According to U.S. News & World Report, the Steel City has been named among the Top 25 Most Affordable Cities in America. Coming in at number 24 on the list, Pittsburgh also landed in the Top 50 for the overall “Best Places to Live,” at number 47.

This bodes well for anyone looking to move or relocate to western Pennsylvania soon. Relatively low housing costs helped seal the deal. With a metro population over 2.3 million people, the U.S. News survey found that residents of Pittsburgh and its surrounding area spend a mere 20.1 percent on their household income on rent or mortgage payment plus utilities.

To discover its findings, U.S. News surveyed more than 3,100 residents in the United States on various factors. Cost of living and affordability was one of the most important. The survey identified the proportion of median household income paying for owning or renting a home, including taxes and utilities.

Why should cost of living matter when choosing a place to live? Another way to view this is by comparing what a salary in one place can get you versus another city. The lower the cost of living, the greater the discretionary income you might have for things like entertainment, home renovations, and larger long-term savings goals.

In addition to the U.S. News rankings, there are also several online calculators that can help you easily compare cities. Before you decide on where you want to live next, try to determine if your current city or your “next home” city would be more or less affordable. These include Nerdwallet, Bankrate, and SmartAsset. Simply enter your current city, your target city, and your annual income to see how much more (or less) you’ll need to make to maintain your standard of living.

If you’re hoping to make a move into any pocket of Pittsburgh, southwestern Pennsylvania, northern West Virginia or eastern Ohio, we’d love to talk! As Pittsburgh’s premier moving and storage experts, George Moving and Storage offers free estimates — either in-person or virtual, depending on your schedule. Just visit our website, or give us a call today at 800-810-2635.