ZIP 15221
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Bedroom estimates are gross rents that include essential utilities (electricity, water, gas, sewer, trash).
12-month history
Last updated: October 17, 2026
What the numbers show
November. Asking rents in ZIP 15221 usually run 1.1% below trend in November and 1.2% above it in April, about $29 a month apart at today's median. Based on 8 years of data.
Rent in ZIP 15221 is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2018.
Rent in ZIP 15221 changed +5.9% over the year to September 2026. Across the 205 Pennsylvania ZIP codes Zillow tracks, the typical change was +3.8%.
From 2019 to 2024, rent in ZIP 15221 rose 33.1% while median household income rose 26.7% ($43,428 to $55,028). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in ZIP 15221 is 46.2% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 2 months in a row, and rose in 9 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($55,028) is $1,376 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 1-bedroom ($1,160); a 2-bedroom is $1,400.
4th cheapest of 30 ZIP codes in Pittsburgh.
ZIP 15145, 3 miles away, rents for 13% less ($1,108/mo), about $1,900 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for ZIP 15221. 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.
Who lives here
ZIP 15221 (Pittsburgh, PA) is majority renter-occupied, has a large retiree population, has a median income below the national average, 41.8% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How ZIP 15221 in Pittsburgh, PA has changed in 5 years
Compared with 2021, rent in ZIP 15221 in Pittsburgh, PA has increased by $351 per month, settling near $1,269 after starting the period at $918. Local incomes tracked alongside that move, going from a median of $47,025 in 2021 to $55,028 more recently. Rent outpaced income growth by roughly 21.2 percentage points, which means renters are spending a larger slice of each paycheck on housing than they did in 2021. About 55.3% of households rent today, against 57.1% in 2021. These shifts give renters and would-be renters a longer baseline for sizing up today's listings against the ZIP 15221 in Pittsburgh, PA market of 2021.
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Tips for renters in ZIP 15221
Last updated: October 17, 2026
ZIP code 15221 covers Pittsburgh, PA. The median rent here is $1,269/mo as of October 2026. A 1-bedroom rents for a median of $1,160/mo. A 2-bedroom rents for a median of $1,400/mo.
At 28% of local median household income ($55,028/yr), ZIP 15221 ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 5.9% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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How does ZIP 15221 compare to the rest of Pittsburgh?
At $1,269/mo, rent takes ~28% of ZIP 15221's median household income ($55,028/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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