Pittsburgh receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Pittsburgh
Columbus
Opportunity
80 · Top 5%
vs79 · Top 10%
Growth
77 · Top 3%
vs64 · Top 23%
Climate
65 · Bottom 34%
vs68 · Bottom 45%
Physical resilience
81 · Top 18%
vs77 · Top 21%
Housing affordability
87 · Top 14%
vs78 · Top 31%
Access
96 · Bottom 43%
vs99 · Top 22%
Economic stability
40 · Bottom 11%
vs54 · Bottom 49%
Measured values
| Metric | Pittsburgh | Columbus | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 304,759 | 914,802 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $65,742 | $66,082 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $45,385 | $37,860 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 5,504/sq mi | 4,129/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $205,800 | $252,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,261 | $1,295 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 47.7% | 44.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.7% | 3.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 2.4% | 0.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 49.1% | 38.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 20.1% | 18.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 2,430 | 6,848 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 8.0 | 7.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 103.2% | -21.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 85°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 22°F | 22°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 41.3" | 41.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 14 mi | 5 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.6 min | 23.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 33.6 | 33.2 | 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
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Pittsburgh
75
Your Score
78
Area Score
Columbus
74
Your Score
76
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Pittsburgh, PA · Columbus, OH · How this is calculated: methodology