Population 8,199 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Swissvale
Household size in Swissvale
| Period | Swissvale | Pittsburgh area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.05 | 2.37 | 2.51 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 1.92 | 2.35 | 2.53 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 1.97 | 2.29 | 2.50 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 1.96 | 2.30 | 2.46 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.09 | −0.07 | −0.05 | −0.03 |
Households in Swissvale are small: just 1.96 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. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.05, a much bigger shift than nationally. Of the 496 Pennsylvania cities with 5,000+ people, only four have 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 Swissvale
| Period | Swissvale | Pittsburgh area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 41.4 | 42.5 | 40.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 43.0 | 43.0 | 41.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 40.4 | 43.7 | 41.8 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 40.2 | 43.9 | 42.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | −1.2 | +1.4 | +1.7 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Swissvale are younger than 40.2 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. The population here is younger than in the Pittsburgh area overall, where the median age is 43.9. Since 2006–10, the median age has dropped from 41.4, even as the national median rose.
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 Swissvale
| Period | Swissvale | Pittsburgh area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.8% | 8.9% | 10.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.7% | 8.8% | 10.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 10.2% | 8.4% | 10.5% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 11.9% | 8.8% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.9 pts | −0.0 pts | +0.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in eight households in Swissvale (11.9%), close to the national share of 11.6%. Single parents are more common here than in the Pittsburgh area as a whole (8.8%). The single-parent share has fallen 1.9 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 Swissvale
Renters in Swissvale
| Period | Swissvale | Pittsburgh area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 47.3% | 28.5% | 29.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 48.2% | 29.9% | 30.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 50.6% | 30.3% | 31.1% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 51.2% | 29.3% | 30.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | +3.8 pts | +0.8 pts | +1.7 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renters far outnumber owners in Swissvale: 51.2% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% nationally. More than a third of owners (36.7%) have paid off their mortgages, below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is up 3.8 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. Of the 496 Pennsylvania cities with 5,000+ people, only 11 have a higher share of renters.
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 Swissvale
| Period | Swissvale | Pittsburgh area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.9% | 10.7% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 15.3% | 10.4% | 10.5% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 15.6% | 10.5% | 10.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 12.2% | 10.0% | 9.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.8 pts | −0.7 pts | −1.2 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy runs a little high in Swissvale: 12.2% of homes are empty, against 9.6% nationally. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Vacancy has fallen 1.8 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 Swissvale
| Period | Swissvale | Pittsburgh area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1945 | 1960 | 1963 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1944 | 1961 | 1964 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1946 | 1962 | 1965 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1948 | 1964 | 1967 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
Swissvale is a place of older homes: half were built before 1948, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. The newest homes are mostly in the southeast, the oldest in the northwest. Only 30 of the 496 Pennsylvania cities with 5,000+ people have older homes.
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 Swissvale
| Period | Swissvale | Pittsburgh area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $663 | $720 | $829 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $688 | $801 | $923 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $824 | $922 | $1,039 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,104 | $1,162 | $1,323 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$441 | +$442 | +$494 | +$606 |
Rent in Swissvale runs $1,104 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $441 a month since 2006–10, up 67%, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 29.8% of the typical renter's income, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
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 Swissvale
Bachelor's degrees in Swissvale
| Period | Swissvale | Pittsburgh area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 32.3% | 29.5% | 27.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 32.6% | 31.7% | 28.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 40.5% | 35.2% | 31.8% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 42.8% | 39.0% | 35.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +10.5 pts | +9.5 pts | +8.3 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are more common in Swissvale than nationally: 42.8% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 10.5 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in the northwest and least in the south.
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 Swissvale
| Period | Swissvale | Pittsburgh area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 92.7% | 90.8% | 87.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 93.7% | 92.3% | 88.8% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 93.7% | 93.8% | 90.3% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 97.4% | 95.0% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.7 pts | +4.2 pts | +4.5 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Swissvale: 97.4% 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 4.7 points, in line with the national trend. Swissvale has a higher share of high school graduates than the great majority of Pennsylvania cities.
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 Swissvale
| Period | Swissvale | Pittsburgh area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.3% | 6.9% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 10.3% | 7.5% | 8.8% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.1% | 4.9% | 5.5% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.8% | 5.0% | 5.4% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.4 pts | −1.9 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Swissvale runs well above the national rate: 7.8% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4%. Of the 496 Pennsylvania cities with 5,000+ people, only 34 have higher unemployment. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's 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).
Swissvale compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Swissvale | 1.96 | 40.2 | 11.9% | 51.2% | 12.2% | 1948 | $1,104 | 42.8% | 97.4% | 7.8% |
| Edgewood | 2.04 | 38.6 | 5.1% | 37.5% | 7.1% | 1939 | $1,147 | 72.9% | 99.8% | 5.0% |
| Rankin | 2.21 | 37.0 | 17.7% | 59.6% | 16.5% | 1950 | $616 | 15.9% | 86.4% | 7.5% |
| Braddock Hills | 1.76 | 45.3 | 11.7% | 47.9% | 7.8% | 1963 | $639 | 23.6% | 89.4% | 1.1% |
| Braddock | 2.64 | 37.8 | 34.3% | 65.1% | 30.1% | 1938 | $680 | 6.5% | 92.1% | 31.8% |
| Wilkinsburg | 1.87 | 42.9 | 17.2% | 69.9% | 18.0% | 1949 | $1,021 | 34.9% | 92.9% | 11.8% |
| Whitaker | 2.08 | 41.8 | 8.7% | 43.0% | 13.9% | 1952 | $1,075 | 14.1% | 92.0% | 14.9% |
| Forest Hills | 2.03 | 48.0 | 7.0% | 24.7% | 8.8% | 1949 | $891 | 57.4% | 99.0% | 7.0% |
| North Braddock | 2.06 | 45.0 | 15.9% | 52.7% | 18.5% | 1946 | $767 | 14.0% | 93.0% | 15.9% |
| Homestead | 2.24 | 43.1 | 8.8% | 51.5% | 12.6% | 1959 | $865 | 23.2% | 93.4% | 8.1% |
| Munhall | 2.04 | 43.6 | 14.9% | 33.2% | 12.4% | 1947 | $768 | 32.4% | 93.6% | 6.8% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Richmond, MI · Rawlins, WY · Rayville, LA · Reading, OH · Red Hook, NY · Red Springs, NC · Reeds Spring, MO · Reidsville, GA · Rensselaer, IN · Rhinebeck, NY
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 Swissvale. 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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