01
Over the last decade, the County's population has declined overall, with modest growth in the western part of the County.
Allegheny
Countywide summary
Allegheny County’s 130 self-governing municipalities, the most of any county in Pennsylvania, present both a complex governance landscape and a highly varied housing market. This report examines housing conditions at the county level and across ten sub-geographies, grouped to surface trends among neighboring communities and inform the region’s comprehensive planning process.
With sharply diverging incomes, renters and homeowners face very different housing markets across Allegheny County. Roughly half of renter households remain cost-burdened, with the greatest burden concentrated among those earning $35,000 or less. Homeownership remains relatively accessible to median-income households despite elevated interest rates, but for the first time in recent years, the gap between renting and owning has widened to the point where renters can no longer readily transition to homeownership.
Section 1
Introduction
02
While rents and home prices have grown alongside national housing price inflation, flat population growth has likely kept those price hikes below that of comparable regions.
03
Multifamily permits have surpassed single family in the last three years.
04
The County has seen a relatively small increase in total homes since 2014 compared to the state, Pittsburgh, and the national average.
Section 2
Homeownership Access
01
Homeownership has historically been relatively affordable countywide, but rising prices are making ownership increasingly out of reach for low- and moderate-income households.
02
Homeownership rates vary dramatically by race, with white households owning at nearly twice the rate of Black households (72% vs. 35%) — a gap that reflects persistent structural barriers to wealth-building for communities of color in Allegheny County.
Section 3
Rental Affordability
01
Pre-1940s housing is the backbone of rental housing across all income levels, as little new construction has emerged to replace it. While this housing may be relatively affordable, a significant portion of the stock is aging and in need of repair.
02
Rising rents and low wages combine to exacerbate the shortage of affordable rental homes. While renter incomes have shifted slightly up the spectrum, rental increases have been more extreme.
03
This shortage is contributing to a significant rental affordability challenge, especially for single-parent renters, seniors, and Black households.
04
The county's rental home shortage is concentrated at the lowest income levels for households making less than 30% AMI annually (~$32K/year).
Eviction filings trace the sharp end of that shortage. The map below shows landlord-tenant case activity by the magisterial district court where each case was filed — use the controls to switch measures and scrub across filing years.
Peer Comparison
Comparison of Rental Home Shortage by AMI Over Time
To put Allegheny’s rental shortage in context, the chart below compares its shortage of affordable rental homes with peer counties over time.