Hello, I live in Wilmington and I'm looking for a change, a fresh start. I'm deciding to relocate and I'm trying to decide between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. Can anyone tell me the benefits of living in Pittsburgh vs. Philly?

Pittsburgh pros
1. Low cost of living. You can save quite a bit here and housing is relatively inexpensive
2. Friendly folks and low crime/homelessness
3. I think Pittsburgh is beautiful

Pittsburgh cons
1. Kind of remote. Dc 4 hr drive away.
2. Winter is super gray and cloudy. Lack of sun gets depressing.

Philly pros
1. Big city amenities and night life
2. Some great food
3. Easy access to NYC and DC and NJ/DE beaches

Philly cons
1. Nice parts of town and surrounding area can be pricey
2 . Some parts not very safe, lots of homeless

Pittsburgh is way smaller, but way more affordable. Pittsburgh is an awesome place to live but it’s going to be quieter and have less night life. Probably would be better for a family though.

Pittsburgh is infinitely safer and more affordable than Philly.

Safety-wise: the thing that throws me off about Philly is you have some really great blocks, and then really bad blocks mixed in, so it can be tough to walk places. Pittsburgh certain has its bad areas, but there more localized and less likely to walk thru by accident.

Cost of living: If you’re set in living in the city, you’ll definitely pay more but there are some great options. Ok with being 15+ minutes outside of town? You’ll find great homes/townhomes/condos/apartments with outdoor space and parking. I’m 20-25 minutes north of the city and pay $2,200/month to rent a 3-floor, fully updated town home with a garage and yard.

Another thing about Pittsburgh is the dining scene has really been taking off the past few years! There’s a bunch of new, amazing places in town and the scene is beginning to rival that of larger cities.

Down sides of Pittsburgh: it’s not sunny here, as one other reply mentioned. I think I read there’s 42% of days out of the year where the sun peeks out. Winters are super grey and stuck in that 35°-42° with rain/sleet weather most of the time.

Good luck with your relocation and fresh start! 🙂

I am from near Wilmington originally (chadds ford near the state border). I moved to Pittsburgh around 4 years ago and went to college here. Here are my thoughts:

1. Pittsburgh on it’s best day is beautiful but on it’s worst is grey gloomy and a very depressing city. Nice days really only come in the summer.
2. There are limited things to do here, 4 years and I’ve seen all the city has to offer
3. Families love it, kids that grow up here want to stay, col is low and some great towns to live in
4. Driving sucks (minor but if u miss an exit it can be like a 20 min detour)
5. Great trails
6. Food is just okay, there are some great restaurants but nothing compared to Philly


I am moving to Philly in the next two months for a multitude of reasons but one of them being I’m tired of Pittsburgh. My advice: if you are an active person that likes city life choose Philly, if you are looking to purchase a house and start a family Pittsburgh is a great place to do it.

Nobody is going to tell this person about the pollution in Pittsburgh?
Google Pittsburgh and pollution.
It doesn’t affect everyone the same way, but for those it does affect, it’s a significant lifestyle quality barrier. I never had migraines before living here.

Dude just go with Philly down right a more accessible choice and has more to offer than dreary Pittsburgh—- from your fellow resident in Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh experience after 4 plus years:
- terrible depressing weather (more cloudy days than any other city in the US)
- absolutely abysmal dining/restaurant scene, even though locals think it is great. There are a few bright spots, but Oklahoma City (!) and Tulsa (!) which I know from living there are much better.
- traffic / commute can be quite nervewracking; all traffic infrastructure is from pre-war; efficient public transport is all but nonexistent. Miles of bumper to bumper traffic every workday.
- public safety ratings are low

There are a lot of good things too, but overall I feel Pittsburgh has a lot of big city problems without the big city perks.

Pittsburgh 2 the moon. Philly is so sad comparatively. Lived in both and not from PA so no bias.

Pittsburgh is known for having a lower cost of living compared to other major cities in the US. This means that you can enjoy a good quality of life without breaking the bank.

Not to be bias, but as a Pittsburgh resident I can tell you that it’s much better here depending on what you’re looking for. Pittsburgh is full of beautiful views and mid sized mountains where Philly is flat and closer to the coast. Nightlife here is a bit weak compared to Philly but it’s much safer in terms of crime. The weather in Pittsburgh is about roughly 10 degrees cooler than Philly so if you’re not a fan of extended cloudy 30 degree days throughout the peak of winter I’d steer towards Philly. As for jobs, the job market in Philly is much broader since the city is larger/more populated than Pittsburgh.