Pittsburgh receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Albany-Schenectady-Troy
Pittsburgh
Opportunity
75 · Top 16%
vs78 · Top 14%
Growth
41 · Bottom 35%
vs50 · Top 49%
Climate
60 · Bottom 26%
vs65 · Bottom 46%
Physical resilience
84 · Top 10%
vs79 · Top 16%
Housing affordability
97 · Top 40%
vs100 · Top 27%
Access
99 · Top 4%
vs92 · Top 20%
Economic stability
72 · Top 23%
vs69 · Top 27%
Measured values
| Metric | Albany-Schenectady-Troy | Pittsburgh | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 906,052 | 2,439,940 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $88,074 | $75,762 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $49,088 | $45,933 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 322/sq mi | 433/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $285,900 | $215,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,280 | $1,053 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 64.2% | 70.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.5% | 3.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.5% | 2.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 42.1% | 38.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 11.2% | 11.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,904 | 6,107 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.1 | 2.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -16.7% | 21.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 83°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 16°F | 22°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 40.7" | 41.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 8 mi | 19 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.0 min | 27.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.5 | 42.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Your best match
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Albany-Schenectady-Troy
75
Your Score
74
Area Score
Pittsburgh
76
Your Score
76
Area Score
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Full profiles: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY Metro Area · Pittsburgh, PA Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology