pittsburgh: Why is Pitts property tax so high? How come people say that Pennsylvania has really affordable houses? I really need an advice about where I should buy a NICE house. We are moving to Pittsburgh soon and I'm looking for an easy commute to UPMC Shadyside but also a good school district and close to shopping and highways.|||The property taxes are high throughout the county. There are a great many old people here who do not work any longer so wage tax revenue's aren't what they are in other places. The cost of houses in Pittsburgh tends to be less than most places in the country. A standard 3 bedroom house in a nice neighborhood will rarely exceed $150,000. Where the housing market gets interesting is what you can buy if you are able to spend more. 200k or 250k can get you a house in Pittsburgh that would cost 500k or more elsewhere. If you aren't familiar with the landscape in Pittsburgh, you'll find many distinct neighborhoods. Its pretty confusing actually - a mailing address of "Pittsburgh, PA" does not necessarily mean you are within city limits. The city proper is quite small - only like 350,000 residents actually reside within official city limits. Within the city itself, you could be right by work if you lived in Shadyside or Squirrel Hill - both are excellent city neighborhoods. Greenfield is close and is calm and quiet. Certain parts of Edgewood or Swissvale (east of town) will provide a reasonable neighborhood and a short commute. All city residents unfortunately pay a 3% wage tax. Pretty much as soon as you cross a river you are likely to be in a neighboring municipality. The wage taxes there will almost certainly be 1%. If you chose a suburb, I strongly suggest one north of the city. Traffic is a million times better with no tunnels to go through. 279 north gets a bit backed up at rush hour of course, but overall the north hills has excellent traffic flow the rest of the day. The best shopping area in the area is McKnight Road. The premire mall of the city is there (Ross Park) and pretty much any other store you can think of has a storefront along McKnight Road. This is in the north hills North Hills, Shaler, and Fox Chapel are 3 school districts that border the northern side of the city. Each offers a drive of fewer than 20 minutes into town (a bit more with rush hour traffic) and a completely suburban lifestyle. Shaler and North Hills are middle of the road school districts. If the child is smart and on the ball, he or she can do quite well at either place. (I attended Shaler). Fox Chapel is one of the area's best districts. Two more districts are south of the city - Mount Lebanon and Upper Saint Clair are both in the south hills but are excellent schools. The north hills (don't confuse the 'north hills' general area with North Hills the specific school district) with access to 279 is my recommendation. For reference, I grew up in the north hills, and have lived in the city and the south hills. Good luck!