Pittsburgh...please help us find best area to live!! (Bethel Park: apartment, for rent)

[Pixie_Dust]

My husband and I are in our mid-late 20's and new, first time parents. My husband is leaving the Air Force shortly and will be enrolling with the Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics in West Mifflin. Neither of us know much about the Pittsburgh area, but would like to live in a family friendly, safe, low crime neighborhood. We currently own just one vehicle so any suggestions of a neighborhood meeting this description near to PIA would be greatly appreciated. Also, we are looking to rent a property and our budget is approx $1000 pcm although we'd ideally prefer to pay less. I've done several online searches but results have so far been contradictory!

[Hopes]

Will you need to use public transportation to get to the West Mifflin airport? If so, your options will be very limited.

Since you describe yourselves as FIRST time parents, that means your child isn't in school so school district won't matter, especially since you will be renting. Try South Park, Bethel Park, and Jefferson Hills. Even many parts of West Mifflin are safe. West Mifflin is not often recommended because the schools aren't good, but the rent will be lower in that area.

You're going to need a car to get to the airport. The only way you could use public transportation is if you found an apartment or house within walking distance to the few bus lines that happen to go past the airport. Port Authority has been cutting bus service due to budget problems so a route could be eliminated in the future or the frequency could be cut.

The airport entrance is in a remote area, surrounded by wooded areas and suburban shopping and business area, not near many neighborhoods that are in walking distance to the entrance. The chances of finding a house for rent within walking distance will be slim, but any neighborood immediately within short walking distance to the airport is safe.

[Goinback2011]

Try Lincoln Place.

[I_Like_Spam]

Consider the Homestead Park area of Munhall boro.

Its dominated by an active business district, a lot older people live up there.

Steel Valley isn't the best SD- it isn't the worst either, but your child isn't school age anyhow and you're renting.


PAT runs bus service to the airport from there, as well as to shopping at the waterfront and Century III areas, you won't be isolated with a single automobile

[robrobrob]

I agree with the suggestions of both Lincoln Place and the Homestead Park section of Munhall. Both are safe and affordable and pretty close to the Pittsburgh Airport. If public transit doesn't work, you aren't that far from the county airport if you have to drop off and pick up your husband at school.

[AnneWest]

Originally Posted by Pixie_Dust

My husband and I are in our mid-late 20's and new, first time parents. My husband is leaving the Air Force shortly and will be enrolling with the Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics in West Mifflin. Neither of us know much about the Pittsburgh area, but would like to live in a family friendly, safe, low crime neighborhood. We currently own just one vehicle so any suggestions of a neighborhood meeting this description near to PIA would be greatly appreciated. Also, we are looking to rent a property and our budget is approx $1000 pcm although we'd ideally prefer to pay less. I've done several online searches but results have so far been contradictory!

Just fyi... the airport in West Mifflin is the Allegheny County Airport. Pittsburgh Intl (PIA) is located in Findlay Township, which is west of Pittsburgh.

[szug-bot]

i think you should consider south park townshp. i personally do not like pleasant hills, and i see jefferson hills as maybe being hard to acclimate to, depending on your background and whatnot.

south park township....


i can probably speak for most here to say 'welcome to the area!'

[lizglowark]

We're Pittsburgh area natives also separating from the Air Force in the next few months. Good luck in your transition!

[WhoIsStanwix?]

Originally Posted by AnneWest

Just fyi... the airport in West Mifflin is the Allegheny County Airport. Pittsburgh Intl (PIA) is located in Findlay Township, which is west of Pittsburgh.

I see varying forms of this so often and it really bugs me. Pittsburgh's main airport, Pittsburgh International, goes by the code PIT. PIA in the OP was referring to the school her husband is attending, Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics, located on site at Allegheny County Airport, which goes by the code AGC.

Again, Pittsburgh International is PIT, not PGH, PIA, or any other random three letter code people come up wiht.

[speagles84]

Just going to throw a quick opinion in here. Of all the schools discussed, South Park and West Mifflin aren't as good as TJ, Bethel, etc. I graduated from South Park within the past 10 years, and its not the best suburban school, and West Mifflin is worse off. Also, commuting from Bethel Park and South Park will most likely take you through the hellish construction site on Curry Hollow Road, which is a disaster during rush hour. Hands down, I'd pick Jefferson here.