is pretty quiet, and is actually one of the least active downtowns I've ever seen, but it can be a bit intimidating walking around late at night. As with any city, you can find trouble if you look for it, but it is also very easy to avoid. 

[Bri2014]

I would love any advice on where to live in Pittsburgh. It seems to be really difficult to find a nice, updated apartment in a decent area. And then, every time I do, the reviews of the management company are terrible. Ideally, I'd like to pay $1100 or less (what I pay now in Austin). Any suggestions as to where to look?

[PowderRiver]

I would love any advice on where to live in Pittsburgh. It seems to be really difficult to find a nice, updated apartment in a decent area. And then, every time I do, the reviews of the management company are terrible. Ideally, I'd like to pay $1100 or less (what I pay now in Austin). Any suggestions as to where to look?

 

As far as neighborhoods, check out my previous post. For that amount, you should be able to find a nice place with ease. Two-bedroom places start around $900, though the nicer ones are closer to $1,000-1,100 (depending on neighborhood). If you're content with a single bedroom, then you have quite a few options available in most neighborhoods.

 

The problem I've encountered is the early applications and openings: the majority of Pittsburgh rentals open in August but you need to sign up in January and February. We were just contacted by our landlord telling us we have until Feb. 15th to renew our lease starting this coming August. Most of the companies have negative reviews, but I have dealt with a few that were pretty ordinary as far as landlords go. I've found that as soon as I mention that I'm a graduate student they become more cordial, though they still require a ton of paperwork (seriously- my cat has a five page lease). I'm not loud, I don't have a lot of parties, and I don't destroy the places so I haven't had any problems so far.

I'll mention a few companies of the largest companies, as I didn't see any forum rules against naming companies. I'll remove them if it's a problem.

Mozart Management

Forbes Management

Walnut Capital

They all have lengthy applications, require a cosigner regardless of financial situation, and are already taking applications for this coming August.

Feel free to PM me if you want some more info.

Edited February 12, 2014 by PowderRiver

[CagedBird]

Duquesne sits right downtown, about a mile from Pitt and Carnegie Mellon, so housing options are more or less the same between all three schools. One of the many perks of university life in Pittsburgh is the public transit system; the bus system in Pittsburgh will take you just about anywhere in the area with about 30 minutes. As a result, your living options are wide open. Oakland (where Pitt and CMU are located) is a popular area for undergraduate students (and more party-oriented), and the graduate students I know live in Squirrel Hill, Shadyside, Bloomfield, Highland Park, Lawrenceville, or Greenfield. Mount Washington might have some options, but I'm not familiar with that area. You can find nicer places in any of these neighborhoods, though Shadyside and Squirrel Hill are probably the most expensive options; I found my places by reviewing the off-campus housing links at all three of the big universities (Pitt's website is probably the best). 

The one neighborhood I left off the list is South Side: I know of a lot of students and young professionals that live in the area, and there is a shuttle service from the area to Duquesne, but it has the largest concentration of bars in the city. Parking is tough, nights can be loud, and housing can be pricey, but if that's the scene you want then the Southside would be good for you. 

As far as safety: I've never felt unsafe in Pittsburgh, but then again I'm a pretty big guy so I may be a poor judge. I would certainly avoid Homewood and Wilkensburg, but those are quite a distance from Duquesne. Downtown is pretty quiet, and is actually one of the least active downtowns I've ever seen, but it can be a bit intimidating walking around late at night. As with any city, you can find trouble if you look for it, but it is also very easy to avoid. 

 

Thanks for the advice! Would you be able to tell me any specific apartment complexes to go to or avoid? I'm worried about living stipends, as I'm not sure how much I'll receive as a grad student. How much would I be able to live comfortably off of?

[PowderRiver]

I'm worried about living stipends, as I'm not sure how much I'll receive as a grad student. How much would I be able to live comfortably off of?

 

I've listed a few companies in a recent post in this thread that I have had luck with, all of which list their properties with photos and dates of availability and prices. Aside from that, just about anything in Squirrel Hill, Shadyside, Highland Park, or Lawrenceville will be the nicer areas nearest to Duquesne. You might email the department to see where some of their grads live, but you're welcome to PM me with a few places and I can try to tell you more about the neighborhood (if I can).

We have students in our department living in $500/mo. studios, though I've never heard anyone brag about how nice those were. You should probably expect anywhere from $600-$1,000/mo. for living alone (rent and utilities). I can only speak to Pitt PhD stipends, and haven't heard of anyone struggling to get by on those. For example, my rent (sharing a two bedroom) and all utilities is around $720/mo. for a nice townhouse 15min from campus by bus. Throwing in all other bills (phone, gas, groceries, randoms, etc.), I have enough to still make department happy hours, dinners, the occasional lunch out, concerts, etc. Setting a minimum is tough, but I could easily get by on about $1,000/mo. if I needed to, though I'd have to move to a smaller, more "typical" college apartment.

I would also suggest you email your program to see if you get free Port Authority transit: we get this at Pitt, and just swipe our student ID's for a free bus or train ride anywhere in the area. I'm not sure if Duquesne/CMU offer the same, but it saves about $5 a day for buses and I use mine every single day.

[Marisa.UVA]

Hey Pittsburgh peeps! I've been accepted into the University of Pittsburgh's neuroscience Ph.D. program. That gives me $26,010/yr stipend to live on. Will it be feasible to find a $500/mth or less living situation (with roommates)? How late/early does the bus system run? Do you guys think that the stipend will be more than enough, or just sufficient? Thanks for your help in advance!

[PowderRiver]

I think that $500/mo. may be cutting it a little bit short once you include cable/utilities, but that's certainly a livable stipend; it seems most of Pitt's stipends are around the same amount, and I don't know of anyone struggling to get by. 

I catch the bus between 6-7am, and have caught them home at midnight, though peak service hours are 8am-9pm. The GoogleMaps app has all of Pittsburgh's bus routes mapped in, which makes things easier.

[Marisa.UVA]

Can anyone tell me anything about Polish Hill and North Oakland areas?

 

Also how is Lawrenceville compared to Squirrel Hill/Shadyside?

[negarey]

Polish Hill is a nice, quiet, cheap area but it's really kind of out of the way if you don't drive. North Oakland is much closer, but a bit more urban. Lawrenceville is more of a hipster neighborhood with great restaurants and bars. Shadyside and Squirrel Hill are more expensive but nice areas. They are still somewhat close to Pitt but not as close as N. Oakland. Honestly, if I had to choose, I'd probably pick Lawrenceville because it's mid-priced, there's stuff to do but it's not too obnoxious, and it's not too close but not too far. Kind of a nice middle-ground.

 

Also, I've caught busses at 2 or 3 in the morning, especially between Oakland and South Side.

 

I think it's worth considering living in the South Side Slopes, too, if you haven't already. Cheaper living, far enough from the loud obnoxious Carson St., but still somewhat close to the action as well. I've walked between Pitt and the Slopes many times in the warmer weather.

[Marisa.UVA]

Ok thanks, good to know about the buses as I assume I'll be using them very frequently and probably late at night too. So is Polish Hill not walkable to the university area, if I chose to walk? Lawrenceville seems even farther away than Polish Hill but maybe geography/highways changes that...

 

Honestly I probably can't afford Shadyside (for what I want to pay), but Squirrel Hill seems to vary a lot price-wise. I loved the houses I saw in Squirrel Hill when I visited... are the neighborhoods of Lawrenceville and Friendship/Bloomfield much the same? Bloomfield also looks really close to Pitt- is it an area where grad students normally live?

 

And for South Side Slopes- don't you have to cross a bridge to get to the university?

 

Sorry for all the questions but thanks so much for all your help already!

[Hula-hoop]

Ok thanks, good to know about the buses as I assume I'll be using them very frequently and probably late at night too. So is Polish Hill not walkable to the university area, if I chose to walk? Lawrenceville seems even farther away than Polish Hill but maybe geography/highways changes that...

 

Honestly I probably can't afford Shadyside (for what I want to pay), but Squirrel Hill seems to vary a lot price-wise. I loved the houses I saw in Squirrel Hill when I visited... are the neighborhoods of Lawrenceville and Friendship/Bloomfield much the same? Bloomfield also looks really close to Pitt- is it an area where grad students normally live?

 

And for South Side Slopes- don't you have to cross a bridge to get to the university?

 

Sorry for all the questions but thanks so much for all your help already!

Polish Hill and Bloomfield are far enough from the Pitt campus that I would warn against walking. The 54 buses go through both neighborhoods and would take you right to campus. Friendship is also definitely a bus only location. Students can take a 15-20 min walk from some parts of Shadyside or North Oakland, but everywhere else is going to require a bus. South Side is definitely way too far to walk. All the 61 buses go through Squirrel Hill. I also wouldn't recommend walking, because Squirrel Hill is past CMU. 

 

A lot of places in Pittsburgh are heat included, which is extremely helpful for the winter time, and would save you a lot of money. Be careful of places with really cheap rent, because prices will skyrocket in the winter. 

[negarey]

Polish Hill and Bloomfield are far enough from the Pitt campus that I would warn against walking. The 54 buses go through both neighborhoods and would take you right to campus. Friendship is also definitely a bus only location. Students can take a 15-20 min walk from some parts of Shadyside or North Oakland, but everywhere else is going to require a bus. South Side is definitely way too far to walk. All the 61 buses go through Squirrel Hill. I also wouldn't recommend walking, because Squirrel Hill is past CMU. 

 

A lot of places in Pittsburgh are heat included, which is extremely helpful for the winter time, and would save you a lot of money. Be careful of places with really cheap rent, because prices will skyrocket in the winter. 

 

 

Ok thanks, good to know about the buses as I assume I'll be using them very frequently and probably late at night too. So is Polish Hill not walkable to the university area, if I chose to walk? Lawrenceville seems even farther away than Polish Hill but maybe geography/highways changes that...

 

Honestly I probably can't afford Shadyside (for what I want to pay), but Squirrel Hill seems to vary a lot price-wise. I loved the houses I saw in Squirrel Hill when I visited... are the neighborhoods of Lawrenceville and Friendship/Bloomfield much the same? Bloomfield also looks really close to Pitt- is it an area where grad students normally live?

 

And for South Side Slopes- don't you have to cross a bridge to get to the university?

 

Sorry for all the questions but thanks so much for all your help already!

 

Yeah, I probably should have qualified my statements with the fact that I like to walk a lot. I've walked from East Liberty to Oakland, which was fun but I probably wouldn't recommend. You do have to cross the Hot Metal Bridge, but it's a small bridge with an absolutely stunning view that will make you want to walk back over again. 

 

I agree entirely with Hula-hoop, the only thing I want to add is the reason why I advise against Polish Hill: there are four 54 busses. Only one of them runs through Polish Hill and I'm pretty certain it doesn't run very late.

 

In fact, here is a map of the 54. Oakland is highlighted. You can see how it only stops in Polish Hill every 45 minutes because only the 54D goes through Polish Hill. However, a bus goes through Bloomfield (Liberty Ave.) about every 20 minutes because both the 54C and the 54D take that route. Apparently the 54C is the only one that goes through Lawrenceville, so service there is pretty sparse as well, which I spaced out on until I looked at this map.

 

Here is a map of all the busses that run through where the Pitt campus is. It basically tells you how to get to the other neighborhoods. It helps to read the information at the bottom of the 2nd page before trying to figure out the map above.

 

Page 2 on this schedule is Squirrel Hill (61D). It looks like it runs every half an hour and stops before 2am.

 

Bloomfield is definitely a great option and I'm kicking myself for not suggesting it in the first place. It is near Lawarenceville and it's kind of similar, but I think you'd find cheaper rent and more down-to-earth people. I worked at a restaurant on Liberty Ave. and sometimes didn't get out until 1 or 2am and was always able to catch a bus back to Oakland within 10-20 minutes. Also, vice versa, sometimes I met up with friends in Bloomfield pretty late and never had a problem. 

 

Anyway! Overall, since you're taking the bus, I'd try to stay on the 54 or 71 bus routes because they run far more often. The 71 even stops right in front of Giant Eagle, which is nice.

 

Since I'm throwing out bus maps, here are the ones for the 71 (A and B in particular are kind of helpful): 71A & C — 71B & D

 

I hope this helps! Also, that website has a trip planner so you can enter in whatever you want at whatever time you want and play around. All of the bus routes are in Google Maps, too, so you can just input two places into the app on your phone and pick the bus option and it will show you how long it will take and all of that fun stuff.

 

EDIT: Also, I rented from Glickman Real Estate for 3 years and they were pretty good. Not the best of the best apartments, but I rented in their cheapest building (427 McKee, which I've heard they've done renovations to since I moved out). They were very quick to respond to problems and really friendly. They have like 4 websites, but I'd suggest waiting until they post on Craigslist because the website listings are kind of expensive.

Edited March 7, 2014 by negarey

[pearspears]

Pearspears, where did you grow up? It sounds like you moved from somewhere relatively warm/snowless and happened to pick the two worst years ever to live in Pittsburgh. I lived there for three years and although there were indeed issues with the bus system every now and then when the weather was out of control, it was the exception, not the rule. 

 

Buses aren't invincible machines that can power through blizzards and other natural phenomena. It sounds like your issue is with the WEATHER, not the bus system. It's illogical to advise someone that getting a car will make everything all better when in reality there are far more issues with cars than buses in that kind of weather. I've seen cars spin out into ditches, stall out completely, crash into everything around them. Cars are MUCH harder to control in that weather than buses.

 

If you know how to dress properly for winter and are not a complete moron when it comes to checking the weather in the winter months and planning for extra travel time, you'll be fine.

 

At least when you ride the bus you know you'll be in a larger vehicle that has more traction than your $1,500 honda civic with no heat, and you'll be on the big roads that have all been plowed rather than dealing with idiots on side streets who moved to a super snowy city and never bothered to learn how to drive in the snow.

 

Basically, if you're not a wuss, you'll be fine.

 So I'm a moron for being honest about the weather? I am from this area but don't know how to dress? You sound like the socially inept, backwards neckbeard Pennsyltucky stereotype that people hate about Western Pennsylvania. How dare I tell people that it's probably preferable to have a car when it's cold outside and there are advisories to not go outside! Yes, you should just totally disregard that and GO STAND AT A BUS STOP.

 

Yes I agree that there's a moron here and it's not me. Good thing it's Sunday tomorrow! You can go dahn to the Strip and then go pick up some beer at Giant Iggle and watch a Stillers game and eat your french fry sandwich and talk about all those mean anti Pittsburgers on the gradcafe website.