CitytisticsShortlist

Cost of living, pay and housing

40.42° N · 79.89° W · GEOID 4275816

Swissvale

Allegheny County, Pennsylvania · part of the Pittsburgh, PA metro

PennsylvaniaSwissvale, PASwissvaleSwissvale

The short answer

Swissvale is home to 8,418 people. Median household income is $60,341 a year and median rent is $1,136 a month, 22.6% of income (a ratio of two medians, not any one household's burden). Rent pressure is lighter than in most places. The median home is valued at $147,000, about 2.4x annual median household income.

Swissvale stands out on how people work. OpenStreetMap shows 44.8 bus and rail stops per square mile, more than in 99% of places its size. It is the 2nd-highest of 271 Pennsylvania places we track. Also notable: Rent took 20% of the median income in the 2019 survey and 22.6% in 2024. In the 25 places most like it the share fell 0.5 points on average, so affordability slipped more here.

41OF 100

CTXCitytistics Index

Below average

Swissvale scores better than 41% of the 6,612 places we rate, and ranks 191st of 271 in Pennsylvania.

How the CTX is built

Category ratings · 0 to 100, typical place 50

Affordability 20%63
Economy 20%18
Safety 20%n/a
Amenities 15%60
Education 10%68
Commute 10%52
Growth 5%6

Not rated: safety, for want of data (the city police department does not report a full year to the FBI). The other weights are spread over the categories rated.

Median gross rent
$1,136
17% below the median place
Median household income
$60,341
25% below the median place
Median home value
$147,000
54% below the median place
Unemployment
8.0%
64% above the median place

Compared with the median of the 6,645 places we track. The bundle was checked 2026-11-14; each measure may refer to an older release.

01

Moving to Swissvale

Allegheny County loses about 7.1 residents per 1,000 a year to moves between counties.

Moved in32,390
Moved out39,397
Net−7,007

Where people come from and where they go, top counties

Westmoreland County, PA2,7763,762−986
Washington County, PA2,0193,265−1,246
Butler County, PA1,7132,910−1,197
Beaver County, PA1,2101,833−623
Cook County, IL318421−103
New York County, NY410

Within Pennsylvania, other states or abroad

Arrivals
Leavers
Within PennsylvaniaOther statesAbroad

Income per tax return

Arrivals$73K
Leavers$91K

People on tax returns who moved between counties, from IRS migration data, 2022 to 2023. Figures are for all of Allegheny County; flows under 20 returns are not published.

Who moves here
4.0% of residents arrived from another county in the past year, 2.2% from another state.
Who arrives and who leaves
Households moving into Allegheny County report $72,800 a year in income on average; those leaving, $90,900, so leavers earn more than newcomers.
Income you would need
$45,400 a year to rent the median home at the 30% line. From your city
Rent or buy
Median rent is $1,136 a month; owners with a mortgage pay $1,323 a month including taxes and insurance, on a median home of $147,000.
Getting to work
25 minutes each way on average; 25.9% work from home; 8.9% take transit.
If it is close but not quite
Norwood, OH matches it on character for less of your income. Compare the two
Moved here in the past year1
4.0%
30% below the median place
Moved from another state1
2.2%
13% above the median place
Net movers per 1,000 people8
-7.1
below the median place (median -0.6)
All 5 moving measures
MeasureSwissvaleAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Moved here in the past year14.0%30% below
Moved from another state12.2%13% above
Net movers per 1,000 people8County figure-7.1below (median -0.6)
Income of households moving in8County figure$72,8103% above
Income of households moving out8County figure$90,89529% above
02

What it costs to live here

Half the homes were built before 1941, older housing than in 97% of the 2,479 places under 10,000 people we track.

Swissvale22.6%
Typical place20.4%

Share of the median household income that goes to the median rent. Above 30% is the usual stress line.

Income needed to rent
$45,440
a year, at the 30% line
Rent to income
22.6%
11% above the median place
Home price to income
2.4x
36% below the median place

Could you afford it?

The median rent would take
23%
comfortably under the 30% line
Left after rent, in US prices
$46,700
a year
Vs the typical household here
Same
as the median household

Uses the median rent in Swissvale, $1,136 a month, and local prices for everything else (99.3 against a US average of 100). It runs in your browser and stores nothing.

Like Swissvale, but easier on the budget

Places that match Swissvale on character (size, age, education, homeownership, household size, housing age, remote work and climate) but where rent takes a clearly smaller share of income. Cost was left out of the match on purpose.

PlaceMatchRent to incomeMore left a year
Norwood, OH8416.4% vs 22.6%$14,700Compare
Ferndale, MI8316.6% vs 22.6%$30,700Compare
Beacon, NY8118.4% vs 22.6%$34,300Compare
Huntingdon, PA8115.0% vs 22.6%n/aCompare

Moving from somewhere else? Work out the salary you would need in Swissvale.

Sponsored · exampleMoving to Swissvale? Compare quotes from licensed movers. No partner is signed yet. Sponsored offers are always labelled and never change the data.
Median year built1
1941
2% below the median place
Median home value1
$147,000
54% below the median place
Homeownership1
48.9%
26% below the median place
All 16 cost and housing measures
MeasureSwissvaleAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median gross rent1$1,13617% below
Rent to income122.6%11% above
Property tax rate11.8%92% above
Home price to income12.4x36% below
Prices vs US average2Metro figure94.76% below
Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms3County figure$1,38914% below
HUD area median income4County figure$110,4003% above
Property tax paid (median)1$2,57021% below
Median home value1$147,00054% below
Home prices, 1-year change5County figure3.2%0% above
Home prices, 5-year change5County figure40.0%22% below
Homeownership148.9%26% below
Renters paying 30%+152.4%4% above
Owner costs with a mortgage1$1,32329% below
Vacant homes111.0%56% above
Median year built119412% below
03

Work and pay

26% of workers skip the commute by working from home, which keeps total commuting time lower than in 72% of places.

Commutes by transit1
8.9%
above the median place (median 0.8%)
Works from home1
25.9%
108% above the median place
Unemployment1
8.0%
64% above the median place

More on work and pay, against the typical place

Poverty rate17.0% +58%
Median household income$60,341 −25%
Income per person$43,926 +10%
Mean commute25 min −1%
All 10 work and pay measures
MeasureSwissvaleAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median household income1$60,34125% below
Income per person1$43,92610% above
Unemployment18.0%64% above
Average annual pay6County figure$81,25323% above
Pay growth, 1 year6County figure3.8%3% above
Jobs6County figure670,169345% above
Poverty rate117.0%58% above
Mean commute125 min1% below
Works from home125.9%108% above
Commutes by transit18.9%above (median 0.8%)
04

Who lives here

Households average 1.93 people, smaller than than in 96% of the 2,480 places under 10,000 people we track.

Household size1
1.9
23% below the median place
Population change since 20207
-5.0%
below the median place (median 1.1%)
High school or higher1
97.3%
5% above the median place

More about who lives here, against the typical place

Homes with broadband88.4% −4%
Bachelor's or higher41.4% +29%
Born abroad6.3% −29%
No health insurance7.8% +22%
Median age38.1 −2%
All 9 people measures
MeasureSwissvaleAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Population18,4184742nd largest
Population change since 20207-5.0%below (median 1.1%)
Median age138.12% below
Bachelor's or higher141.4%29% above
High school or higher197.3%5% above
Household size11.923% below
Born abroad16.3%29% below
No health insurance17.8%22% above
Homes with broadband188.4%4% below
05

Life in Swissvale

The nearest National Park Service site is Friendship Hill, about 45 miles away.

Founded or incorporated in 1898. 275 sites are on the National Register of Historic Places, 11 of them National Historic Landmarks. Its history on Wikipedia

Out the door, against the typical place

Parks per 10k residents9.5 −7%
Playgrounds per 10k15.4 +64%
Grocery stores per 10k0.0 −100%
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k9.5 −15%
Libraries per 10k3.6 4.1×
Named paths and bike trails4 km +85%
Bus and rail stops per sq mi44.8 213.2×

Mapped by volunteers in OpenStreetMap inside the city limits (Census boundaries), so coverage is fuller in some places than others. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.

National Park Service sites nearby

  • Friendship Hill 45 miles
  • Fort Necessity National Battlefield 45 miles
  • Flight 93 National Memorial 57 miles

Businesses per 10,000 residents (county figures)

Restaurants and bars26.2 +26%
Shops32.1 +6%
Arts, recreation and fitness5.4 +32%
Doctors' offices and clinics26.5 +31%
Child care centers3.2 +39%

Counts businesses with paid staff, so small owner-run shops are not included.

Public schools13
1
89% below the median place
Public school students13
579
88% below the median place
Students per teacher13
12.1
21% below the median place
All 18 schools and local life measures
MeasureSwissvaleAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Public schools13189% below
Public school students1357988% below
Students per teacher1312.121% below
Restaurants and bars per 10k9County figure26.226% above
Shops per 10k9County figure32.16% above
Arts, recreation and fitness per 10k9County figure5.432% above
Doctors' offices and clinics per 10k9County figure26.531% above
Child care centers per 10k9County figure3.239% above
Parks per 10k109.57% below
Playgrounds per 10k1015.464% above
Grocery stores per 10k100.0below (median 2.1)
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k109.515% below
Libraries per 10k103.6309% above
Named paths and bike trails103.785% above
Transit stops per sq mi1044.8above (median 0.2)
Nearest National Park Service site1144.544% above
National Park Service sites within 60 miles114100% above
National Register listings12County figure275above (median 13)
06

Safety, weather and risk

Natural hazard risk is 98.1, 6% above the median place.

No crime figure yet. Either the city police department did not report to the FBI for the latest year, or our monthly fetch has not reached Swissvale. Larger places are fetched first.

Natural hazard risk15
98.1
6% above the median place
Good air days16
46.0%
33% below the median place
Median air quality index16
52
21% above the median place
All 11 weather and risk measures
MeasureSwissvaleAmong 6,645 placesVs median
July average high14County figure84°F4% below
January average low14County figure21°F16% below
Average temperature14County figure52°F6% below
Annual precipitation14County figure41.2 in6% below
Natural hazard risk15County figure98.16% above
Hurricane risk15County figure75.97% above
Tornado risk15County figure91.212% above
Wildfire risk15County figure60.41% below
Heat wave risk15County figure94.35% above
Median air quality index16County figure5221% above
Good air days16County figure46.0%33% below
08

Swissvale in 2030: where the trends point

If recent trends hold, the median rent will take about 23% of the median income in 2030, up from 23% now.

Citytistics projections to 2030: each figure's own trend, blended with the typical trend across the places we rate, eased toward long-run US growth and carried forward from the latest release. The range is where 80% of places landed when we tested the same method on past releases. On projected 2030 affordability, Swissvale does better than 62% of places. Its projected home value growth beats 17%.

MeasureLatest2030 projectionLikely rangeAvg. per year
Median rent$1,136/mo (2024)$1,470/mo$1,200 to $1,790/mo+4.4%
Median household income$60,341 (2024)$76,000$64,500 to $90,000+4.0%
Median home value$147,000 (2024)$206,000$149,000 to $284,000+5.8%
Population8,197 (2025)8,0507,720 to 8,390−0.4%

The median home would be worth 2.7 years of the median income in 2030, against 2.4 now.

A projection of recent trends, not a prediction of the economy or advice to buy or sell. How we project.

09

Places like Swissvale

The closest matches on income, rent, home value, education and age, and the places nearby.

PlaceRentIncome
Corning, NY$1,014$61,760Compare
West Columbia, SC$1,201$56,912Compare
Mayfield Heights, OH$1,128$66,524Compare
St. Louis, MO$997$56,160Compare
St. Louis, MOMayfield Heights, OHWest Columbia, SCCorning, NYSwissvale, PASwissvaleCorningWest ColumbiaMayfield HeightsSt. LouisSwissvaleCorningWest ColumbiaMayfield HeightsSt. Louis

Places built like Swissvale

Its statistical peers: the closest matches on size, age, education, homeownership, household size, housing age, origin and remote work, in the same part of the country. Cost and outcomes are left out of the match, so the table shows how Swissvale performs against places like it.

PlaceRent to incomeIncome growthPop. change
Swissvale, PA22.6%3.8%/yr-5.0%
Bellevue, PA17.0%8.2%/yr-4.9%Compare
Hudson, NY29.8%6.6%/yr-2.9%Compare
Carnegie, PA15.8%5.2%/yr-4.5%Compare
Dormont, PA16.5%4.5%/yr-5.0%Compare
Crafton, PA19.1%4.1%/yr-5.0%Compare
Collingswood, NJ19.8%4.1%/yr1.4%Compare

Common questions

Is Swissvale a good place to live?

It depends on what you need, so here is what the numbers say. Its Citytistics Index is 41 out of 100, better than 41% of the places we rate and 191st of 271 in Pennsylvania. On cost, space and class size it scores 33 out of 100 for families. See how it ranks with your own weights.

Is Swissvale expensive to live in?

The median rent takes 22.6% of the median household income, against 20.4% in the typical place we track. Housing is a heavier load here than usual. The median home is valued at $147,000.

What salary do you need to live in Swissvale?

To rent the median home without spending more than 30% of income on rent, a household needs about $45,440 a year. Work it out from your current city.

What places are similar to Swissvale?

On income, rent, home value, education and age, the closest matches are Corning, NY, West Columbia, SC, Mayfield Heights, OH and St. Louis, MO.

Sources and methods

The small numbers beside each measure point here. Every dataset is public; links go to the publisher.

  1. American Community Survey 5-year estimates · US Census Bureau · 2020 to 2024 estimatesTables B01002, B01003, B05002, B07003, B08013, B08301, B15003, B17001, B19013, B19301, B23025, B25002, B25003, B25010, B25035, B25064, B25070, B25077, B25088, B25103, B28002, S2701
  2. Regional Price Parities · US Bureau of Economic Analysis · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  3. Fair Market Rents · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2027
  4. Income Limits · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2026
  5. House Price Index · Federal Housing Finance Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  6. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages · US Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2025 annual averages
  7. Population Estimates · US Census Bureau · Vintage 2025
  8. SOI Tax Stats, county-to-county migration · Internal Revenue Service · Tax years 2022 to 2023Counts tax returns and the people on them; flows under 20 returns are suppressed.
  9. County Business Patterns · US Census Bureau · 2023 data
  10. OpenStreetMap · © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database License (ODbL) · Map data as of 2026-11
  11. National Park Service sites · Wikidata (CC0), units operated by the National Park Service · Retrieved 2026-11
  12. National Register of Historic Places · National Park Service · Listings through 2026-05-22
  13. Common Core of Data · National Center for Education Statistics · 2024 release
  14. 1991-2020 climate normals · NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · Series updated 2026-11-05Averages for 1991 to 2020 computed from NOAA's county climate series (nClimDiv).nClimDiv county series
  15. National Risk Index · Federal Emergency Management Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14NRI data and maps
  16. Air Quality System, annual AQI by county · US Environmental Protection Agency · 2025 dataAirData download files

Derived by Citytistics from the tables above: rent to income (B25064, B19013); property tax rate (B25103, B25077); home price to income (B25077, B19013).

What stands out compares Swissvale with places of a similar size, using only figures measured for Swissvale itself; county and metro figures never count. Survey figures are estimates with margins of error. Formulas and definitions: methodology. API: /api/v1/places/swissvale-pennsylvania

Citytistics. “Swissvale, Pennsylvania.” Data as of 2026-11-14. https://www.citytistics.com/city/swissvale-pennsylvania/

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.