North Hills vs. South Hills (Pittsburgh, Lebanon: homes, theater, school)

[PeterRabbit]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

Sure, but I think there is a distinction between the whole "North" quadrant of the Pittsburgh region and specifically the "North Hills", with the North Hills only being part of the greater North quadrant.

I agree. I didn't mean to say North Hills, just north.

[zip95]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

Well, if we are going to be using a term like "North Hills" we need to have a mutual understand of what that means. That is indeed just "semantics", but it is a prerequisite to having a substantive discussion of what characteristics the North Hills actually has.



Again this might strike you as semantics, but "North of the Mon" sorta loses meaning when you head farther east, since the Mon turns and becomes basically a north-south river. Similarly, once you are heading up the Ohio River valley (e.g., where you will find Sewickley), technically you are no longer North of the Allegheny, because the Allegheny doesn't exist anymore.

Which brings me back to North Hills ... that really is a pretty descriptive name for just the part of the North well between the river valleys, putting the "Hills" into "North Hills". And although we can define broader terms, I actually think it is quite helpful to distinguish the North Hills from the river valley communities.

Dude....seriously...are you kidding me? You're such a lawyer. Stop nit-picking....you (and everyone else) know what I mean....

There is much more money in the North Hills....and even in some Eastern Suburb neighborhoods.

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by zip95

Dude....seriously...are you kidding me? You're such a lawyer. Stop nit-picking....you (and everyone else) know what I mean....

There is much more money in the North Hills....and even in some Eastern Suburb neighborhoods.

Look, I think it is fine to point out that some of the wealthiest areas in Pittsburgh are not in the South Hills (by the way you can probably toss in Shadyside, if you hold out the student population, plus the "North of Forbes" area in Squirrel Hill and "Schenley Farms" in Oakland).

On the other hand, I just really don't think of places like Sewickley and Fox Chapel as being in the "North Hills". And so while I can indeed figure out what you mean (because you listed those towns under "North Hills"), I think it is confusing matters for you to use the term "North Hills" in that way.

[londonbarcelona]

Originally Posted by zip95

More like

South Hills = less money
North Hills = more money

This is one area where perception differs from reality. The reality is that the North Hills are much much more affluent than the South Hills.

Here are Wikipedia 2000 household incomes for select townships.

$147k North Hills - Fox Chapel
$116k North Hills - Sewickley Heights
$102k North Hills - (Wexford) Marshall
$93k North Hills - (Wexford) Pine
$87k North Hills - (Wexford) Franklin Park
$87k South Hills - Upper St Claire
$79k North Hills - Sewickley Hills
$73k North Hills - (Wexford) McCandless
$67k Eastern Subs - Churchill
$64k Eastern Subs - Murrysville
$66k North Hills - Cranberry
$60k South Hills - Mt. Lebanon
$57k South Hills - South Park
$57k Western Subs - Moon
$55k Western Subs - Robinson
$53k Eastern Subs - Monroeville
$53k South Hills - Bethel Park

Well, what do you know. I didn't realize that. What about the north and south parts of the city? Are those like that too? Very good to know! Thanks!

[raynist]

Originally Posted by zip95

More like

South Hills = less money
North Hills = more money

This is one area where perception differs from reality. The reality is that the North Hills are much much more affluent than the South Hills.

Here are Wikipedia 2000 household incomes for select townships.

$147k North Hills - Fox Chapel
$116k North Hills - Sewickley Heights
$102k North Hills - (Wexford) Marshall
$93k North Hills - (Wexford) Pine
$87k North Hills - (Wexford) Franklin Park
$87k South Hills - Upper St Claire
$79k North Hills - Sewickley Hills
$73k North Hills - (Wexford) McCandless
$67k Eastern Subs - Churchill
$64k Eastern Subs - Murrysville
$66k North Hills - Cranberry
$60k South Hills - Mt. Lebanon
$57k South Hills - South Park
$57k Western Subs - Moon
$55k Western Subs - Robinson
$53k Eastern Subs - Monroeville
$53k South Hills - Bethel Park

I call North Hills bias on this one

You include Fox Chapel as north hills which it is clearly not, but exclude some of the wealthiest areas of the south hills (Peters Township communities).

[zip95]

Originally Posted by londonbarcelona

Well, what do you know. I didn't realize that. What about the north and south parts of the city? Are those like that too? Very good to know! Thanks!

That would be interesting. BrianTH recently posted a link with demographic from city neighborhoods...maybe I can find it.

[dana_in_'sylvania]

The North Hills looks like one big strip mall with a bunch of cookie-cutter houses here and there. The South Hills has far more personality, the communities are walkable, and there's many more mom-and-pop type places.

[Dorian]

I agree with the last post. If you like normal american suburbia then North Hills would be the best place for you. North Hills has more open space from Pittsburgh all the way out and is made like a giant suburban area. The South Hills on the other hand has more of a inner ring suburb feel closer to the city with suburbs and open spaces out further. Close to the city has more of a feel like a suburb in a bigger city, kinda like parts of New Jersey near NYC but on a smaller scale. Places like Dormont, Beechview, Castle Shanon, Mt. Washington, the South Side, Mt. Lebanon, and etc. don't have as much open space or as many big houses as the North, but they all have their own business cores with some little resturants and mom and pop stores along with bigger stores which seem like little towns that are walkable and have excellent public transportation. Some of them even having the "T" trains running thourgh their neighborhood, some places even right down the middle of the street. The North hills is more sprawled out and strip mallish, there is nothing wrong with it though, alot of people like that type of scene. The South Hills just has more caracter and things that you don't see in every city in America.

[Dorian]

I have to agree with BrainTH that you have to set guidelines to the "North Hills". To me Swickley, Swickley Heights, or Swickley Hills are in between the North and the West and can be considered either or.

[Swimguy]

North Hills: new houses, good schools, strip malls. little character, good highway access to the city.

South Hills: older homes, excellent schools (Lebo, USC), good transportation into the city via the T, character galore.