Pittsburgh named most affordable large housing market in US

The most affordable city in the United States is located in the western part of Pennsylvania.

Realtor.com economists determined in a recent report that Pittsburgh is the most affordable large housing market in the United States

In October, the median listing price of a home in the metro was $250,000, more than $150,000 below the national average, according to Realtor.com senior economic research analyst Hannah Jones.

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This comes after Steele City drew attention this summer for being the only major metro where becoming a first-time homeowner was more economical than paying monthly rent, Realtor.com reported.

Of the 50 largest subways in the United States, they were among only three considered affordable for middle-income earners based on the 30% affordability rule, Jones said in a June report.

The 30% affordability rule suggests that a potential homebuyer should not spend more than about 30% of their pre-tax income on housing, meaning there is room for other non-negotiables as well as savings. It is seen as a useful benchmark for potential buyers to gauge whether purchasing a home is financially wise.

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In May, the typical home for sale in Pittsburgh cost just $249,900, requiring financing at just 27.4% of the median income, assuming a 20% down payment and a typical fixed interest rate on a 30-year mortgage.

Pittsburgh consists of 90 boroughs. In September 2025, the median list price was $269,000, up 3.5% year over year, while the median sale price was slightly higher at $271,000.

An aerial view of large Victorian homes in Friendship, a neighborhood in the east end of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on a sunny fall morning. (Getty Images)

Nearly two years ago, Mortgage rates Prices have hovered near their highest levels in more than two decades, creating a significant barrier to entry into the U.S. housing market, slowing demand and making the American dream of owning a home seem out of reach for many. However, Pittsburgh could be a bright spot for some of these buyers who have been grappling with the ongoing affordability crisis in the housing market.

Apartments priced under $1,000 are still available in select markets despite rising rental prices across the country.

These challenges don’t appear to be going away anytime soon either, as mortgage rates rose Thursday for the second week in a row, according to mortgage buyer Freddie Mac.

Freddie Mac’s latest primary mortgage market survey showed that the average interest rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage rose to 6.24% from last week’s reading of 6.22%.

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The “near-steady movement” in interest rates “reflects a broader pause in the market, as sentiment surrounding the government reopening is tempered by continued financial and economic uncertainty,” said Anthony Smith, chief economist at Realtor.com.

“While the 10-year Treasury yield has shown signs of stabilization, there is still no meaningful catalyst to push interest rates higher or lower decisively,” he said.