Cost to Own
United StatesPennsylvaniaAllegheny CountyPittsburgh Population 303,620 Data vintage ACS 2023 5-Year Rates updated 2026-07-30

Total monthly cost of ownership

Cost to Own a Home in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

A $193,000 home here costs

$1,634

per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.

A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $992. The real number is $641 higher every month — 65% more than the payment most buyers budget for.

Pittsburgh median: $193,200
Under 20% adds PMI
Freddie Mac PMMS
US average household

Where every dollar goes

Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.

Principal & interest30-year fixed, $154,400 borrowed $992
Property tax0.959% effective rate for Pittsburgh itself $154
Homeowners insurancePennsylvania averages $1,014/yr (NAIC), or 0.401% of home value $64
Electricity21.55¢/kWh — Pennsylvania residential average, EIA $194
Water, sewer & trashUS household average $68
Maintenance reserve1% of home value per year $161
Total monthly $1,634

Pittsburgh against Allegheny County and Pennsylvania

MeasurePittsburghAllegheny County
Median home value$193,200$216,700
Median property tax$1,853$3,399
Effective tax rate0.959%1.569%
Median gross rent$1,221$1,111
Population303,6201,240,476

The weather behind that power bill

Pittsburgh sits in Allegheny County, which averages a high of 83.0°F in its hottest month and a low of 22.3°F in its coldest, with 41.34" of precipitation a year and 30% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 826 cooling and 5,407 heating degree days, which is what sets the $194 electricity line above.

See the full climate breakdown for Allegheny County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.

Other cities in Allegheny County

Full Allegheny County cost breakdown · Every county in Pennsylvania

Common questions

How much does it cost to own a home in Pittsburgh?

A $193,000 home in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania costs approximately $1,634 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $992 principal and interest, $154 property tax, $64 homeowners insurance, $262 utilities and $161 set aside for maintenance.

What is the property tax rate in Pittsburgh?

Pittsburgh has an effective property tax rate of 0.959%, based on a median home value of $193,200 and median real estate taxes of $1,853. That is lower than the Allegheny County average of 1.569%.

What is the average home price in Pittsburgh?

The median owner-occupied home value in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania is $193,200, against $216,700 across Allegheny County.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Pittsburgh?

Median gross rent in Pittsburgh is $1,221 a month, against $1,634 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.

Sources & methodology

  • Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Pittsburgh — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
  • Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for Pennsylvania.
  • Electricity price — EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A.
  • Mortgage rate — Freddie Mac PMMS, refreshed weekly.
  • Maintenance (1%/yr) and water and sewer ($68/mo) are national estimates. Every assumption above is editable.

Full methodology