Population 7,197 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Central Business District
Household size in Central Business District
| Period | Central Business District | Pittsburgh area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1.57 | 2.37 | 2.51 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 1.84 | 2.35 | 2.53 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 1.87 | 2.29 | 2.50 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 1.48 | 2.30 | 2.46 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.09 | −0.07 | −0.05 | −0.03 |
Households in Central Business District are small: just 1.48 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Household size has dropped from 1.57 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. No other Pittsburgh neighborhood has smaller households.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Central Business District
| Period | Central Business District | Pittsburgh area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.0 | 42.5 | 40.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 32.4 | 43.0 | 41.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 26.7 | 43.7 | 41.8 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 30.8 | 43.9 | 42.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | −6.2 | +1.4 | +1.7 | +2.3 |
With a median age of just 30.8, Central Business District is far younger than the country as a whole (40.1), a population that tilts toward young adults, many of them living alone or as couples. Since 2006–10, the median age has dropped from 37.0, even as the national median rose. Residents skew youngest in the southwest and oldest in the northwest.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Central Business District
| Period | Central Business District | Pittsburgh area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.3% | 8.9% | 10.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 1.4% | 8.8% | 10.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 2.9% | 8.4% | 10.5% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 10.3% | 8.8% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | +8.0 pts | −0.0 pts | +0.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in ten households in Central Business District (10.3%), a little below the national share of 11.6%. Locally, though, single parents are more common here than in the Pittsburgh area overall (8.8%). Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has risen 8.0 points, even as the national share fell.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Central Business District
Renters in Central Business District
| Period | Central Business District | Pittsburgh area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 77.5% | 28.5% | 29.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 78.5% | 29.9% | 30.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 81.2% | 30.3% | 31.1% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 90.1% | 29.3% | 30.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | +12.7 pts | +0.8 pts | +1.7 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Central Business District rent: 90.1% of occupied homes are rented, far above the national share of 34.8%. Expect more apartments, and more turnover, than in owner-heavy areas. The renter share has risen 12.7 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Central Business District has the highest share of renters of any Pittsburgh neighborhood.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Central Business District
| Period | Central Business District | Pittsburgh area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 28.0% | 10.7% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 21.5% | 10.4% | 10.5% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 15.7% | 10.5% | 10.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 30.7% | 10.0% | 9.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | +2.7 pts | −0.7 pts | −1.2 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Central Business District: 30.7% of homes are empty, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Since 2006–10, vacancy has risen 2.7 points, even as the national rate fell.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Central Business District
| Period | Central Business District | Pittsburgh area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1964 | 1960 | 1963 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1972 | 1961 | 1964 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1960 | 1962 | 1965 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1953 | 1964 | 1967 | 1980 |
| Change | −11 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
The housing in Central Business District is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1953, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. The newest homes are mostly in the southwest, the oldest in the north. Compared with other Pittsburgh neighborhoods, though, Central Business District has newer homes than most.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Central Business District
| Period | Central Business District | Pittsburgh area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $872 | $720 | $829 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,417 | $801 | $923 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,475 | $922 | $1,039 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,601 | $1,162 | $1,323 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$728 | +$442 | +$494 | +$606 |
Rent in Central Business District runs $1,601 a month at the median, utilities included, close to the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents here are higher than in the Pittsburgh area as a whole ($1,162). Rent has climbed $728 a month since 2006–10, up 83%, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 34.7% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Central Business District
Bachelor's degrees in Central Business District
| Period | Central Business District | Pittsburgh area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 56.9% | 29.5% | 27.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 58.8% | 31.7% | 28.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 65.4% | 35.2% | 31.8% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 70.9% | 39.0% | 35.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +14.0 pts | +9.5 pts | +8.3 pts | +7.2 pts |
Central Business District is highly educated: about seven in ten adults 25 and older (70.9%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 14.0 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. College graduates are most concentrated in the center and least in the southwest.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Central Business District
| Period | Central Business District | Pittsburgh area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 93.6% | 90.8% | 87.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 96.5% | 92.3% | 88.8% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 91.1% | 93.8% | 90.3% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 99.8% | 95.0% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +6.3 pts | +4.2 pts | +4.5 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Central Business District: 99.8% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 6.3 points, in line with the national trend. No other Pittsburgh neighborhood has a higher share of high school graduates.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Central Business District
| Period | Central Business District | Pittsburgh area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.0% | 6.9% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 11.3% | 7.5% | 8.8% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.3% | 4.9% | 5.5% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.6% | 5.0% | 5.4% | 5.4% |
| Change | −4.4 pts | −1.9 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been easier to find in Central Business District than nationally: unemployment was 3.6%, against 5.4%. Unemployment is down 4.4 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Central Business District compared with nearby neighborhoods
| Neighborhood | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central Business District | 1.48 | 30.8 | 10.3% | 90.1% | 30.7% | 1953 | $1,601 | 70.9% | 99.8% | 3.6% |
| Bluff | 2.11 | 24.7 | 7.5% | 64.4% | 28.1% | 1943 | $1,817 | 24.0% | 72.6% | 5.4% |
| Southside Flats | 1.76 | 29.6 | 7.0% | 66.9% | 12.6% | 1960 | $1,560 | 60.6% | 94.0% | 1.0% |
| West Oakland | 2.56 | 22.7 | 17.0% | 82.4% | 23.8% | 1955 | $1,538 | 42.2% | 93.7% | 15.0% |
| Mount Washington | 1.87 | 34.7 | 5.8% | 59.2% | 10.5% | 1939 | $1,435 | 54.6% | 96.9% | 6.3% |
| Central Northside | 1.88 | 36.7 | 9.9% | 51.3% | 17.1% | 1938 | $1,193 | 58.0% | 95.7% | 8.4% |
| Southside Slopes | 1.90 | 35.7 | 8.3% | 51.9% | 19.1% | 1938 | $1,345 | 42.0% | 94.8% | 4.5% |
| Oakland | 2.55 | 21.6 | 2.0% | 82.1% | 25.1% | 1956 | $1,559 | 38.9% | 77.4% | 6.4% |
| Knoxville | 3.16 | 33.4 | 12.1% | 44.7% | 30.6% | 1938 | $1,148 | 21.0% | 81.1% | 3.1% |
| North Oakland | 1.53 | 29.1 | 4.3% | 64.5% | 21.8% | 1958 | $1,232 | 70.6% | 98.8% | 5.1% |
| Perry South | 2.15 | 40.2 | 17.8% | 46.2% | 19.1% | 1944 | $1,061 | 32.0% | 85.7% | 5.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: West Ocean View, Norfolk, VA · North Hill Historic District, New Castle, PA · Royal Highlands, Brooksville, FL · Royal Poinciana, Hollywood, FL · Carondelet, St. Louis, MO · Bronze Boot, Phoenix, AZ · University Park, Portland, OR · Uptown, Racine, WI · Bird Land, San Diego, CA · Kerns, Portland, OR
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Central Business District. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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