McKeesport (15132) Leads Pittsburgh Yields at 12.8%, Nearly Double the City Median

Yields across 102 suburbs in Pittsburgh (Allegheny County) range from 12.8% in McKeesport (15132) down to under 5% in premium inner neighborhoods. That spread is wider than the gap between short-term and long-term rental at the city level, which means where you buy matters more than how you rent it out. This ranking shows which Pittsburgh suburbs lead on gross yield and why the pattern exists.

Pittsburgh's appeal for investors sits in its suburban balance. Enough urban demand to keep vacancies short and turnover manageable, but entry prices still well below the national median of about $243,000. That combination produces one of the widest yield ranges of any major US metro.

McKeesport (15132) Tops the Ranking at 12.8% Gross Yield

Gross yields = annual income / sale price. Based on 3-bed house medians. The dashboard shows every property type and bedroom count.

Mon Valley Affordability Drives the Top Three Suburbs

The highest-yielding suburbs cluster along the Monongahela River corridor southeast of downtown Pittsburgh, a pattern driven almost entirely by depressed entry prices rather than exceptional rents. McKeesport (15132) leads at 12.8% with a median 3-bed house price of about $75,000 against monthly rent of about $800. That rent figure is actually below the city average, but at less than half the city's median sale price of about $239,000, the math tilts sharply in the yield column.

Clairton (15025) follows the same pattern: entry at about $119,000 with rents holding at about $1,200 produces a yield of 12.2%. These are former steel towns with solid housing stock, working-class tenant pools, and prices still reflecting decades of post-industrial decline. Rents have recovered faster than prices because tenant demand stayed anchored to proximity to Pittsburgh's hospitals, universities, and reshored tech employers. Glassport (15045) at 12.0% completes the Mon Valley trio.

For short-term rental, these suburbs tell a more cautious story. They sit too far from the tourist and business-travel corridors (Oakland, Downtown, Strip District, South Side) to command high nightly rates, and occupancy across Allegheny County averages just 38%, below the threshold where the short-term rental premium outruns a reliable long-term tenancy. Pittsburgh (15233) and Pittsburgh (15219), both inside Pittsburgh city limits, are the ranked suburbs where the short-term rental case strengthens, because proximity to University of Pittsburgh medical demand, Steelers and Pirates game traffic, and downtown business travel supports higher nightly rates.

The Yield-Price Trade-Off Is Severe in Pittsburgh

An investor entering at about $75,000 in McKeesport (15132) versus about $239,000 at the city median faces a very different capital-risk profile. The top-yielding suburbs require less than half the capital outlay, but they also have thinner buyer pools for eventual resale, slower price appreciation historically, and exposure to concentrated employment risk if any single local employer contracts. The city's overall price range stretches from about $53,000 at the cheapest end to about $834,000 at the top, which is a 15x spread inside one metro.

Cheaper suburbs yield more because rent doesn't fall as fast as price. In the Mon Valley, a working household still needs somewhere to live, so monthly rents have a floor set by regional wages, while sale prices can drop to whatever the thin buyer market supports. Premium Pittsburgh suburbs (Fox Chapel, Sewickley Heights, Mount Lebanon's inner tier) invert this: buyers pay for schools, lot size, and commute convenience, none of which the rental market pays a proportional premium for.

Premium Suburbs Trade Yield for Liquidity and Growth

For context, here is how some of Pittsburgh's most in-demand suburbs compare. These are established areas where investors typically accept lower yields in exchange for capital growth, resale liquidity, and higher-quality tenant pools.

High-demand suburbs for context. Same methodology as the yield ranking above.

These suburbs yield less on long-term rental because buyers are paying for school catchments, lot size, and neighborhood amenity that the rental market does not price proportionally. Short-term rental rarely rescues the case either: most of these are residential areas without the tourist pull or walkable entertainment that drives nightly rate premiums. An investor buying in these areas is betting on capital growth and exit liquidity, not monthly cashflow.

What the Ranking Doesn't Show

Yield is only one measure of investment quality, and a high yield can mean depressed prices as easily as strong rents. The top suburbs in this table have seen limited price appreciation over the last decade, which is precisely why their yields are high. Premium suburbs often deliver better total returns once you add capital growth to income, so the ranking answers "where is cashflow highest today" rather than "where will I make the most money over 10 years."

Vacancy risk is the second blind spot. High-yield suburbs with thinner rental pools can sit empty longer between tenancies, and a single month of vacancy on a $800 rent erodes a meaningful share of the annual return. Condition risk matters too: houses priced at about $75,000 often reflect deferred maintenance, lead paint, outdated electrical, or foundation issues that don't show up in a median price figure. The dashboard shows suburb-level data, but an on-the-ground inspection is non-negotiable at these price points.

View Pittsburgh in the dashboard → Free preview · every bedroom count and property type

Pittsburgh's Top Suburb Beats the National Median by a Wide Margin

McKeesport (15132)'s yield of 12.8% sits well above both the Pennsylvania state median of 6.0% and the US national median of 5.3%. Even Pittsburgh's city-wide median of 6.6% clears the national benchmark, which is unusual for a metro its size. The pattern reflects Pittsburgh's structurally low entry prices: median 3-bed houses sell for around $239,000 against a national median of about $243,000, a discount that rent levels only partially offset. For investors comparing cities on yield alone, Pittsburgh's suburbs offer some of the highest gross returns in any major US metro. The short-term rental case is secondary here, since Allegheny County's average occupancy of 38% caps the upside relative to tourism-heavy markets. Pennsylvania's regulatory position is supportive: Permit required ($100) in Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh requires a short-term rentals registration. Hotel tax applies. Must comply with zoning and building codes. Registration is procedural rather than restrictive, leaving 330 nights per year available where a short-term rental strategy fits the suburb.

For deeper analysis of which property types work best in this market, see market score methodology and data sources. Pittsburgh Long-Term Rental Yields 6.6%, but Costs Trim the Margin covers the same question from a different angle, and Philadelphia Delivers 6.6% Gross Yields Without Short-Term Rental goes into cost mechanics.

Data reflects market conditions as of June 2026.

This information is for educational purposes only and should not be considered financial or legal advice. Regulations and market conditions change frequently. Verify current rules with local authorities before making investment decisions.