Why is Pittsburgh one of the few cities with population continuously declining every year despite its good reputation? (McKeesport: affordable houses, job market)

[WTL63]

CD views Pittsburgh pretty favorably from the numerous polls I have seen, with many comments how wonderful it is to live and activities to do there. If that's the case, why is everyone moving out of there? I don't think any other city with that population size is declining aside from Cleveland and Detroit, which aren't as well liked.

Population has dropped by 70,000 people since 1990 and still going. I've never been but it certainly looks really nice, so I'm wondering what's going on over there...

[eschaton]

Historically speaking, the problem that Pittsburgh has - and still has across the metro - is negative natural population growth.

Essentially, the economy in the Pittsburgh region tanked back in the 1980s. As a result, a large number of young people (at that time, younger boomers and older xers) moved away for other parts of the country. People who were retired, or close to retirement, tended to stay in place however.

This resulted in a "demographic hangover" for the region. Essentially every year, there have not been enough births to cancel out the number of deaths. This was still the case for Allegheny County (the core of the Pittsburgh metro) in 2017. The county as a whole lost 2,200 or so people that year, but half of that loss was due to a natural decline (more deaths than births). This is the sole reason why the county is still declining. Our domestic out-migration rate is negative, but so is every northern metro (there's less out-migration here than NYC or Chicago) and international immigration, while fairly low, is positive.

In terms of the city proper, population decline has shrunk considerably this decade. From 2000-2010 the city lost nearly 9% of its population. This decade, the city will at worst decline by about 2%, and may even rise. Since the decline is now so small, and there are about 15-20 neighborhoods which almost certainly will see growth this year, any decline is likely attributable to continued black flight into the suburbs spurred by a mixture of gentrification, continued decline in historically black neighborhoods, and the presence of many very affordable houses in now unfashionable first-ring suburbs.

[btownboss4]

The Core is stronger than the other Rust belt cities. Pittsburgh City is down ~55% from its peak.

St Louis and Detroit are down closer to 65%. Cleveland is in the middle. People don’t visit McKeesport. Pittsburgh’s suburbs struggled a lot more than the others but the city did better so overall the impression from a tourist is a bit better

[PghYinzer]

Originally Posted by WTL63

CD views Pittsburgh pretty favorably from the numerous polls I have seen, with many comments how wonderful it is to live and activities to do there. If that's the case, why is everyone moving out of there? I don't think any other city with that population size is declining aside from Cleveland and Detroit, which aren't as well liked.

Population has dropped by 70,000 people since 1990 and still going. I've never been but it certainly looks really nice, so I'm wondering what's going on over there...

The main reason is because most people leave Pittsburgh feet first. I would also say it was overcrowded at it’s peak population, as no one would ever agree that the city and it’s current built environment, could hold that many people again.

[bluecarebear]

Low pay
High COL
Average public transit
Insular
Bad weather
Longer commutes

[Goinback2011]

Rapidly growing populations in urban areas is a torture. Why anyone wants that is a mystery.

[kewlwhip]

Think in terms of how the US economy has benefited mostly the highly skilled and educated, but left behind many who were formerly employed in manufacturing sector.
A lot of the "left behind" people are moving south (part of a national trend).
And old people die off.
But Pittsburgh still remains an appealing job market for the tech and medical sector, and younger people with high-tech skills (some people call them the young elites).
The net effect is a stagnant (or falling) population in numbers, but with a strong, vibrant economy.

[Geeo]

There is an excellent article on this topic in this month's Pittsburgh Quarterly, written by Jeffrey Fraser. It pretty much covers all the bases.

[gg]

Pittsburgh may not be gaining in population, but the people that are moving in that are replacing the folks dying or moving to Florida are making money and paying taxes. Pittsburgh is changing and changing a lot. Population is a number only. If the number is more high earners in comparison to years past, that would be good as well, but not that good if you are hoping to buy a home here.

[tstone]

Originally Posted by WTL63

CD views Pittsburgh pretty favorably from the numerous polls I have seen, with many comments how wonderful it is to live and activities to do there. If that's the case, why is everyone moving out of there? I don't think any other city with that population size is declining aside from Cleveland and Detroit, which aren't as well liked.

Population has dropped by 70,000 people since 1990 and still going. I've never been but it certainly looks really nice, so I'm wondering what's going on over there...

Make no mistake- the city has a great online PR campaign. However in the real world it still has a pretty bad reputation. That negativity comes mainly from displaced locals who came of age during the economic horrors of the '70s/80s, moved away & never looked back. And that reputation permeates to folks who have never visited and think it hasn't changed since then.

Nowadays Pittsburgh is a surprisingly excellent place to visit and should be on everyone's list. What you see in pictures and the tourism aspect of it is only a small slice of the city though. Regarding living, there are 90 city neighborhoods but about 70 are not recommended and many are extremely blighted; this is why the average home price is so low. And what they don't tell you-- if you are used to modern day conveniences / mode of living from the newer, warmer, flatter, cheaper, sunnier & happier Southern & Western US, the city and really the whole region will be a major adjustment.

BTW if someone keeps harping on how great or amazing a place is, they are trying to sell you a bill of goods!