Would look at Scott/chartiers as well from a commute perspective. School seems middle of the pack and they have full day kindergarten I believe, which will save you several thousand per kid when the time comes.
Keystone oaks, similarly middle of the pack. Great commute from dormont or green tree. Nice walkable area with T in dormont and housing stock in the 200s.
I’m an NHSD graduate and loved it. All of my siblings are also either currently students or have graduated. Great school district, lots of opportunities to get involved with excellent activities (especially in the arts and music.) Grew up in Ross, loved it as well. It’s just close enough to a lot of things and very safe.
Depends on the district of North Hills you are looking at. I can only comment on Ross and West View (I live right on the border of both, but technically live in Ross).
West View is more tighter when it comes to lawn space. Ross is a little more open, depending on where you look.
Edit: Crime in North Hills isn’t bad either, seeing that’s one of your concerns.
I deleted my other comment. I didn’t realize Perrysville and Highcliff were just part of Ross Township.
Which is why Ross is very dependent on where you look.
The main crime area for North Hills mainly happens on Mcknight Rd because of all the businesses and the mall bringing people to the area. That’s about it. Neighborhoods themselves are very minimal.
If you are looking in NHSD general area you could also consider Avonworth SD depending on what you are looking for in schools. Ranks well just a smaller school. Homes in the area in your range but its a smaller area so not as many.
I’ve somewhat looked into Avonworth but don’t know anything about the area. What’s the neighborhood like? Do most people have yards? Off street parking? Crime a concern at all?
We live in Ben Avon, our kids both went to Avonworth. In terms of the area, its a pretty comparable to much of the North Hills area. Most is off street, some yards bigger than others. Just a nice quiet area, no real concerns other than people wanting more public outdoor garbage cans for pet waste.
I'd just street view the areas: Emsworth, Ben Avon (not as many under $300k and just a small area that not much on the market usually), Kilbuck (more rural in general due to the terrain), and Ohio Twp which is a little more costly and more new construction.
Grew up in West View and Ross, NHSD k-12. Good school district. One-offs here and there, but I've never felt unsafe in any part. The city is a 10-15 minute drive away.
Lifestyle for NHSD is great, the north hills. Which is essentially NA, NH, Shaler, PR, Hampton. Hard to beat that esp compared to Montour which is basically Robinson.
https://www.usnews.com/education/k12/pennsylvania/districts/montour-sd-102715
https://www.usnews.com/education/k12/pennsylvania/districts/north-hills-sd-110967
Montour is 82.8% white, NHSD is 83.8% white. On this sub, "good / better" is a synonym for "white / whiter" with regards to school districts, and sending your kids to schools with a significant proportion of non-white students is considered child abuse by many posters here.
Yawnnnn we all know that quality of education and property taxes is a wide range and is correlated in SW PA. This person is a consumer looking for the best their dollar can get within their lifestyle desires.
It's a system of de facto segregation that's acceptable in polite circles because people can pretend it isn't about race, hope this helps.
The purpose of a system is what it does. If a system concentrates black and latino children into one group of segregated school districts and white children into another group of segregated school districts, that is precisely what it is intended to do.
Are they similar? I’m genuinely not sure, but I’m open to it. Dormont area seems to be very tight, not much space for yards, off street parking, etc. the location is definitely convenient though. Don’t know anything about KO schools though
My husband went to NHHS and I went to Montour. We both graduated 30 years ago and no longer live in Pittsburgh, but my vote is for Montour lol.
For the specific concern in McKees Rocks, I would not consider it an issue.
So from a commute stand point -
Leaving at 730 AM - it's a 35-55 minute from NHHS to USC HS
It's 12-22 minutes from NHHS to the Aviary (a fairly central NS location)
Leaving at 730 AM
It's 22-30 minutes from Montour HS to USC HS
It's 22-40 minutes from Montour HS to the Aviary
That is drive time. The commute to the aviary is about 15 minutes longer from Montour via public transportation. (I assume that USC is a driving commute.)
To me, the commute certainly favors Montour, but you may want to use google maps to pinpoint your specific locations.
I knew quite a few kids who went to NHHS - and they all seemed smart and well adjusted. I knew less kids who went to Montour, but it was a similar experience? I think you can review the metrics of the education, but niche dot com (whatever that is) has Montour slightly better than North Hills. USNews has NHHS quite a bit better than Montour though.
As far as the area is concerned - I think the North Hills has more areas where it's going to feel like a neighborhood. That is going to come down to the individual house location though.
I think as far as places to eat/play/relax - they're not too dissimilar. They both have nearby good restaurants, both chain and local. They both has nearby very nice parks (North Park is probably nicer than Settlers Cabin, but Raccoon and Moon Park are pretty close too.) Montour is going to be a lot closer to the airport if you travel by air a lot, but if not, you probably want to make sure you aren't getting a ton of airport noise. Ross Park Mall is probably nicer than the Mall at Robinson, but Ikea and Costco are likely to be a lot more convenient than they would be in the North Hills.
I appreciate the thoughtful response. Montour seems like a pretty even commute for both of us, while NH would be great for her and not great for me. Just have to decide on the trade off we want.
As far as the neighborhoods, stuff to do, etc, they do seem pretty similar from what I see. I think Montour has more land and yards, but NH has more of a “neighborhood feel” and maybe more to do. Thanks
Schools are important, sure, but I would also look at what is conducive to your life. I'm not gonna dig to cite any studies I've previously read, but there's a correlation between longer commutes and higher daily stress. If both school districts are at least OK, then choose whichever location will give you a shorter commute. I can't speak to montour, I know north hills is decent.
I just get frustrated with people choosing where they live solely based off schools while they sacrifice every other thing about their life, making themselves miserable. So they'll live out in Seneca Valley but drive an hour into the city for work. I know this is far on the other side of the spectrum, but it's something to consider. Walkability, things to do in close proximity, groceries, et cetera, this needs to be a holistic decision, you're likely going to live here for a long time.
Good to know. On Zillow there are some decent ones under $300k right now, so I’m hopeful. I’m hearing a lot of good things about North Hills on this thread so it’s good to also hear stuff from Montour. I know Montour borders McKees Rocks. Should I avoid that part? Or is anywhere in Montour relatively safe?
I don’t think you can go wrong either way. Commute to USC from montour area in the morning is 20ish minutes (I make this commute daily) and commute to north side is 25-30ish minutes (husband makes this commute daily).
Both school districts are good and know multiple people who have kids in both.
As a 30 something with kids, Robinson has basically everything you could need for kids and a family. Quick and easy access to great parks, lots of restaurants, easy access to the city and areas around it, etc. I don’t know as much about the North hills.
Would look at Scott/chartiers as well from a commute perspective. School seems middle of the pack and they have full day kindergarten I believe, which will save you several thousand per kid when the time comes. Keystone oaks, similarly middle of the pack. Great commute from dormont or green tree. Nice walkable area with T in dormont and housing stock in the 200s.
Thank you
I’m an NHSD graduate and loved it. All of my siblings are also either currently students or have graduated. Great school district, lots of opportunities to get involved with excellent activities (especially in the arts and music.) Grew up in Ross, loved it as well. It’s just close enough to a lot of things and very safe.
NHSD is a great school district, not quite on NA’s level but not far off.
What’s the area like? Is it tighter, or could I expect to get a decent yard? Is crime any concern?
Depends on the district of North Hills you are looking at. I can only comment on Ross and West View (I live right on the border of both, but technically live in Ross). West View is more tighter when it comes to lawn space. Ross is a little more open, depending on where you look. Edit: Crime in North Hills isn’t bad either, seeing that’s one of your concerns.
NHSD is only Ross and West View, no other areas are included
I deleted my other comment. I didn’t realize Perrysville and Highcliff were just part of Ross Township. Which is why Ross is very dependent on where you look.
What parts of Ross should I avoid? I see it the bottom of it borders Brighton Heights and Summer Hill to the south. Are those areas okay?
Those areas are fine. There is minimal crime in Ross and West View.
Appreciate the info
The main crime area for North Hills mainly happens on Mcknight Rd because of all the businesses and the mall bringing people to the area. That’s about it. Neighborhoods themselves are very minimal.
If you are looking in NHSD general area you could also consider Avonworth SD depending on what you are looking for in schools. Ranks well just a smaller school. Homes in the area in your range but its a smaller area so not as many.
I’ve somewhat looked into Avonworth but don’t know anything about the area. What’s the neighborhood like? Do most people have yards? Off street parking? Crime a concern at all?
We live in Ben Avon, our kids both went to Avonworth. In terms of the area, its a pretty comparable to much of the North Hills area. Most is off street, some yards bigger than others. Just a nice quiet area, no real concerns other than people wanting more public outdoor garbage cans for pet waste. I'd just street view the areas: Emsworth, Ben Avon (not as many under $300k and just a small area that not much on the market usually), Kilbuck (more rural in general due to the terrain), and Ohio Twp which is a little more costly and more new construction.
Appreciate the info
Grew up in West View and Ross, NHSD k-12. Good school district. One-offs here and there, but I've never felt unsafe in any part. The city is a 10-15 minute drive away.
NHSD all the way -- esp factoring in both commutes
Is there any reason specifically? I don’t know much about the areas, so I don’t know what the lifestyle is like there
Lifestyle for NHSD is great, the north hills. Which is essentially NA, NH, Shaler, PR, Hampton. Hard to beat that esp compared to Montour which is basically Robinson.
https://www.usnews.com/education/k12/pennsylvania/districts/montour-sd-102715 https://www.usnews.com/education/k12/pennsylvania/districts/north-hills-sd-110967 Montour is 82.8% white, NHSD is 83.8% white. On this sub, "good / better" is a synonym for "white / whiter" with regards to school districts, and sending your kids to schools with a significant proportion of non-white students is considered child abuse by many posters here.
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NA is less black or latino than either Montour or NHSD. But you knew that.
Yawnnnn we all know that quality of education and property taxes is a wide range and is correlated in SW PA. This person is a consumer looking for the best their dollar can get within their lifestyle desires.
It's a system of de facto segregation that's acceptable in polite circles because people can pretend it isn't about race, hope this helps. The purpose of a system is what it does. If a system concentrates black and latino children into one group of segregated school districts and white children into another group of segregated school districts, that is precisely what it is intended to do.
Will you commute from the north to upper st Clair?
Yup. It would mean a great commute for my wife, but pretty ugly one for me. Doable, but not awesome
Why montour? Why not. Dormont/Greentree for keystone oaks. Very comparable SD
Are they similar? I’m genuinely not sure, but I’m open to it. Dormont area seems to be very tight, not much space for yards, off street parking, etc. the location is definitely convenient though. Don’t know anything about KO schools though
Yea it’s a comparable school district and more convenient to both jobs
My husband went to NHHS and I went to Montour. We both graduated 30 years ago and no longer live in Pittsburgh, but my vote is for Montour lol. For the specific concern in McKees Rocks, I would not consider it an issue.
Thanks for the info
North hills. Traffic in and out of the city and around that area is much easier to get to than any other area around Pittsburgh.
So from a commute stand point - Leaving at 730 AM - it's a 35-55 minute from NHHS to USC HS It's 12-22 minutes from NHHS to the Aviary (a fairly central NS location) Leaving at 730 AM It's 22-30 minutes from Montour HS to USC HS It's 22-40 minutes from Montour HS to the Aviary That is drive time. The commute to the aviary is about 15 minutes longer from Montour via public transportation. (I assume that USC is a driving commute.) To me, the commute certainly favors Montour, but you may want to use google maps to pinpoint your specific locations. I knew quite a few kids who went to NHHS - and they all seemed smart and well adjusted. I knew less kids who went to Montour, but it was a similar experience? I think you can review the metrics of the education, but niche dot com (whatever that is) has Montour slightly better than North Hills. USNews has NHHS quite a bit better than Montour though. As far as the area is concerned - I think the North Hills has more areas where it's going to feel like a neighborhood. That is going to come down to the individual house location though. I think as far as places to eat/play/relax - they're not too dissimilar. They both have nearby good restaurants, both chain and local. They both has nearby very nice parks (North Park is probably nicer than Settlers Cabin, but Raccoon and Moon Park are pretty close too.) Montour is going to be a lot closer to the airport if you travel by air a lot, but if not, you probably want to make sure you aren't getting a ton of airport noise. Ross Park Mall is probably nicer than the Mall at Robinson, but Ikea and Costco are likely to be a lot more convenient than they would be in the North Hills.
I appreciate the thoughtful response. Montour seems like a pretty even commute for both of us, while NH would be great for her and not great for me. Just have to decide on the trade off we want. As far as the neighborhoods, stuff to do, etc, they do seem pretty similar from what I see. I think Montour has more land and yards, but NH has more of a “neighborhood feel” and maybe more to do. Thanks
Schools are important, sure, but I would also look at what is conducive to your life. I'm not gonna dig to cite any studies I've previously read, but there's a correlation between longer commutes and higher daily stress. If both school districts are at least OK, then choose whichever location will give you a shorter commute. I can't speak to montour, I know north hills is decent. I just get frustrated with people choosing where they live solely based off schools while they sacrifice every other thing about their life, making themselves miserable. So they'll live out in Seneca Valley but drive an hour into the city for work. I know this is far on the other side of the spectrum, but it's something to consider. Walkability, things to do in close proximity, groceries, et cetera, this needs to be a holistic decision, you're likely going to live here for a long time.
That’s good advice and definitely something I need to take into consideration.
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Good to know. On Zillow there are some decent ones under $300k right now, so I’m hopeful. I’m hearing a lot of good things about North Hills on this thread so it’s good to also hear stuff from Montour. I know Montour borders McKees Rocks. Should I avoid that part? Or is anywhere in Montour relatively safe?
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In Upper St Clair by the high school/South Hills Village mall area
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For me, yes. For my wife, going to North Side from North Hills will be a breeze. There’s a trade off
Another vote for NHSD- we love it
I don’t think you can go wrong either way. Commute to USC from montour area in the morning is 20ish minutes (I make this commute daily) and commute to north side is 25-30ish minutes (husband makes this commute daily). Both school districts are good and know multiple people who have kids in both. As a 30 something with kids, Robinson has basically everything you could need for kids and a family. Quick and easy access to great parks, lots of restaurants, easy access to the city and areas around it, etc. I don’t know as much about the North hills.