Rents are right about where Pittsburgh's 10-year trend predicts.
Rent by unit size
These are HUD Fair Market Rents, the payment standard for a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8). They often differ from the $1,569 market median above, and that is expected: FMR is the 40th percentile of standard-quality units and counts gross rent, so it includes essential utilities such as electricity, water, gas, sewer, and trash. The market median is asking rent, which usually excludes utilities. HUD sets FMR once a year; market rent here updates monthly.
Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents. Read the methodology →
12-month history
Last updated: October 17, 2026
What the numbers show
December. Asking rents in Pittsburgh usually run 0.9% below trend in December and 0.7% above it in June, about $25 a month apart at today's median. Based on 11 years of data.
Rent in Pittsburgh is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2015.
Rent in Pittsburgh changed +4.0% over the year to September 2026. Across the 114 Pennsylvania cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +3.6%.
From 2019 to 2024, rent in Pittsburgh rose 25.8% while median household income rose 35% ($48,711 to $65,742). Income kept ahead of rent.
Rent in Pittsburgh is 32.3% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 22 months in a row, and rose in 12 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($65,742) is $1,644 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($1,477); a 3-bedroom is $1,883.
The priciest of 30 ZIP codes in Pittsburgh, 15222 ($2,243/mo), costs 2.1 times the cheapest, 15209 ($1,064/mo).
Millvale, 3 miles away, rents for 32% less ($1,061/mo), about $6,100 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Pittsburgh. The seasonal pattern compares Zillow’s seasonally adjusted and unadjusted series. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.
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Who lives here
Pittsburgh, PA is roughly split between renters and owners, skews toward younger working-age adults, has a median income below the national average, 49.1% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Pittsburgh, PA has changed in 5 years
The median rent in Pittsburgh, PA stood at $1,219 in 2021 and currently runs about $1,569, reflecting a 28.7% increase over the period. Median household income rose from $54,306 to $65,742 between 2021 and 2024, a 21.1% shift. That spread, with rent up faster than earnings, points to a tougher affordability environment than five years ago. College-educated residents now make up 49.1% of adults here, versus 45.7% in 2021. Taken together, the five-year picture in Pittsburgh, PA reflects how housing costs and the people paying them have evolved through a stretch that included a pandemic, a hot rental market, and a recent cooling phase.
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Can you afford rent in Pittsburgh on your salary?
At $1,569/mo, how Pittsburgh rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Pittsburgh rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Pittsburgh. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Pittsburgh
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Pittsburgh is $1,569/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,152/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,477/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,232/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $1,883/mo.
At 29% of local median household income ($65,742/yr), Pittsburgh ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 4.0% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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How does Pittsburgh rent compare to other cities in Pennsylvania?
At $1,569/mo, rent takes ~29% of Pittsburgh's median household income ($65,742/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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