Our Communities

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, formerly known as Steel City, has shed its industrial town image over the past decade. Pittsburgh features a stunning geographic tableau including hills, rivers, and valleys with panoramic views from popular sites such as Mount Washington. With a population of 334,563 (2000 Census), Pittsburgh ranks as PA's second-largest city and the largest in the Appalachia region.

Serving as the seat of Allegheny County, Pittsburgh remains a city known for its steel industry, even though its current lifeblood lies primarily in the sectors of education, finance, technology, and healthcare. The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and the University of Pittsburgh rank as the city's top two employers. In recent years, oil and natural gas have been among the leading products coming out of Pittsburgh. Fortune 500 companies have a strong presence here, with such well-known companies as H. J. Heinz Company, PNC Financial Services, PPG Industries, and U.S. Steel operating in Pittsburgh.

Tourism also plays a large role in the economy. Residents and visitors have access to such sites as the Carnegie Museums, the National Aviary, Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium, along with various shopping outlets and wineries. College and professional sports are another popular attraction to Pittsburgh, where the local professional teams include the Pittsburgh Passion, Penguins, Pirates, Riverhounds, and Steelers.

Pittsburgh's two largest healthcare providers are the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and West Penn Allegheny Health System, respectively. Additional Pittsburgh hospitals include the Children's Institute, HealthSouth Harmaraville Rehabilitation Hospital, LifeCare Hospitals of Pittsburgh, Saint Clair Memorial, and Veterans Administration Pittsburgh Health System. The Pennsylvania Department of Health coordinates the investigations of any complaints, malpractice, or negligence claims through its Division of Acute and Ambulatory Care for all of PA's healthcare facilities.

Pittsburgh has an extensive public transportation system and numerous highways, interstates, and parkways. The main highway, which connects Pittsburgh to the PA Turnpike (I-76) to the east, is locally known as Parkway East or I-376. Interstate-376 connects to I-79 in the west, becoming Parkway West, and I-279, or Parkway North, connects Pittsburgh with all points northward. The beltway, formed by I-70, I-76, and I-79, also serves as a major artery through the city, while the Pittsburgh/Allegheny County Belt System affords travelers navigation around the city. Pittsburgh International Airport, as well as several smaller airfields, serves the city. Known as a city of bridges, Pittsburgh has a total of 446, three bridges more than Venice, Italy, the official City of Bridges.

Pittsburgh boasts an impressive selection of colleges, research facilities, and universities. Carnegie Mellon University, Duquesne University, and the University of Pittsburgh are among the most popular institutions. Additional higher learning facilities include Carlow University, Chatham University, Le Cordon Bleu Institute of Pittsburgh, the Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science, and Point Park University.

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania stands out as a popular tourist destination, as well as an ideal city for career, cultural, and educational opportunities. In 2010, both Forbes and Yahoo ranked Pittsburgh as the most livable city in the United States.