2 Pittsburgh Towns Among Best Places In PA To Move To, Study Says

PITTSBURGH, PA — Two Pittsburgh suburbs recently were named one of the best places to move to in Pennsylvania by Consumer Affairs.

According to the website, Pennsylvania is an appealing destination for those seeking an affordable cost of living, strong local economies and recreational activities.

Consumer Affairs ranked the state's 25 largest cities based on five key factors: affordability, safety, economic strength, health care and education and quality of life.

Based on that criteria, Consumer Affairs ranked Bethel Park as the top place in the state in which to move. Plum was rated fifth.

Here's what Consumer Affairs had to say about Bethel Park:

"Bethel Park’s affordability and low crime relative to its urban access contribute to its ranking as the best place to move to in Pennsylvania. It's a family-friendly suburban environment 10 miles from Pittsburgh, with numerous parks and recreational options, including South Park, one of the largest parks in Allegheny County, at about 2,000 acres. Access to the city is also easy, as the Pittsburgh Regional Transit light rail line (the “T”) provides service into downtown Pittsburgh."

Consumer Affairs also noted that Bethel Park has:

• Best overall safety: Bethel Park has the second-lowest violent crime rate (0.9 crimes per 1,000 people) and property crime rate (8.6 per 1,000 people) in Pennsylvania.
• Great affordability: It has the lowest home-to-income ratio among large Pennsylvania cities, with median home prices just twice the local median income.
• Well-educated population: 97.2 percent of residents have earned at least a high school degree, the fifth-highest rate in the state.
• Accessible health care: Bethel Park ranks fifth in the state for health care access, with 30.5 health care professionals per 1,000 residents.

Here's what Consumer Affairs had to say about Plum:

"Plum earned the fifth spot on our list by offering some of the best health care access, highly educated residents, affordable housing and safe neighborhoods. It’s home to one of the most famous golf courses in the nation at Oakmont Country Club, which has hosted the U.S. Open nine times — with a 10th coming in June 2025. Additionally, Plum offers hundreds of acres for hiking, biking, riding, hunting and skiing."

Consumer Affairs also noted that Plum has:

• Second-best health care access: With 37.2 health care professionals per 1,000 residents, Plum offers the second-best health care access in Pennsylvania.
• Second-highest education rate: 97.5 percent of residents have graduated high school, the second-highest rate in the state.
• Low poverty and crime: Plum has the lowest property crime rate (6.4 per 1,000 people) and the lowest share of residents living in poverty (3.1 percent) in Pennsylvania.
• Affordable housing: The median home sale price ($208,758) is only 2.1 times higher than the median household income ($98,475), the second-lowest ratio in the state.

The only other Western Pennsylvania places rated in the top 25 were Monroeville (6th) and Pittsburgh (19th).

See the full Consumer Affairs rankings here.