Pittsburgh’s neighborhoods conjure up too many stereotypes to count. You’ve got hipster areas, preppy places, neighborhoods where college kids thrive, and of course, ghettos.
It seems as if there’s a neighborhood for everyone in Pittsburgh.
And while the city consistently ranks as one of the best places to live in Pennsylvania thanks in part to tons of entertainment and jobs, it’s not all rainbows and sunshine in Pittsburgh. Some neighborhoods aren’t as safe as others.
So the question arises, which Pittsburgh neighborhoods are the most dangerous and which are the safest?
Today, we’ll use Saturday Night Science to determine which Pittsburgh hoods need a little tender loving care – the sore thumbs of the Pittsburgh area if you will. Realistically, you can’t expect all the neighborhoods to be amazing, although Highland Park ranks way above the rest.
We examined 84 of Pittsburgh’s neighborhoods to find out the most dangerous places to live. These places don’t quite measure up to Pittsburgh’s reputation.
Table Of Contents: Top 10 | Methodology | Summary | Table
So what’s the worst neighborhood to live in Pittsburgh for 2025? According to the most recent census data, Saint Clair looks to be the worst neighborhood in Pittsburgh.
Read on to see how we determined the places around Pittsburgh that need a pick-me-up. And remember, don’t blame the messenger.
For more Pennsylvania reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In Pennsylvania
- Cheapest Places To Live In Pennsylvania
- Most Dangerous Cities In Pennsylvania
The 10 Most Dangerous Neighborhoods In Pittsburgh For 2025
/10
Population: 317
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 584
Property Crime Per 100k: 3,465
Median Home Value: $53,600 (10th worst)
Median Income: $34,861 (22nd worst)
More on Saint Clair: Data
/10
Population: 291
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 529
Property Crime Per 100k: 3,143
Median Home Value: $57,200 (13th worst)
Median Income: $33,083 (18th worst)
More on Mt Oliver: Data
Population: 315
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 529
Property Crime Per 100k: 3,143
Median Home Value: $57,200 (13th worst)
Median Income: $33,083 (18th worst)
More on Arlington Heights: Data
/10
Population: 1,557
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 584
Property Crime Per 100k: 3,465
Median Home Value: $34,200 (2nd worst)
Median Income: $21,408 (8th worst)
More on Larimer: Data
/10
Population: 380
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 577
Property Crime Per 100k: 3,424
Median Home Value: $43,800 (3rd worst)
Median Income: $27,250 (11th worst)
More on Esplen: Data
/10
Population: 1,368
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 529
Property Crime Per 100k: 3,143
Median Home Value: $57,200 (13th worst)
Median Income: $33,083 (18th worst)
More on Arlington: Data
/10
Population: 2,589
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 516
Property Crime Per 100k: 3,065
Median Home Value: $61,850 (17th worst)
Median Income: $16,417 (2nd worst)
More on East Hills: Data
Population: 1,262
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 578
Property Crime Per 100k: 3,433
Median Home Value: $49,500 (5th worst)
Median Income: $16,551 (3rd worst)
More on Bedford Dwellings: Data
/10
Population: 1,911
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 516
Property Crime Per 100k: 3,062
Median Home Value: $61,500 (16th worst)
Median Income: $35,972 (24th worst)
More on Elliott: Data
/10
Population: 2,537
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 533
Property Crime Per 100k: 3,165
Median Home Value: $69,100 (19th worst)
Median Income: $27,178 (10th worst)
More on Spring Hill-City View: Data
Methodology: How we determined the most dangerous Pittsburgh neighborhoods in 2025
To figure out how bad a place is to live in, we only needed to know what kinds of things people like and then decide what places have the least amount of those things. We plugged the following criteria into Saturday Night Science to get the worst neighborhoods in Pittsburgh:
- High crime (Estimated)
- High unemployment (Less jobs)
- Low median income (Less pay)
- Low population density (No things to do)
- Low home values (No one’s willing to pay to live here)
Then, we ranked each neighborhood in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania for each of these criteria from worst to best.
Next, we averaged the individual rankings for each criterion into a “Worst Score.”
The neighborhood with the lowest “Worst Score” ranks as the most dangerous neighborhood of Pittsburgh.
The article is an opinion based on facts and is meant as infotainment. We updated this article for 2025. This report is our time ranking the worst neighborhoods to live in Pittsburgh.
Skip to the end to see the list of all 84 neighborhoods ranked from worst to best.
Summary: The Worst Neighborhoods Around Pittsburgh
Well, there you have it — the worst of the neighborhoods in Pittsburgh with Saint Clair landing at the bottom of the pack.
The worst neighborhoods in Pittsburgh are Saint Clair, Mt Oliver, Arlington Heights, Larimer, Esplen, Arlington, East Hills, Bedford Dwellings, Elliott, and Spring Hill-City View.
As mentioned earlier, the neighborhoods in Pittsburgh aren’t all bad. Highland Park takes the cake as the best place to live in Pittsburgh.
The best neighborhoods in Pittsburgh are Highland Park, Squirrel Hill North, Central Business District, Shadyside, and Lower Lawrenceville.
We ranked the neighborhoods from worst to best in the chart below.
For more Pennsylvania reading, check out:
Most Dangerous Neighborhoods To Live In Pittsburgh For 2025?
| Rank | Neighborhood | Population | Home Value | Median Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Saint Clair | 317 | $53,600 | $34,861 |
| 2 | Mt Oliver | 291 | $57,200 | $33,083 |
| 3 | Arlington Heights | 315 | $57,200 | $33,083 |
| 4 | Larimer | 1,557 | $34,200 | $21,408 |
| 5 | Esplen | 380 | $43,800 | $27,250 |
| 6 | Arlington | 1,368 | $57,200 | $33,083 |
| 7 | East Hills | 2,589 | $61,850 | $16,417 |
| 8 | Bedford Dwellings | 1,262 | $49,500 | $16,551 |
| 9 | Elliott | 1,911 | $61,500 | $35,972 |
| 10 | Spring Hill-City View | 2,537 | $69,100 | $27,178 |
| 11 | Marshall-Shadeland | 4,396 | $49,920 | $41,920 |
| 12 | Homewood West | 747 | $52,400 | $22,470 |
| 13 | East Carnegie | 434 | $78,000 | $41,250 |
| 14 | Sheraden | 4,604 | $63,071 | $42,337 |
| 15 | Homewood North | 2,558 | $46,625 | $29,694 |
| 16 | Mount Oliver | 3,289 | $54,075 | $33,437 |
| 17 | Fine View | 1,052 | $84,500 | $37,880 |
| 18 | Knoxville | 3,836 | $52,600 | $40,874 |
| 19 | Beltzhoover | 1,927 | $59,500 | $37,215 |
| 20 | West Oakland | 1,403 | $119,150 | $18,391 |
| 21 | Upper Hill | 2,129 | $69,750 | $34,954 |
| 22 | Hazelwood | 3,168 | $130,000 | $32,709 |
| 23 | Lincoln-Lemington-Belmar | 4,433 | $50,100 | $33,697 |
| 24 | Terrace Village | 2,631 | $129,500 | $16,417 |
| 25 | California-Kirkbride | 763 | $71,500 | $28,125 |
| 26 | Carrick | 10,678 | $80,838 | $39,096 |
| 27 | Bon Air | 861 | $84,200 | $53,375 |
| 28 | Homewood South | 1,947 | $79,700 | $19,679 |
| 29 | Wind Gap | 1,356 | $98,100 | $56,729 |
| 30 | Lincoln Place | 3,046 | $83,700 | $64,835 |
| 31 | Crawford Roberts | 1,833 | $148,400 | $17,822 |
| 32 | Chateau | 69 | $226,500 | $39,583 |
| 33 | Perry South | 4,142 | $90,625 | $40,444 |
| 34 | Oakland | 9,164 | $141,840 | $19,301 |
| 35 | Perry North | 3,971 | $108,260 | $64,892 |
| 36 | Ridgemont | 636 | $103,700 | $59,514 |
| 37 | Chartiers City | 518 | $98,100 | $66,583 |
| 38 | Crafton Heights | 3,791 | $88,625 | $44,836 |
| 39 | Allentown | 1,815 | $31,000 | $51,792 |
| 40 | Overbrook | 3,530 | $108,083 | $53,252 |
| 41 | Hays | 962 | $130,867 | $59,992 |
| 42 | Beechview | 7,905 | $102,027 | $57,488 |
| 43 | Garfield | 3,717 | $121,700 | $48,547 |
| 44 | Summer Hill | 805 | $117,400 | $75,280 |
| 45 | Spring Garden | 776 | $125,300 | $61,280 |
| 46 | Troy Hill | 1,592 | $88,650 | $58,158 |
| 47 | Westwood | 2,859 | $115,800 | $60,366 |
| 48 | Mount Washington | 8,239 | $117,788 | $56,416 |
| 49 | Herrs Island | 412 | $79,100 | $75,298 |
| 50 | East Allegheny | 1,791 | $205,450 | $32,871 |
| 51 | Oakwood | 990 | $144,050 | $62,938 |
| 52 | Manchester | 2,025 | $202,550 | $45,255 |
| 53 | Bluff | 5,906 | $147,700 | $39,531 |
| 54 | Swisshelm Park | 1,206 | $155,450 | $69,838 |
| 55 | Brookline | 12,956 | $128,560 | $62,725 |
| 56 | Brighton Heights | 6,937 | $119,617 | $66,175 |
| 57 | Banksville | 4,020 | $137,467 | $70,330 |
| 58 | Strip District | 1,265 | $422,100 | $120,764 |
| 59 | Southside Slopes | 4,265 | $169,083 | $54,903 |
| 60 | Allegheny West | 314 | $328,100 | $82,500 |
| 61 | Point Breeze North | 1,953 | $163,800 | $68,691 |
| 62 | Stanton Heights | 4,387 | $163,800 | $67,287 |
| 63 | Allegheny Center | 1,508 | $328,100 | $62,943 |
| 64 | Upper Lawrenceville | 2,561 | $138,867 | $63,034 |
| 65 | North Shore | 259 | $328,100 | $82,049 |
| 66 | Greenfield | 8,032 | $172,400 | $62,590 |
| 67 | Polish Hill | 1,382 | $183,300 | $63,316 |
| 68 | North Oakland | 9,017 | $343,400 | $32,413 |
| 69 | Central Lawrenceville | 4,659 | $226,300 | $62,966 |
| 70 | Central Northside | 2,667 | $314,800 | $52,454 |
| 71 | Bloomfield | 9,417 | $236,680 | $53,420 |
| 72 | Duquesne Heights | 2,341 | $148,100 | $70,178 |
| 73 | Regent Square | 879 | $282,250 | $85,507 |
| 74 | Friendship | 1,911 | $283,800 | $41,534 |
| 75 | East Liberty | 5,708 | $290,525 | $49,623 |
| 76 | Morningside | 2,856 | $186,567 | $66,919 |
| 77 | Southside Flats | 6,588 | $252,086 | $58,211 |
| 78 | Point Breeze | 5,572 | $327,714 | $117,544 |
| 79 | Squirrel Hill South | 14,208 | $318,800 | $75,200 |
| 80 | Lower Lawrenceville | 2,012 | $242,867 | $79,766 |
| 81 | Shadyside | 14,174 | $352,892 | $62,193 |
| 82 | Central Business District | 4,487 | $505,780 | $90,768 |
| 83 | Squirrel Hill North | 11,540 | $497,262 | $117,062 |
| 84 | Highland Park | 6,556 | $410,917 | $93,654 |