Sub-regions summary
Housing conditions across Allegheny County vary widely by subregion. This chapter highlights those key differences to ground countywide recommendations in local market realities.
Introduction
In line with the County's current Comprehensive Plan effort, metrics on housing, demographics and the economy were summarized at the sub-region level to better understand how existing conditions vary. Reviewing trends at the sub-region level provides greater context as to what interventions would be most helpful in what parts of the County.
Demographic changes and market trends vary greatly across the County's sub-regions, suggesting different needs for different sub-region populations. The County has seen significant development in areas north and west in the County, characterized by high incomes, high rents, increase in population and comparatively low vacancy rates. In contrast, southern and western sub-regions are generally characterized by low property values, high renter cost burden and high vacancy rates, and have seen very little market rate development.
Section 1
Population Patterns
The greatest population increases have occurred in western sub-regions of the County, with the greatest population gains in North Hills and West Hills, both areas that have also seen a concentration of new development in recent years.
Section 2
Median Rents
The highest median gross rents in the county are in the northern and western sub-geographies, generally aligned with the sub-regions that have seen the greatest increase in population, while southeastern sub-regions, including Mon Valley South, have very low median rents.
Section 3
Renter Cost Burden
Despite median rents being highest in the western and northern sub-geographies in the County, the greatest renter cost burden exists in the southeastern sub-geographies of the county where median rents are much lower but household incomes are also low.
Section 4
Vacancy and Quality
Homes that are vacant but not for sale, for rent, or for occasional use are often older homes with housing quality issues. While the County's overall number of “Other Vacant” homes has decreased since 2014 — dropping from 37.9K units and 6.4% of all homes to 30.3K units and 5.0% of all homes — this type of vacancy varies across sub-regions.
Section 5
Market Strength
These trends taken collectively result in significant variation in market strength, evidenced by variation in which sub-geographies have seen new housing development over the last 10 years and which have not.