The Washington Post reports…

• The median home in Pittsburgh goes for $229,000 (U.S. median topped $410,800 in the second quarter, a more than 50% climb in five years), making it one of the most affordable metro areas in the country. More than 70% of Pittsburghers are homeowners, besting the national rate by about 5 percentage points. It is cheaper to own a home than rent in Pittsburgh—one of the only metros in the US where this is the case.
• Pittsburgh attracts a well-paid, diverse, professional base of residents who work in fields such as education, healthcare, financial services, tourism, and technology. Local median income is $77,050.
• Proactive city, regional, and state leaders are investing in public programs and private redevelopment to increase quality housing stock while maintaining affordability. One city leader cited in the article commented: “The thing we talk a lot about here is how we can get more growth, and within that, how we can maintain this affordability.”
• Even at today’s mortgage rates, Pittsburgh is the nation’s most affordable city.

Read the complete article here.