These Are The 10 Worst Pittsburgh Suburbs For 2018

Not everyone is cut out for city life. Some people would prefer to live in the cities and towns that surround Pittsburgh.

So the question arises, do the suburbs maintain a semblance of the larger-than-life appeal of their more famous neighbor?

Today, we’ll use science and data to determine which Pittsburgh ‘burbs need a little tender loving care – the sore thumbs of the Pittsburgh area if you will. Realistically, you can’t expect all the suburbs to live up to Pittsburgh proper, although Seven Fields certainly tries.

Of course, not all suburbs of Pittsburgh are created equally, which is precisely why we set out to find the best ones. So without further ado…

We examined the 94 biggest suburbs of Pittsburgh to find out the worst places to live. And while you won’t necessarily find them on the worst places to live in Pennsylvania lists, these ten places are a little too far downwind of Pittsburgh in terms of quality of life.

Here are the 10 worst suburbs around Pittsburgh for 2018:

1. Mckeesport (Photos)
2. Duquesne (Photos)
3. Rankin (Photos)
4. Brownsville (Photos)
5. Clairton (Photos)
6. Midland (Photos)
7. North Braddock (Photos)
8. Aliquippa (Photos)
9. Mount Oliver (Photos)
10. Liberty

Read on to see how we determined the places around Pittsburgh that need a pick-me-up. And remember, don’t blame the messenger.

Or, if you’re thinking of moving to elsewhere in Pennsylvania check out the best places in Pennsylvania overall or the worst.

And remember, there are some good places to live around Pittsburgh too.

Editor’s Note: If you see a slight difference between the worst in state rankings and this suburb ranking, it’s because of the methodology. We needed a way to include more places, so we eliminated crime and commute times as criteria for this analysis.

Determining The Worst Suburbs Around Pittsburgh for 2018

To figure out how bad a place is to live in, we only needed to know what kinds of things people like and then decide what cities have the least amount of those things.

We threw a lot of criteria at this one in order to get the best, most complete results possible. Using the most recent American Community Survey data, this is the criteria we used:

• High unemployment rate
• Low median household incomes
• Low population density (no things to do)
• Low home values
• A lot of high school drop outs
• High poverty
• High rate of uninsured families

FYI: We defined a suburb as being within 30 miles of Pittsburgh.

Additionally, we limited the analysis to places that have over 2,000 people. This left us with a grand total of 94 suburbs to evaluate around Pittsburgh.

We ranked each place with scores from 1 to 94 in each category, where 1 was the ‘worst’.

Next, we averaged the rankings for each place to create a quality of life index.

And finally, we crowned the city with the worst quality of life index the ‘Worst Suburb near Pittsburgh.’ We’re lookin’ at you, Mckeesport.

Read on below to learn more about what it’s like to live in the worst of the worst. Or skip to the end to see the list of all the suburbs ranked from worst to best.

1. Mckeesport

Population: 19,529
Unemployment Rate: 15.2%
Median Home Price: $45,700
Median Income: $26,271
We’ll get the ball rolling with McKeesport, the absolute worst place to live around Pittsburgh according to the data.

And in the world of worst rankings, McKeesport beat the competition pretty handily thanks to scoring in the bottom 15% in three major categories. Income is the 6th worst in the Pittsburgh area, and to make matters worse, the city ranks 7th worst when it comes to home values.

But hey, at least it’s cheap to live there. But there’s a reason for that… it’s McKeesport.

You won’t feel bad about not having a great income for the area, there aren’t a bunch of places to spend your money anyway.

2. Duquesne

Population: 5,534
Unemployment Rate: 24.8%
Median Home Price: $36,000
Median Income: $21,495
Welcome to Duquesne. Home to KMart, Big Lots, and a lot of gas stations.

This city is 8.1 miles to Pittsburgh. Income levels here are the 1st lowest in the metro area, where families bring in about $21,495 a year, which doesn’t go a long ways even on a shoestring budget.

But on the bright side, there are a lot of fast food joints in the area.

3. Rankin

Population: 2,274
Unemployment Rate: 17.9%
Median Home Price: $42,700
Median Income: $25,117
Back up the highway we go for the third worst Pittsburgh suburb you can live in. You might have expected to see Rankin on here. While the cost of living is low, your entertainment and work options are limited. And that’s an understatement.

In terms of numbers, it’s in the worst 15% for insurance, and the adult high school drop out rate is poor compared to other Pittsburgh suburbs.

But at least there are nice parks to bring the kids during the day.

4. Brownsville

Population: 2,262
Unemployment Rate: 12.1%
Median Home Price: $56,500
Median Income: $27,359
If you live in Brownsville, most likely you struggle to make ends meet every month. It ranks as the 7th lowest Pittsburgh suburb when it comes to residents making money.

Not only that, but this is the 9th worst unemployed suburb you can live in if you choose to live near Pittsburgh. Remember, we looked at 94 cities for this study.

Brownsville is about 29.4 miles to downtown.

5. Clairton

Population: 6,719
Unemployment Rate: 14.5%
Median Home Price: $47,000
Median Income: $30,513
Clairton has the distinction of being a Pittsburgh suburb. Which means that’s about all it has going for it.

All snarkiness aside, Clairton has the 8th lowest home values in the metro Pittsburgh area, where the median price is $47,000. To put that into perspective, in Seven Fields, the median income is $148,553, which is the best in the area.

Clairton has an unemployment rate of 14.5% which ranks 5th worst.

6. Midland

Population: 2,580
Unemployment Rate: 7.6%
Median Home Price: $65,600
Median Income: $28,646
Midland has 2,580 residents that probably know it’s a pretty crummy place to live when you look at the data. (Or, if you’ve ever been there, you don’t need to look at the data.)

Incomes are towards the bottom and the poverty rate sits at 31.8%.

7. North Braddock

Population: 4,810
Unemployment Rate: 8.9%
Median Home Price: $35,400
Median Income: $28,565
Ah, North Braddock. You rank as the 7th worst place to live around Pittsburgh.

It’s the place with the 32nd most out of work residents in the Pittsburgh metro area (8.9%).

8. Aliquippa

Population: 9,258
Unemployment Rate: 11.3%
Median Home Price: $65,200
Median Income: $32,405
Aliquippa is a city about 19.0 miles from Pittsburgh, but Pittsburgh probably wishes it was further away. It ranks as the 8th worst burb for 2018.

You’d be hard pressed to find a worse place to live. Aliquippa has the 28th most uninsured people, 16th worst incomes, and has the 13th highest unemployment rate (11.3%) in the entire Pittsburgh metro area.

Homes only cost $65,200 for a reason. That’s cheap for Pittsburgh standards.

9. Mount Oliver

Population: 3,362
Unemployment Rate: 20.6%
Median Home Price: $54,300
Median Income: $33,750
If you absolutely have to live near Pittsburgh, then Mount Oliver might be a place for you to consider as it’s only the 9th worst Pittsburgh suburb.

About 20.6% of residents are out of work.

10. Liberty

Population: 3,254
Unemployment Rate: 10.5%
Median Home Price: $94,400
Median Income: $35,216
Rounding out the ten worst Pittsburgh suburbs to call home is Liberty.

Located 10.1 miles outside the city, Libertys is a real pit when you look at the data. Its residents have the 16th highest unemployment rate (10.5%), and poverty is far above the area average.

The areas around Pittsburgh where the dream is more of a nightmare for 2018

Well there you have it — the worst of the ‘burbs surrounding Pittsburgh with Mckeesport casting itself ahead of the pack.

As we mentioned earlier, the suburbs around Pittsburgh aren’t all bad. Seven Fields takes the cake as the best place to live around Pittsburgh.

For more Pennsylvania reading , check out:

• These Are The 10 Worst Places To Live In Pennsylvania
• These Are The 10 Most Ghetto Cities In Pennsylvania
• These Are The 10 Safest Places In Pennsylvania

Detailed List Of The Worst Pittsburgh Suburbs

City	Rank	Population	Unemployment Rate	Median Home Price	Median Income
Mckeesport	1	19,529	15.2%	$45,700	$26,271
Duquesne	2	5,534	24.8%	$36,000	$21,495
Rankin	3	2,274	17.9%	$42,700	$25,117
Brownsville	4	2,262	12.1%	$56,500	$27,359
Clairton	5	6,719	14.5%	$47,000	$30,513
Midland	6	2,580	7.6%	$65,600	$28,646
North Braddock	7	4,810	8.9%	$35,400	$28,565
Aliquippa	8	9,258	11.3%	$65,200	$32,405
Mount Oliver	9	3,362	20.6%	$54,300	$33,750
Liberty	10	3,254	10.5%	$94,400	$35,216
Mckees Rocks	11	6,046	9.1%	$43,500	$29,431
Beaver Falls	12	8,735	8.7%	$60,300	$30,372
Donora	13	4,679	10.4%	$57,000	$36,150
Arnold	14	5,019	10.0%	$58,400	$25,599
Arnold	15	5,019	10.0%	$58,400	$25,599
Sharpsburg	16	3,421	12.8%	$74,300	$32,431
Homestead	17	3,142	6.6%	$45,400	$24,703
Glassport	18	4,444	9.9%	$55,300	$37,982
New Eagle	19	2,106	9.9%	$85,400	$39,643
Washington	20	13,693	9.2%	$95,000	$36,512
Tarentum	21	4,481	6.9%	$55,900	$33,026
Butler	22	13,399	9.6%	$92,100	$29,477
Wilkinsburg	23	15,797	12.9%	$77,900	$33,905
Monongahela	24	4,208	9.8%	$78,600	$45,234
Rochester	25	3,578	9.9%	$73,900	$37,139
Ambridge	26	6,891	10.7%	$66,200	$33,758
Bentleyville	27	2,537	9.2%	$106,400	$40,149
Charleroi	28	4,037	8.6%	$45,300	$31,143
Monessen	29	7,530	9.0%	$73,800	$36,319
New Kensington	30	12,793	7.8%	$94,800	$40,148
Pitcairn	31	3,259	11.5%	$59,300	$30,902
New Brighton	32	5,911	6.6%	$73,400	$35,223
Youngwood	33	2,973	11.9%	$104,100	$45,773
Vandergrift	34	5,063	5.9%	$66,900	$39,797
Coraopolis	35	5,617	8.7%	$91,200	$39,787
California	36	6,564	14.1%	$112,800	$36,820
Leechburg	37	2,105	11.9%	$78,900	$37,143
West Newton	38	2,556	9.4%	$97,100	$39,415
Port Vue	39	3,754	5.6%	$67,300	$44,068
Verona	40	2,590	8.0%	$74,400	$37,857
Millvale	41	3,714	4.3%	$68,700	$35,496
Swissvale	42	8,893	9.7%	$78,200	$40,391
Mcdonald	43	2,127	5.5%	$115,100	$44,067
Greensburg	44	14,572	6.5%	$123,100	$36,256
Etna	45	3,415	4.9%	$82,800	$44,615
Turtle Creek	46	5,292	4.7%	$63,900	$33,345
Springdale	47	3,388	7.4%	$91,200	$43,800
West Mifflin	48	20,153	8.2%	$92,900	$50,273
Carnegie	49	7,944	7.1%	$98,700	$45,109
Brackenridge	50	3,220	7.7%	$73,000	$40,753
Jeannette	51	9,395	4.6%	$84,800	$41,395
Monaca	52	5,678	5.6%	$100,400	$41,057
Irwin	53	3,881	10.6%	$156,800	$44,375
Munhall	54	11,305	7.8%	$81,500	$48,978
East Mckeesport	55	2,111	7.4%	$71,700	$41,081
Baden	56	4,061	5.3%	$99,100	$40,365
Canonsburg	57	8,933	6.7%	$129,800	$50,399
Bellevue	58	8,285	5.6%	$105,500	$41,073
South Greensburg	59	2,228	7.0%	$102,400	$47,000
Avalon	60	4,666	6.5%	$94,800	$39,552
Bridgeville	61	5,117	6.4%	$123,200	$45,849
Lower Burrell	62	11,527	5.7%	$135,000	$57,686
Conway	63	2,151	5.3%	$130,000	$51,364
Trafford	64	3,130	3.4%	$110,000	$47,043
New Stanton	65	2,314	6.2%	$175,400	$57,422
Ingram	66	3,294	5.5%	$99,000	$48,490
East Washington	67	2,119	5.8%	$191,500	$63,333
White Oak	68	7,803	3.9%	$96,000	$52,935
Brentwood	69	9,550	6.3%	$96,300	$51,197
Whitehall	70	13,873	4.3%	$141,100	$59,853
Baldwin	71	19,794	5.1%	$120,600	$55,573
Castle Shannon	72	8,288	4.8%	$116,100	$50,783
Emsworth	73	2,443	5.1%	$123,000	$55,399
Zelienople	74	3,736	4.0%	$185,000	$50,059
Pleasant Hills	75	8,271	8.3%	$153,600	$68,453
Manor	76	3,287	3.8%	$169,800	$62,407
Fox Chapel	77	5,392	9.4%	$548,600	$148,553
Plum	78	27,474	4.6%	$142,800	$71,204
Delmont	79	2,651	4.0%	$161,800	$61,989
West View	80	6,704	4.8%	$124,200	$57,078
Crafton	81	5,899	3.8%	$117,200	$51,236
Green Tree	82	4,749	4.7%	$160,900	$72,604
Forest Hills	83	6,475	4.6%	$122,500	$63,563
Oakmont	84	6,420	3.8%	$175,000	$61,523
Economy	85	9,240	3.6%	$166,900	$78,578
Dormont	86	8,491	5.1%	$121,000	$58,875
Churchill	87	2,990	6.0%	$166,400	$88,605
Aspinwall	88	2,773	5.7%	$258,500	$66,108
Jefferson Hills	89	11,214	4.3%	$193,200	$79,615
Franklin Park	90	14,228	4.6%	$312,200	$121,661
Beaver	91	4,441	3.1%	$167,900	$51,161
Sewickley	92	3,852	3.0%	$291,100	$69,625
Edgewood	93	3,080	4.0%	$188,400	$73,250
Seven Fields	94	2,865	2.0%	$302,900	$104,271