Denver-Aurora-Centennial → Pittsburgh

Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources

Should you move?

Moving from Denver-Aurora-Centennial to Pittsburgh is strongly favorable: BEA regional price parity goes from 105.8 to 94.7 (US = 100), and HUD 2-bedroom rent falls by $790/mo.

-$12,968
BLS median salary lower in Pittsburgh
481 to 250
violent crimes per 100K (FBI UCR, state-level)
15.7:1 to 13:1
NCES student-teacher ratio

BEA Regional Price Parity, HUD Fair Market Rent, BLS OEWS, FBI UCR, NCES, and DOL. The table below lets you override the composite with your own priorities.

Verdict
Strongly Favorable
Cost Index: 105.8 → 94.7
Rent Delta: -$790/mo

Pros of Moving

  • + 11% lower cost of living
  • + $790/mo cheaper rent (2BR)
  • + Lower violent crime rate
  • + Better student-teacher ratios

Cons of Moving

  • - $13K lower median salary

Purchasing power opens up: BEA RPP falls from 105.8 to 94.7, so each dollar covers more in Pittsburgh (ratio 0.89). HUD 2BR Fair Market Rent drops $790/mo ($9,480/yr) from $2,089 in Denver-Aurora-Centennial to $1,299 in Pittsburgh.

Pittsburgh leads on 5 of 7 federal dimensions, a destination-heavy ledger. Pittsburgh sits #209 of 387 metros on PlainRelocate livability (middle third). Denver-Aurora-Centennial is #377/387 on the same ranking. Composite verdict: Strongly Favorable. Override it with the dimension table below.

BLS OEWS median salary moves $12,968 lower ($78,519 → $65,551). Labor-market size: 1,580,940 tracked jobs at origin vs 1,098,020 at destination.

State retirement friendliness favors the destination: Pennsylvania scores 65 (C, #18/51) vs Colorado at 46 (F, #44/51). Full state tax and healthcare sub-scores sit in the retirement desk below.

Dimension
Denver-Aurora-Centennial
Pittsburgh
Winner
Cost of Living
RPP 105.8
RPP 94.7
Pittsburgh
Rent (2BR)
$2,089/mo
$1,299/mo
Pittsburgh
Wages
$78,519
$65,551
Denver-Aurora-Centennial
Crime
481 per 100K
250 per 100K
Pittsburgh
Schools
15.7:1
13:1
Pittsburgh
Childcare
$12,821/yr
N/A
Tie
Environment
5561 violations
5292 violations
Pittsburgh

State retirement friendliness

Primary-state scores from PlainRelocate's retirement registry (tax + healthcare + climate composite). Metro pairs use each metro's primary state abbreviation.

Origin state · Colorado
46 F #44/51
Income tax
80
Property tax
90
Estate tax
100
Healthcare
26
Destination state · Pennsylvania
65 C #18/51
Income tax
95
Property tax
58
Estate tax
100
Healthcare
72

Full retirement ranking · Source composite documented on methodology (Tax Foundation + AARP tax guides + federal healthcare/climate inputs).

Salary Adjustment Calculator

Enter your current salary in Denver-Aurora-Centennial to see what you'd need to earn in Pittsburgh to maintain the same purchasing power.

Equivalent salary in Pittsburgh
-

Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, HUD Fair Market Rents, BLS OES, FBI UCR, NCES, DOL, EPA; retirement desk: Tax Foundation + AARP tax guides June 2026