Having separated from Pittsburgh just a few years after the Civil War, Wilkinsburg is a Pennsylvanian borough known for being the location of the first commercially licensed radio station in the world.Once referred to as "The Holy City" due to rules that still exist today, such as no bars within the borough, Wilkinsburg has experienced a continuous population decline since the 1950s. Fortunately, for those who don't like living in close quarters, this means that the population density dropped by more than 1,400 people per square mile between 2000 and 2010.
Moving to Wilkinsburg
Located only minutes away from Pittsburgh, Wilkinsburg provides a way to live close to the city without actually living in it. Though the population has continuously decreased, don't get too excited about having the place to yourself. There's still close to 7,000 people per square mile here. Yeah, that's more than Pittsburgh, so get ready to really enjoy your neighbors.
Did you wait until the last minute to start looking for a place? Well, Wilkinsburg is just right for you. Even with the high population density, there are still plenty of places to go around. Not to speak ill of the area, but you still might want to start looking a few months in advance if you're hoping to find great apartments or rental homes in Wilkinsburg.
It's usually best to avoid the winter months when looking for homes since the average low temperatures can drop down to 20 degrees, but you should also note that there's an insane amount of festivals happening in Pittsburgh during June. This means that when you're looking for housing for rent, you may want to stick to warm months outside of June.
It's really easy to find rental apartments here, but if you want the best of the best, which you obviously do in this packed city, you need to come prepared. A credit check, referrals from previous landlords and even a background check can really come in handy in this endeavor.
Wilkinsburg Neighborhoods
Wilkinsburg is a relatively small borough, but that's no indication of what's in the area. In fact, just about every neighborhood has more places to go than one could hope to visit in a year. Don't get lazy, though, you can always try!
Borough Center: Oh yeah, this place is packed. From great places to eat and shop to community gardens and urban farm nurseries, you'll find it here.
Swissville Avenue: This area is basically as packed as the Borough Center. Find awesome food while checking out the nearby art studios and even small music schools.
Brushcliff Road: Both a baseball field and Hunter Park are located here. That's right, if you like getting outdoors, this might be your only chance in Wilkinsburg.
Graham Boulevard: This area is adjacent to Interstate 376, so that's always a good thing. Add this to the numerous little shopping centers, and you've got yourself a decent home.
Living in Wilkinsburg
Wilkinsburg is really small, but it's not always about the size of the dog in the fight. Okay, well it might be this time. There's not much going on in this borough, but there are still benefits of living here.
Yeah, so there's a no bars allowed policy in the borough. You can still drive five minutes and catch a flick at the Regent Square Theater, though.
The Hosanna House serves as a multipurpose community center. After ensuring that you've found yourself one of the great furnished apartments here, go check this place out.
Though there's not much going on in Wilkinsburg, Pittsburgh is literally only minutes away. Come on, you can manage the drive. Stop being lazy!
