We’re Number One! Again!

It has been 22 years since the last time Pittsburgh was named the “Most Livable City” by the “Places Rated Almanac.”

Let me put that in some perspective. The last time it was given this designation, a Republican was in the White House, people were talking about competing video formats and wondering which to buy, and MTV played music videos. Well, as Meatloaf said, “two out of three ain’t bad.” Let’s put it another way, the last time Pittsburgh was number one, the mayor was five!

The ranking was devised through several categories: housing affordability (cost of living), transportation, jobs, education, climate, crime, health care, recreation, and ambience (museums, performing arts, restaurants and historical districts).

I can see housing costs, after all it was only in the past few years that housing crested the $100K mark. Education since there are about 20-30 colleges and universities within a 50 mile radius of the city, crime is relatively low for the size of the city, health care with UPMC and other hospitals in Oakland, recreation with it sitting right next to the Laurel Highlands and the rivers, and ambiance which will increase once Mellon Arena 2 or whatever it’s called, opens will add to that ranking. However, the others I can’t understand. Transportation is limping along especially with the Port Authority hemorrhaging money and job creation is lackluster with the exception of Google that opened at Carnegie Mellon University. Then there is the climate of which we were in the deep freeze for most of April, but basking in 60-degree temperatures in December.

For all the pros and cons it has, Pittsburgh is a decent city. It’s not too big and it’s not too small, like Baby Bear’s bed in “Goldilocks and the Three Bears.”

Pittsburgh Rated "Most Livable" Once Again - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette