Newlywed? Head to Pittsburgh, Study Says

For those who just wed and are looking at completing the next few milestones on their American dream checklist, Pittsburgh is the place to go and start their new life together, especially if they want to buy a home.

According to Destify, a destination wedding website, Pittsburgh is the best city in the U.S. for newlyweds, based on the percentage of those in the average newlywed age bracket (which the site identified as 25-34), median household income, median home cost, affordability and the restaurant and dining scene. The site included 311 cities in the study.

In Pittsburgh, those in the average newlywed age bracket represent 21% of the population in the city, and the Steel City offers plenty to do. With 291 restaurants per 100,000 people, Pittsburgh offers more options than most other cities on the list, and diverse ones at that. Additionally, Pittsburgh offers a variety of professional sports teams, cultural events and family-friendly activities.

The median household income is $44,092, while the median home cost is $149,500. Pittsburgh is consistently being applauded for being one of the most affordable cities in the country, and this study found the same, awarding Pittsburgh a 90 on the affordability score. In 2019, LendingTree named Pittsburgh one of the best cities for first-time homebuyers, thanks in part to the low cost of living, especially compared to other cities of its size.

Other cities that topped the list included St. Louis, Orlando, Atlanta and Columbia. All of the “worst” cities for newlyweds are found in California, the site said.