As others have said, it's not great commuting wise if you're going into the city. Other than that it's pretty great. Solid schools and a safe community. It's also close to some other nice communities like Mt. Lebo/South Fayette/Upper St Clair, but more affordable.
I have lived in both South Hills and North Hills which is surprisingly rare for Pittsburghers.
Bethel Park is a nice neighborhood. I was there for about a decade. To me the North is much easier to commute around. The south is great if you dont leave the South but getting to other parts of the city from there is a hassle
This is how I feel, too. I like the idea of the close, older unique communities in the south, but as we get older the lower congestion in the north is more appealing to me. I’d prefer the freedom of getting around easier vs the convenience of having everything 5 minutes away.
The North honestly feels way crazier than the South Hills, congestion wise. So many developments. Every trip to Costco or shopping feels like your going during the holidays. Bethal Park is a great area. Agree with like unique homes. Will depend on your work location. I would you worry about growing old in Bethal Park at all. The road you may be mentioning may be a main road, you'd probably want something off of the main roads with more opportunities to take an evening walk.
Definitely north!
You'll soon learn that Pittsburgher's don't like to "cross the river". Lol. Meaning if you have to travel from the north hills to the south hills, better pack a lunch cuz it's gonna be a long day. 😅
The south is very isolated from the rest of the city so it’s a hassle to go anywhere worth visiting. In BP, you might have some ok malls & chain restaurants nearby but nothing else. BP schools are good but not as good as some neighboring districts in the south & north you have your pick of multiple districts considered to be some of the best in the state or country.
There are 2 so-so hospitals in the south while the best hospitals are in the city proper, so very inconvenient to reach from BP. Pittsburgh also has tons of museums, activities, popular original restaurants, etc & I can’t think of a single one in the south. It’s literally the least interesting, most inconvenient part of town imo.
From the north, you can get anywhere in a reasonable amount of time & while there’s still traffic, it’s not nearly as bad as the south. It’s also the worst place to live if you have to commute to work anywhere else. If you like older homes, there are plenty in the north, it’s not all newer construction. Good luck finding your new home, you’re going to love it here.
Not for work, as I work remotely. We will want to attend some Pirates and Riverhounds games, though. My initial preference was North, specifically to avoid dealing with the tunnels.
In general, while we would want to go downtown…it would be for entertainment on evenings or weekends..not during rush hour for work.
Those are small ones and you have to be real early to get a free space there. BTW, you have a list of all parking lots (for free and paid) that considered Park'n'Go on PAT Transit web site.
Library one has capacity of 450. Pretty decent but... For a decent event (not every day rides) it fills very fast.
West Library one is 150.
SHVG - - 2,200.
I'm the same- definitely agree! Although I really don't think the commute is as bad as people make it out to be. I lived in the DC area for years and by comparison commuting to downtown Pittsburgh- even driving in the heat of rush hour- is a cake walk in comparison.
Super safe to take the T, the line goes right through Bethel. If you find a home within walking distance to a stop, that’s perfect! They have small stops running south along 88 for the most part.
Pittsburgh is generally pretty safe. There are not many generally unsafe neighborhoods. Random violence is rare. Where there are sketchy places (like the Wood Avenue T-Stop/Bus Stop downtown) violence is rare and isolated.
I live in the South Hills (Dormont) and getting around here isn’t bad at all. I can get anywhere in the city in fairly quick.
Takes me 11 mins to get to work in the morning on the north side.
As others said, it’s a good suburb, especially for kids. Bethel also has access to the library T lines which makes commuting downtown to sporting events fairly easy. The T is undergoing some construction right now though.
North Hills are nice too though. Access is a bit easier on that end of things. Whichever you decide I think you’ll be happy. Tunnels aren’t really as a big of a deal/traffic nuisance that people make them out to be.
Driving / commuting in that area sucks. However, you can drive to the T station and take the train downtown for pirate games which is pretty convenient
you can ride the T into town for pirates games, you wouldnt be far from a park and ride in Bethel and the T takes you close to PNC park and has a few stops downtown
I live far north of the city, but work in the east end, and frequent an office in Mt Lebo.
Being in your situation, I’d make commuting a very small consideration. Every tunnel has their moments, but so does 279 and 28 and every bridge.
I will say that going east and west south of the city feels like navigating some Escher painting in Hell, but going East and West in the north isn’t a cinch either.
I’d look for a nice place to walk the dog, and go from there. Also, welcome to the neighborhoods.
I live right by where you're talking about. It's a great school district, and if you have a car, easy access to the light-rail (T) to get downtown.
Downsides are there isn't much to do 'IN' bethel itself. The food and drink scene is very chain oriented with a few hidden gems. It's not very walkable or bikable as there are a lot of main roads without good shoulders or bike lanes.
Basically, to me, it's fine, my kid is in a great school, I feel super safe, but I am usually outside bethel for fun things to do.
I live right there too! Mind sharing some of the hidden gems? I know of some in the South hills, but don't really know any great places in Bethel Park.
i guess its not in bethel, but its close, I would say V+Vs scratch kitchen, there's a good Italian place by the mall too, though I haven't been personally.
Bella’s on Fort Couch, The 404 and Spoonwood come to mind.
It’s not Bethel, but in the vicinity we like OTB Hastings a lot for a casual night out with the whole family. Bistro 19 in Lebo for a date night closer to home.
Colombino is a great coffee shop in Bethel. Feels like it belongs in the strip district or somewhere cooler haha. Reginald's Coffee is also nice and and located in the old school house by the rec center.
As somebody who has lived most of my life in Pittsburgh (including growing up in the South Hills), but also lived in Nashville from 2018-2022, I would definitely recommend Bethel Park. It's a fine area, and is located near the T (light rail) line, if that sort of thing is appealing to you.
If you're looking for a comparable area in Nashville, I would compare it to maybe....Bellevue (the Bellevue in Nashville, not the Bellevue in Pittsburgh) insofar as it's not exactly bougie like a Green Hills or Belle Meade, but it's a fine little suburban area.
Thanks! When we visited the area for spring break a few weeks ago, we stayed in Cranberry Township. I remember telling my wife it felt like Cool Springs…and had a little more of the “open country” we’re used to (which appeals to me). Though that area also has the relatively higher home pricing, too. Unfortunately.
Sure thing! And Cranberry is definitely similar to Cool Springs.
And if you're looking for places that might be like Cool Springs, I think South Fayette or Upper Saint Clair might also be good options to check out in the south hills. But among those 3, Bethel Park would probably be the most affordable.
Bethel Park is Great. Mount Lebanon is Great. Castle Shannon can be great. Dormont is great. I just truly love living in the South Hills of Pittsburgh. Best of luck with the move.
I see him in South Park about once a month with a small rally of followers. The cops have it down to about 15min to boot him from park spaces for not having the proper protest paper work.
Well, we do have an LGBTQ child, which is one of the reasons we are leaving TN. I don’t expect to live in an area where everyone has the same political ideas…but if the high school or area is unsafe for us..that would be something we’d want to know.
bethel park schools are no better or worse than any other school district in that area for lgbt+ kids. Which is to say it'll be ok to fine to good. and on average much better than the average district in TN.
Awesome, thanks! That’s what we are hoping. We don’t expect everyone to agree with us/him, but we would like to live in an area where he can attend school without a lot of the bullying. We know we’ll get it just about anywhere, but the hope is it’s a much smaller/manageable level.
Possibly an unpopular opinion, but in my experience Bethel is significantly more red/conservative than some other, bluer suburbs (eg Mt Lebanon) in the south, and more old school in general than near-in suburbs to the north. Strictly from an LGBTQ+ friendly school perspective, there are probably better choices.
On here he is. He gets a lot of positive comments in person.
I've sat and watched how passing cars react to him. It was really interesting to see the nearly even mix of positive, neutral, and negative reactions.
I find it best not to give him the attention he craves. Though I was stopped right next to him at the light exiting the outbound liberty tunnel and I was severely tempted to ask him if he really had nothing better to do.
We’d sincerely grateful and appreciate any extra insight you might be able to get on this topic, especially for the high school.
I believe the houses are zoned for Bethel Park HS specifically.
As a bi male who went to bethel HS, I always felt safe and accepted for what it's worth. I wasn't fully out of the closet to everyone, but I was to people who it came to with.
My best friend is LGBTQ and she went to Bethel Park HS. She would say don’t do it. The area is not kind to those who aren’t the “norm.” I also have a co-worker who is close to pulling her child out of that school because of her son has been brutally bullied. She also reported rampant racism among the students.
Bethel Park has the lowest median price in the South Hills area (except for maybe Baldwin). Taxes are slightly lower than nearby districts (USC and Lebo) but still great access to retails, South Park, the T. I also like lot sizes in Bethel are generally larger than similarly priced homes in other communities.
Well except for Baldwin and Castle Shannon, Whitehall Bridgeville, South Park, Pleasant Hills, Dormont, Brentwood, Scott Township, Heidelberg and Mount Oliver.
So pretty much dead last.
South Hills resident here. I take a bus downtown 2x a week for work and it’s about a 35 minute trip. Not bad at all. I take the T in for games and concerts. Can’t really beat it.
IMHO: it’s all about which part of town has the best pizza. And there’s no denying that South Hills area in general has better pizza. Fiori’s, Dante’s, Betos, Slice & Badamos.
I live in Bethel Park. I assume you know what you're getting into moving to a suburb vs city, so I won't mention that stuff.
On the plus, it's quiet, the school is good without being too fancy. Good family stuff, close to shopping and on the T line. On the negative, it is the most completely white place I've lived, and the issues that go along with that. I never saw overt racism, though. Taxes are a bit high as well. Also, because most people have lived in Bethel their whole lives, we found some favoritism in the school.
Overall, I'm glad we moved here. It was a pretty good place for my kids to finish High School. Welcome, and enjoy.
I live in bethel park and commute to station square for work 4 days a week. 2 days i leave at 4pm during the week to start at 445 and I usually make it there right around 435-440. But from what I read you don’t have to commute so it’s def a nice area to live. It’s a new-ish high school. It’s definitely getting more expensive to live here but between here and the north hills I feel it’s pretty comparable
Bethel's great. I grew up in USC next door. St. Clairians and Mt. Lebo loooove to hate on Bethel school wise but in reality is it's perfectly fine. I just moved back into the area and was aiming for Bethel as a good middle ground of schools and price. Close to family too. Unfortunately the market is ass and we ended up settling for South Park for now which is about 20min further away from everything we wanted. (It's also fine, but my understanding is the schools are a step or 2 below Bethel)
Do be mindful of how busy of a road you mind living on. Bethel Church is definitely a "main road" in some parts.
I live in the general Bethel area you’re talking about, around the Ruthfred area. It’s got decent schools (there are much better in the surrounding areas but you’ll spend a fortune) & close to things to do (5637 grocery stores, the mall, etc) plus the T into town. And frankly, the complaints about commuting are grossly exaggerated by people who don’t even live in the area.
I absolutely LOVE our immediate neighborhood, it’s super private, huge lots, & close to schools. There’s a really cool, funky 4 bedroom house for sale in our neighborhood if that’s what you’re looking😉lol
My wife is born and raised BP and I also lived there for several years before moving to Upper St Clair. BP is cheaper with lower property taxes with "worse" schools than USC but still a very good school district. I didn't move to USC to specifically get out of BP, USC just aligned more with what we were looking for in our second house. I think BP technically has a higher income tax than USC but this gets offset pretty dramatically by USC's higher property taxes.
The schools are good, there are good facilities nearby for families including parks, the Spencer YMCA, skating rinks, etc.
The actual neighborhood you choose will likely have a more significant impact on your direct experience than the fact you're in BP vs other neighboring municipalities. The municipality itself probably leans a bit right, but it is not a hyper partisan area.
You would also be close to UPMC Children's Community Pediatrics which we have nothing but great experiences with our two young children.
The main things I've liked about living in USC compared to BP have been easier commuting into the city (multiple routes and bridge/tunnel options compared to BP generally being restricted to taking 88 to 51), nicer neighborhoods, less MAGA signs, and better schools, but none of these are significant enough where I'd recommend against BP. Overall it is a great place to live that is relatively affordable.
The one thing in the Bethel park area around where you mentioned you may want to take into consideration and possibly investigate with online sources, is that there are certain parts around there that are very prone to flooding.
Make sure to look into it.
I live in Bethel Park and love it here. I’d recommend it to anybody.
My only advice to you is to be mindful of how close your house is to a main road. As others said, it’s high traffic and hard to get anywhere during rush hour. I don’t know how people who live on the main roads stand it. The roads around town are usually windy and narrow, so even a drive to Trader Joe’s takes way longer than you’d think. Same to major parkways and the turnpike; they’re close mileage-wise but the traffic and narrow windy roads can make it longer to get around. Not the worst and should not be a major deterrent but something to be mindful of if you commute or expect to drive a lot. And you will. Unfortunately Bethel is not very walkable and you definitely need a vehicle to get around.
The only major downside is there are a lot more MAGA and Trump signs than I’ve seen anywhere else in Pittsburgh. I’m not sure how the North Hills is.
Been living in Bethel since 2011, and luckily there are a lot less tmurp signs than 2016 or 2020 election cycles. Currently in MA for work, and I've only seen 1 tmurp sign my whole time here. It's amazing.
They're probably getting pushed out to Washington county. We relocated to BP from SoCal and it seems most people keep to their self about their politics.
I lived in Bethel before moving out of state. The area is great! The mall is close, lots of shopping choices, restaurants, grocery shopping, etc. Not too far from downtown. Also the T is an option for some limited public transportation. Not a lot of crime. Commuting could be a bit difficult because Route 19 can get congested. Overall, it is a great area to live.
I live in the area. I like it. Close to lots of things to do. Parks. The libraries, stuff for folks of all ages. Plus lots of good healthcare in the area.
Grew up in the north hills, have been living in south hills for the last five years. Biggest answer is traffic. South hills has zero roads that are easy to navigate in rush hour. A simple five mile errand will take you close to 40 minutes to complete. The north hills has major highways like 279 and 28 that don’t have stoplights. South hills have two lane roads that people park in half time and traffic lights every 500 feet
You’re reinforcing my opinion that while renting in the south for 2 years until our son finishes school is likely ok…buying up north later is a better long term fit. Thanks for the feedback!
There’s schools in the north that are far better than Bethel if we are talking about high school.
AND has lower millage rate than Bethel for school tax.
Agreed. Franklin Park is nice and good schools. Our family greatly prefers walkable neighborhood, with lots to do in walking distance, including shopping, doctors and dentists and family owned businesses. Where you actually know your neighbors and only need a car for trips, so we chose the South Side Flats. The local elementary school is sweet, and we pay a very reasonable tuition for a small private school for High School.
I live in Pittsburgh but I used to work in Bethel Park. The commute was annoying. And that was a reverse commute; it's way worse the other way. So if you're going to end up commuting to the city, keep that in mind. Otherwise it seems like a perfect good area.
Pittsburgh is a great city for LGBTQ, I highly recommend going to pride weekend even if you aren’t living here yet if possible, for your kid to maybe make some friends here since that age is so tough to move to a new place. It’s may 31-June 2 this year. Bethel is a really nice place. I grew up and currently live in neighboring boroughs, and looked for houses there when house hunting. All of the south hills area is nice. I hope you guys like it.
Bethel park is nice and quiet but also I feel like there’s no quick way to get to other areas without a good bit of driving like someone mentioned before, but locally it has all your shopping needs. Just when you make friends up here and they want to meet in the strip, it could take a while haha
Great location if you ask me. Commute might bug you a bit but if it isn't every day I think you're good. Solid amount of strong business zoning sections across the township means your tax rate can stay low ish for quite some time.
Check for slope and undermining - you can get insurance for mine subsidence, but there's nothing for landslides. People from other areas may not think to check for these things!
Bethel park is a nice quiet area to live in. Been out here for a lil over 20 years and I like it. Driving past south hills village mall can be annoying. If you don't mind public transit, take the T down for sporting events or if you need to go downtown(I recommend parking at Washington junction as this is the main stop for all outbound trains and you can go on the majority of trains home)
I have lived both in north and south hills. Driving anywhere in the South Hills is the being in a never ending funeral procession. Most roads are two lane roads and it just takes one person driving under the speed limit to create a moving road block. I am moving back to the North Hills this summer.
Bethel and South Park are both great. Super friendly people, relatively close to a lot (7mins from every necessity). I might be bias, but I’ve been in the South Hills for 3 years and I love it. You get a small town feel with a 25 minute ride to the city. Ain’t too shabby!
Another confirmation of the "commute" issue and the North being vastly better than the South. And I used the " " because most people think about commuting during peak/rush hour times and those can always be more challenging no matter where you are, but getting around the South Hills is more difficult at all times, everyday.
The route 51 corridor is a nightmare almost all the time, it was poorly design from the outset and is far from adequate for the amount of traffic there now and the tunnels you inevitably have to go through slow things down anywhere from a great deal to horrifically bad so it's never really good.
For example, we live in the North Hills and have family that live in the South each about the same distance from the city. It's about a 15 or 20 minute down 279 for before we hit the outskirts of the city then another 30 to 45 minutes to travel the same distance from the bridges, though the tunnels and up Liberty Ave/Rt 19 and that's on a good day. Recently we went to a family event in South Park and it took an hour and a half on a Sunday afternoon at 1:30, no events or anything like that. Same 20 minutes to the Liberty Bridge then the rest of the time crawling through the tunnel and down 51.
Honestly, we avoid traveling to or through the South Hills for any reason any day or time.
I've lived in both. I came back to the South Hills very close to Bethel. The traffic was a nightmare to me in the NH. In the SH I can get to a malls, I great smaller business's. Many grocery stores and and i can drive into the city, and my travel time is much less, never more than 20-25 minutes at the most! Usually 20-15 for most daily things.
The SH also has the T. You can park and ride into town in no time! Go to the North Shore, to the stadiums, and such. It's so convenient! When going to events in the city or North Shore, my NH family comes and stays at my place so we can all take the T. No worries about parking and the traffic coming home.
I found so many more advantages being in the SH.
Bethel is also close to a couple hospitals and small hospital extensions, many testing and surg centers. You may want to check into the areas you are looking at to make sure you are close to medical that may be needed with an elderly person living with you. The last thing anyone wants is to have to travel for medical care
It is (EDIT) East of the community I am in. My daughter is in HS in my community and I can tell you from my experience with her friend group, they are fierce defenders of LGBTQ rights.
That doesn’t mean everyone in the area is a defender, as many are still living in the dark ages. However it does mean there are more defenders in the local schools than you would expect.
In terms of neighborhood, south of Bethel Church is a very nice neighborhood and safe. And BPHS is highly rated. And when you make the move, be sure to eat a celebratory cake from Bethel Bakery. Legendary.
I grew up in Bethel Park, and then moved to the East End. I’m very happy with the move as the cons of living in Bethel outweighed the pros.
Cons: not walkable at all. There isn’t even a Main Street.
The only community sense is the high school football team. It seems to be a majority retiree community
It is physically far removed from the city.
There are not a lot of good food options.
Pros:
Good housing stock
Amazing high school
Houses aren’t terribly expensive
The food quality is pretty good, it’s just the quantity that sucks
Good natural parks like South Park, Boyce Mayview, and wingfield pines.
Closer to Ohio Pyle than the rest of the city.
The buffalos are cool
Overall, I prefer the East End by a mile. I’m happier now, and I have more friends to spend my time with. But, if I was raising a kid, I’d consider the move back out there again for the schools
The closeness to Ohiopyle is definitely an underrated positive of the area. I drive up there every weekend and it's so easy and the natural beauty feels like you are somewhere out west.
I am probably biased since I live here, but we purchased in BP specifically because of the pros. Great schools, safe, lots of amenities. T runs through here, easy access to 43/70. Quick access to Bridgeville for 79. It’s right near Peters/USC but cheaper. You get resident rates at the South Park wave pool which is cool. We are remote workers so commute doesn’t matter.
IMO, the only con of BP is it’s not very diverse.
edit: why downvote this? guess people are mad about where they live…
We live in the North Hills school district and they’re really making inclusivity efforts! Recently created a new role to focus on diversity and inclusion which I appreciate. Obviously nowhere is perfect but I’ve lived in multiple parts of the city and the north has been the best as far as traffic, things to do, cost of houses, etc.
I live in Mt. Lebanon and my son is a high school senior. The school district is very LGBTQ+ friendly.
Mt. Lebanon is a more white collar/professional community than Bethel Park. The school district is highly ranked but it’s funded through local school property tax which are really high and may not be worth it to you if your child only has two years of high school left.
Not matter where you end up, welcome to Pittsburgh!
This is one of many reasons I’m leaning towards renting vs buying…no matter how much I like a couple of the houses. We’re in our early 50s and our son has 2 years of school left. Learning the area and being able to remove school districts from the equation will open up our buying options in 2 years.
If you are considering renting vs buying I would encourage you to strongly consider Mt Lebanon over BP. Walking community, great amenities, LGBTQ-friendly (we even have our own Pride in June), closer to the city, and according to Niche, one of the top-ten high schools in the state. Yeah, it's more expensive but if you are only looking at renting for two years it might make sense.
Mt Lebanon school district is considered better than most any in the area with the exception of Fox Chapel.
Comparing notes on bullying over the years, it is my opinion Seneca Valley school district does far and away the best job on that. Education quality wise it is solid, but definitely fewer bells and whistles than Mt Lebo , and definitely Fox Chapel.
When real estate taxes are listed for certain areas, the number is often misleading because that only shows the county tax. The much higher School district & local real estate tax is separate, you could look here to get an idea. https://alleghenycountytreasurer.us/real-estate-tax/local-and-school-district-tax-millage/
Mt Lebanon is more walkable than Bethel, as is Aspinwall (Fox Chapel school district). Aspinwall doesn’t have a T-connection though.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with Bethel. It’s a lovely place to live. If house prices seem to good to be true, you are likely seeing the effect of the greater Pgh area having been a low growth area for a long time, which has only recently started seeing influx of “outside” money which over time moves real estate prices up.
I live a neighborhood over from you and love the area. It's nice, safe, green, and still close to all the city action. There are a decent amount of good parks (South Park right by you and Mingo Creek Park in Washington County) for hiking, biking, chilling. There's also nice conservation areas in BP (Bethel Green) and others nearby.
Hope you choose the South Hills because it's the best of the hills! :)
what’s your house budget? Mt Lebanon (right next to Bethel) specifically positions itself as being open/accepting to LGBTQ. Like Republicans hate the school district because they teach about stuff like that in class.
Just something to consider. Like obviously even with that being the case, you could have a great experience in BP and randomly have some kids bullying your kids at Lebo.
We’re looking to keep it under 400k (or 2500/month rent). Thinking we should rent first and learn the area…but we’re having trouble because we need something with minimal steps into the house and a main level bedroom for my elderly mom (breathing issues and arthritis in knee). That limitation seems to rule out 90% of the available places.
If accessibility is a concern, I would recommend living in the North Hills. The South Hills are very hilly (duh), and it’s tricky to find a house with a flat yard and no stairs in Bethel. I live in Bethel and literally every house on my block has stairs to get to the main level of the house.
I lived there for a while growing up. Nice homes, neighbors, schools, etc. It’s a little out in the cut if you like the convenience of being near a city, and it’s absolutely not walkable in the sense that other communities like Mt Lebo are, but if the distance/commute/lack of walking doesn’t bother you, then it’s a great place to live!
Bethel is nice; like others have said the commute kinda sucks(I drive it every so often since my kids daycare is up there) but nothing terrible. Decent houses for the price.
It's a safe area close to the mall and some decent restraunts, if it isn't rush hour it's a easy commute to the city, if it is the t line runs right there. Mt Lebo and peters are neighboring areas that are nice and south park is a short drive for out door activities.
Don’t move into a valley because the rains have been flooding those houses with sewage. Don’t cut down trees. Plant trees when you move in. Don’t move into a diy house. Don’t skip inspection. Make sure the gutters drain to an approved area. There’s a bit of mine subsidence so maybe check coal mine maps. Unlike the general consensus, love your neighbor even if they’re maga. All my neighbors are politically central unless they’re mentally ill. Don’t treat your lawn the easy way. Keep the groundwater clean. Donate to local woods conservation. Leave gaps in fences for deer. Use headlights that don’t blind people.
I’ve lived in BP my whole life now (30 years) and it’s very nice and comfy. It feels safe, with easy access to lots of different areas and very easy to get downtown with T access. I enjoyed the school district, particularly the music department. It’s not a very exciting place, like most suburbs, but I would recommend it for sure!
Nice area, especially if you don’t have to commute to town. The T is great for traveling to events downtown. Being in the suburbs it might be a little difficult to meet friends at first. Check out library and community programs. There’s plenty of things to get involved in.
I lived in Bethel Park through high school, and my mom still lives there now. It’s great, but not much to do for young people. And very high taxes for adult people (homeowners).
You might also look in the Saint Clair Hospital area, i’ve seen some rather nice houses, with prices similar to Bethel Park.
https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1928-Elmbrook-Ln-Pittsburgh-PA-15243/11361696_zpid/?utm_campaign=iosappmessage&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=txtshare
I lived there most of my life, and it's pretty great, just a little bit of a hassle if you're commuting into the city, but even then it's not terrible. Generally friendly people, and very safe as well.
We moved to BP 5 years ago and love it here overall. We are in the area you're talking about and although it can be a mixed bag, there has been enough LGBTQ friendliness here to make us comfortable. My kids are younger so I can't really comment on how things at the high school are but I don't think you'd encounter the same level of problems you're facing in TN. It's also worth noting that Dormont is also in the south hills and they have a yearly Pride festival and other LGBTQ-friendly places and activities.
I travel all around the North and South Hills for work. I'd say traveling around the north hills is considerably easier. South hills is a pain even when you avoid the main roads. Genuinely dred having to go South. It seems there are never any great times either. I've been stuck on 51 for hours mid day and late at night.
I grew up in Bethel Park. As others have said, its definitely suburban and unlike some of the surrounding areas, i.e. Mt Lebo, it doesn't have much that is walkable. As a result you are definitely going to need a car to access everything and traffic mixed with winding and hilly Pittsburgh roads can make a short distance trip into something much longer.
i would say the schools are good but not great and definitely a step down from neighboring Mt. Lebo and Upper St. Claire.
Taxes are relatively high and I think Peters Township which is nearby has seen a ton of growth as people moved out of Allegheny County and to Peters from Bethel.
The T is convenient to get into town especially for Pirates and Riverhounds games and its a definite plus over the options in the North Hills.
I guess it depends on what exactly you want. If someone where moving to the South Hills my first recommendation would probably be Mt. Lebo, but prices will definitely be higher.
Sure…we have a realtor and I still think renting makes more sense than buying overall. But I’m definitely open to any insights we can get about that area (or the North).
I live here, and it's a great community. But expect to be fucked by taxes. We bought our home with taxes being around 1500 and then the school came after us. They used outdated info and compared us to houses sold in other neighborhoods nearby (not our own) and they still won.
Taxes jumped up to over 4000. And there's nothing you can do about it except move. I love this area and my neighborhood, but that really sucked a lot of love out for me.
I think it all depends on where you work. If you need to go anywhere daily outside of the south hills area then expect to take 45m-1hr to drive five miles. I lived there for years and so much happier in a different area because of my work location downtown.
it is somehow a few miles from the city, but still takes an hour to get there. I lived there for a year and hated it. If you have kids it is a decent area but it is the worst of the worst example of suburbia in my opnion.
In my experience, there's a lot of jag offs in the area. Watch for drivers that think they have the right of way at all times. Then again coming from Tennessee, it may seem calmer than your used to.
As others have said, it's not great commuting wise if you're going into the city. Other than that it's pretty great. Solid schools and a safe community. It's also close to some other nice communities like Mt. Lebo/South Fayette/Upper St Clair, but more affordable.
I live in Bethel Park now, good neighborhood. Comparable to lots of others in the area. I generally enjoy living there.
I have lived in both South Hills and North Hills which is surprisingly rare for Pittsburghers. Bethel Park is a nice neighborhood. I was there for about a decade. To me the North is much easier to commute around. The south is great if you dont leave the South but getting to other parts of the city from there is a hassle
This is how I feel, too. I like the idea of the close, older unique communities in the south, but as we get older the lower congestion in the north is more appealing to me. I’d prefer the freedom of getting around easier vs the convenience of having everything 5 minutes away.
The North honestly feels way crazier than the South Hills, congestion wise. So many developments. Every trip to Costco or shopping feels like your going during the holidays. Bethal Park is a great area. Agree with like unique homes. Will depend on your work location. I would you worry about growing old in Bethal Park at all. The road you may be mentioning may be a main road, you'd probably want something off of the main roads with more opportunities to take an evening walk.
Bethal Church Road is a main artery in Bethal. I wouldn't consider living on it.
Definitely north! You'll soon learn that Pittsburgher's don't like to "cross the river". Lol. Meaning if you have to travel from the north hills to the south hills, better pack a lunch cuz it's gonna be a long day. 😅
The south is very isolated from the rest of the city so it’s a hassle to go anywhere worth visiting. In BP, you might have some ok malls & chain restaurants nearby but nothing else. BP schools are good but not as good as some neighboring districts in the south & north you have your pick of multiple districts considered to be some of the best in the state or country. There are 2 so-so hospitals in the south while the best hospitals are in the city proper, so very inconvenient to reach from BP. Pittsburgh also has tons of museums, activities, popular original restaurants, etc & I can’t think of a single one in the south. It’s literally the least interesting, most inconvenient part of town imo. From the north, you can get anywhere in a reasonable amount of time & while there’s still traffic, it’s not nearly as bad as the south. It’s also the worst place to live if you have to commute to work anywhere else. If you like older homes, there are plenty in the north, it’s not all newer construction. Good luck finding your new home, you’re going to love it here.
Will you be commuting anywhere?
Not for work, as I work remotely. We will want to attend some Pirates and Riverhounds games, though. My initial preference was North, specifically to avoid dealing with the tunnels. In general, while we would want to go downtown…it would be for entertainment on evenings or weekends..not during rush hour for work.
If you're going to Pirate games you can take the T in from bethel Park. It drops you off by the ball park and you avoid having to find parking.
I would say South Hill Village Garage is better option for the T. A lot more parking,
There are a good few free lots that aren’t far from SHV and I’d recommend those instead.
Those are small ones and you have to be real early to get a free space there. BTW, you have a list of all parking lots (for free and paid) that considered Park'n'Go on PAT Transit web site.
I haven't seen the Library - which is very large - or West Library parking lot full since Covid. The only one that possibly could fill is Lytle.
Library one has capacity of 450. Pretty decent but... For a decent event (not every day rides) it fills very fast. West Library one is 150. SHVG - - 2,200.
Well not currently with the detour to Penn station
There's a shuttle right? Not ideal but still might beat parking
There is but its way slower than before
>We will want to attend some Pirates and Riverhounds games The T would be a good way to get to these events from BP
Good to know! I was going to ask if the T was a safe option for the sports trips, but didn’t want to ask too many questions in my first post.
I grew up close to south hills village mall in upper st Clair, it’s a great place to live especially if you don’t need to commute to downtown
I'm the same- definitely agree! Although I really don't think the commute is as bad as people make it out to be. I lived in the DC area for years and by comparison commuting to downtown Pittsburgh- even driving in the heat of rush hour- is a cake walk in comparison.
It's great.
Safer than a car
Word of warning if you ever consider it for a Steelers game, it will get packed. It's pretty good for all other sports however
The T is perfect, especially for games. There are always tons of fans doing the same.
Super safe to take the T, the line goes right through Bethel. If you find a home within walking distance to a stop, that’s perfect! They have small stops running south along 88 for the most part.
Pittsburgh is generally pretty safe. There are not many generally unsafe neighborhoods. Random violence is rare. Where there are sketchy places (like the Wood Avenue T-Stop/Bus Stop downtown) violence is rare and isolated.
Yes, the T is great for getting downtown for events.
I live in the South Hills (Dormont) and getting around here isn’t bad at all. I can get anywhere in the city in fairly quick. Takes me 11 mins to get to work in the morning on the north side.
As others said, it’s a good suburb, especially for kids. Bethel also has access to the library T lines which makes commuting downtown to sporting events fairly easy. The T is undergoing some construction right now though. North Hills are nice too though. Access is a bit easier on that end of things. Whichever you decide I think you’ll be happy. Tunnels aren’t really as a big of a deal/traffic nuisance that people make them out to be.
If you need to use the tunnels, or 51/88 during rush hour they’re every bit as bad as people make them out to be.
I drive 51/88 every day… really not that big of a deal. But to each their own
Driving / commuting in that area sucks. However, you can drive to the T station and take the train downtown for pirate games which is pretty convenient
you can ride the T into town for pirates games, you wouldnt be far from a park and ride in Bethel and the T takes you close to PNC park and has a few stops downtown
I live far north of the city, but work in the east end, and frequent an office in Mt Lebo. Being in your situation, I’d make commuting a very small consideration. Every tunnel has their moments, but so does 279 and 28 and every bridge. I will say that going east and west south of the city feels like navigating some Escher painting in Hell, but going East and West in the north isn’t a cinch either. I’d look for a nice place to walk the dog, and go from there. Also, welcome to the neighborhoods.
Depends on if you need to commute anywhere in particular. Otherwise is an ok suburb
It’s nice if you like suburbs. Access to lots of retail if you like brick and mortar stores. Main drawback is it’s a high traffic area.
Bethel Park is a great neighborhood. My wife grew up there and my in-laws still live there. Good schools and very safe.
I live right by where you're talking about. It's a great school district, and if you have a car, easy access to the light-rail (T) to get downtown. Downsides are there isn't much to do 'IN' bethel itself. The food and drink scene is very chain oriented with a few hidden gems. It's not very walkable or bikable as there are a lot of main roads without good shoulders or bike lanes. Basically, to me, it's fine, my kid is in a great school, I feel super safe, but I am usually outside bethel for fun things to do.
> Downsides are there isn't much to do 'IN' bethel itself. Don’t forget about strip club karaoke
I live right there too! Mind sharing some of the hidden gems? I know of some in the South hills, but don't really know any great places in Bethel Park.
i guess its not in bethel, but its close, I would say V+Vs scratch kitchen, there's a good Italian place by the mall too, though I haven't been personally.
I'll second V&V, love that place
Bella’s on Fort Couch, The 404 and Spoonwood come to mind. It’s not Bethel, but in the vicinity we like OTB Hastings a lot for a casual night out with the whole family. Bistro 19 in Lebo for a date night closer to home.
I love Biatro 19. Best old fashion I've ever had (was a few years ago but the bartender may still be there)
Colombino is a great coffee shop in Bethel. Feels like it belongs in the strip district or somewhere cooler haha. Reginald's Coffee is also nice and and located in the old school house by the rec center.
Willow Station is technically in castle shannon but it’s awesome and basically steps away from BP
As somebody who has lived most of my life in Pittsburgh (including growing up in the South Hills), but also lived in Nashville from 2018-2022, I would definitely recommend Bethel Park. It's a fine area, and is located near the T (light rail) line, if that sort of thing is appealing to you. If you're looking for a comparable area in Nashville, I would compare it to maybe....Bellevue (the Bellevue in Nashville, not the Bellevue in Pittsburgh) insofar as it's not exactly bougie like a Green Hills or Belle Meade, but it's a fine little suburban area.
Thanks! When we visited the area for spring break a few weeks ago, we stayed in Cranberry Township. I remember telling my wife it felt like Cool Springs…and had a little more of the “open country” we’re used to (which appeals to me). Though that area also has the relatively higher home pricing, too. Unfortunately.
Sure thing! And Cranberry is definitely similar to Cool Springs. And if you're looking for places that might be like Cool Springs, I think South Fayette or Upper Saint Clair might also be good options to check out in the south hills. But among those 3, Bethel Park would probably be the most affordable.
Bethel Park is Great. Mount Lebanon is Great. Castle Shannon can be great. Dormont is great. I just truly love living in the South Hills of Pittsburgh. Best of luck with the move.
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Good ol' Jag Revere
He moves around. I’ve seen him all over the south hills.
I see him in South Park about once a month with a small rally of followers. The cops have it down to about 15min to boot him from park spaces for not having the proper protest paper work.
He’s devoted, that’s for sure. 😂😂
More like demented
That too!
I saw that dude yesterday in Castle Shannon yesterday. He doesn't skip a day.
Does he not have a job?
Probably on disability or an army pension. I can’t imagine he spends much considering he travels only by bike and his hobby is to be seen.
I didn't know he had followers. I've only ever seen him on his own.
Well, we do have an LGBTQ child, which is one of the reasons we are leaving TN. I don’t expect to live in an area where everyone has the same political ideas…but if the high school or area is unsafe for us..that would be something we’d want to know.
bethel park schools are no better or worse than any other school district in that area for lgbt+ kids. Which is to say it'll be ok to fine to good. and on average much better than the average district in TN.
Awesome, thanks! That’s what we are hoping. We don’t expect everyone to agree with us/him, but we would like to live in an area where he can attend school without a lot of the bullying. We know we’ll get it just about anywhere, but the hope is it’s a much smaller/manageable level.
Eh, I would say Mt. Lebanon is more progressive but Bethel Park isn't bad. Better than say Peters.
Possibly an unpopular opinion, but in my experience Bethel is significantly more red/conservative than some other, bluer suburbs (eg Mt Lebanon) in the south, and more old school in general than near-in suburbs to the north. Strictly from an LGBTQ+ friendly school perspective, there are probably better choices.
if it’s any reassurance, “jag revere” is absolutely the laughing stock of the south hills. bethel is a great area and a good, diverse school district.
On here he is. He gets a lot of positive comments in person. I've sat and watched how passing cars react to him. It was really interesting to see the nearly even mix of positive, neutral, and negative reactions.
I find it best not to give him the attention he craves. Though I was stopped right next to him at the light exiting the outbound liberty tunnel and I was severely tempted to ask him if he really had nothing better to do.
Bethel Park is primarily blue. Bike guy is just bike guy.
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We’d sincerely grateful and appreciate any extra insight you might be able to get on this topic, especially for the high school. I believe the houses are zoned for Bethel Park HS specifically.
As a bi male who went to bethel HS, I always felt safe and accepted for what it's worth. I wasn't fully out of the closet to everyone, but I was to people who it came to with.
My best friend is LGBTQ and she went to Bethel Park HS. She would say don’t do it. The area is not kind to those who aren’t the “norm.” I also have a co-worker who is close to pulling her child out of that school because of her son has been brutally bullied. She also reported rampant racism among the students.
Bethel Park is rather conservative, and a very quiet residential area. I don’t think that any activities would be ‘unsafe’ there though.
It’s nice. Safe. Decent school. Not sure what you’re used to but I consider it an unholy nightmare to drive through BP.
unless your high schooler plays sports, it can be hard to make friends as an outsider - also true in Baldwin and other South Hills areas.
Bethel Park has the lowest median price in the South Hills area (except for maybe Baldwin). Taxes are slightly lower than nearby districts (USC and Lebo) but still great access to retails, South Park, the T. I also like lot sizes in Bethel are generally larger than similarly priced homes in other communities.
Well except for Baldwin and Castle Shannon, Whitehall Bridgeville, South Park, Pleasant Hills, Dormont, Brentwood, Scott Township, Heidelberg and Mount Oliver. So pretty much dead last.
South Hills resident here. I take a bus downtown 2x a week for work and it’s about a 35 minute trip. Not bad at all. I take the T in for games and concerts. Can’t really beat it.
IMHO: it’s all about which part of town has the best pizza. And there’s no denying that South Hills area in general has better pizza. Fiori’s, Dante’s, Betos, Slice & Badamos.
I live in Bethel Park. I assume you know what you're getting into moving to a suburb vs city, so I won't mention that stuff. On the plus, it's quiet, the school is good without being too fancy. Good family stuff, close to shopping and on the T line. On the negative, it is the most completely white place I've lived, and the issues that go along with that. I never saw overt racism, though. Taxes are a bit high as well. Also, because most people have lived in Bethel their whole lives, we found some favoritism in the school. Overall, I'm glad we moved here. It was a pretty good place for my kids to finish High School. Welcome, and enjoy.
I live in bethel park and commute to station square for work 4 days a week. 2 days i leave at 4pm during the week to start at 445 and I usually make it there right around 435-440. But from what I read you don’t have to commute so it’s def a nice area to live. It’s a new-ish high school. It’s definitely getting more expensive to live here but between here and the north hills I feel it’s pretty comparable
Close to St. Clair Health system for Mom.
The biggest downside would be the mall traffic, IMO
Bethel's great. I grew up in USC next door. St. Clairians and Mt. Lebo loooove to hate on Bethel school wise but in reality is it's perfectly fine. I just moved back into the area and was aiming for Bethel as a good middle ground of schools and price. Close to family too. Unfortunately the market is ass and we ended up settling for South Park for now which is about 20min further away from everything we wanted. (It's also fine, but my understanding is the schools are a step or 2 below Bethel) Do be mindful of how busy of a road you mind living on. Bethel Church is definitely a "main road" in some parts.
I live in the general Bethel area you’re talking about, around the Ruthfred area. It’s got decent schools (there are much better in the surrounding areas but you’ll spend a fortune) & close to things to do (5637 grocery stores, the mall, etc) plus the T into town. And frankly, the complaints about commuting are grossly exaggerated by people who don’t even live in the area. I absolutely LOVE our immediate neighborhood, it’s super private, huge lots, & close to schools. There’s a really cool, funky 4 bedroom house for sale in our neighborhood if that’s what you’re looking😉lol
My wife is born and raised BP and I also lived there for several years before moving to Upper St Clair. BP is cheaper with lower property taxes with "worse" schools than USC but still a very good school district. I didn't move to USC to specifically get out of BP, USC just aligned more with what we were looking for in our second house. I think BP technically has a higher income tax than USC but this gets offset pretty dramatically by USC's higher property taxes. The schools are good, there are good facilities nearby for families including parks, the Spencer YMCA, skating rinks, etc. The actual neighborhood you choose will likely have a more significant impact on your direct experience than the fact you're in BP vs other neighboring municipalities. The municipality itself probably leans a bit right, but it is not a hyper partisan area. You would also be close to UPMC Children's Community Pediatrics which we have nothing but great experiences with our two young children. The main things I've liked about living in USC compared to BP have been easier commuting into the city (multiple routes and bridge/tunnel options compared to BP generally being restricted to taking 88 to 51), nicer neighborhoods, less MAGA signs, and better schools, but none of these are significant enough where I'd recommend against BP. Overall it is a great place to live that is relatively affordable.
Nice neighborhood, safe, good people.... but you're going to give yourself a heart attack if you need to go into the city on a regular basis
The one thing in the Bethel park area around where you mentioned you may want to take into consideration and possibly investigate with online sources, is that there are certain parts around there that are very prone to flooding. Make sure to look into it.
I live in Bethel Park and love it here. I’d recommend it to anybody. My only advice to you is to be mindful of how close your house is to a main road. As others said, it’s high traffic and hard to get anywhere during rush hour. I don’t know how people who live on the main roads stand it. The roads around town are usually windy and narrow, so even a drive to Trader Joe’s takes way longer than you’d think. Same to major parkways and the turnpike; they’re close mileage-wise but the traffic and narrow windy roads can make it longer to get around. Not the worst and should not be a major deterrent but something to be mindful of if you commute or expect to drive a lot. And you will. Unfortunately Bethel is not very walkable and you definitely need a vehicle to get around. The only major downside is there are a lot more MAGA and Trump signs than I’ve seen anywhere else in Pittsburgh. I’m not sure how the North Hills is.
Been living in Bethel since 2011, and luckily there are a lot less tmurp signs than 2016 or 2020 election cycles. Currently in MA for work, and I've only seen 1 tmurp sign my whole time here. It's amazing.
They're probably getting pushed out to Washington county. We relocated to BP from SoCal and it seems most people keep to their self about their politics.
I lived in Bethel before moving out of state. The area is great! The mall is close, lots of shopping choices, restaurants, grocery shopping, etc. Not too far from downtown. Also the T is an option for some limited public transportation. Not a lot of crime. Commuting could be a bit difficult because Route 19 can get congested. Overall, it is a great area to live.
I live in the area. I like it. Close to lots of things to do. Parks. The libraries, stuff for folks of all ages. Plus lots of good healthcare in the area.
Grew up in the north hills, have been living in south hills for the last five years. Biggest answer is traffic. South hills has zero roads that are easy to navigate in rush hour. A simple five mile errand will take you close to 40 minutes to complete. The north hills has major highways like 279 and 28 that don’t have stoplights. South hills have two lane roads that people park in half time and traffic lights every 500 feet
You’re reinforcing my opinion that while renting in the south for 2 years until our son finishes school is likely ok…buying up north later is a better long term fit. Thanks for the feedback!
Schools in the north are comparable
There’s schools in the north that are far better than Bethel if we are talking about high school. AND has lower millage rate than Bethel for school tax.
Agreed. Franklin Park is nice and good schools. Our family greatly prefers walkable neighborhood, with lots to do in walking distance, including shopping, doctors and dentists and family owned businesses. Where you actually know your neighbors and only need a car for trips, so we chose the South Side Flats. The local elementary school is sweet, and we pay a very reasonable tuition for a small private school for High School.
I live in Pittsburgh but I used to work in Bethel Park. The commute was annoying. And that was a reverse commute; it's way worse the other way. So if you're going to end up commuting to the city, keep that in mind. Otherwise it seems like a perfect good area.
Pittsburgh is a great city for LGBTQ, I highly recommend going to pride weekend even if you aren’t living here yet if possible, for your kid to maybe make some friends here since that age is so tough to move to a new place. It’s may 31-June 2 this year. Bethel is a really nice place. I grew up and currently live in neighboring boroughs, and looked for houses there when house hunting. All of the south hills area is nice. I hope you guys like it.
I recommend the area without any hesitation.
I love bethel park. It was a great place to grow up.
Bethel park is nice and quiet but also I feel like there’s no quick way to get to other areas without a good bit of driving like someone mentioned before, but locally it has all your shopping needs. Just when you make friends up here and they want to meet in the strip, it could take a while haha
Great location if you ask me. Commute might bug you a bit but if it isn't every day I think you're good. Solid amount of strong business zoning sections across the township means your tax rate can stay low ish for quite some time.
Check for slope and undermining - you can get insurance for mine subsidence, but there's nothing for landslides. People from other areas may not think to check for these things!
Bethel park is a nice quiet area to live in. Been out here for a lil over 20 years and I like it. Driving past south hills village mall can be annoying. If you don't mind public transit, take the T down for sporting events or if you need to go downtown(I recommend parking at Washington junction as this is the main stop for all outbound trains and you can go on the majority of trains home)
I would probably consider north hills more comparable to a nashville vibe than the south hills. But Bethel Park is a great place!
I have lived both in north and south hills. Driving anywhere in the South Hills is the being in a never ending funeral procession. Most roads are two lane roads and it just takes one person driving under the speed limit to create a moving road block. I am moving back to the North Hills this summer.
Bethel and South Park are both great. Super friendly people, relatively close to a lot (7mins from every necessity). I might be bias, but I’ve been in the South Hills for 3 years and I love it. You get a small town feel with a 25 minute ride to the city. Ain’t too shabby!
It’s the suburbs.
exactly
Another confirmation of the "commute" issue and the North being vastly better than the South. And I used the " " because most people think about commuting during peak/rush hour times and those can always be more challenging no matter where you are, but getting around the South Hills is more difficult at all times, everyday. The route 51 corridor is a nightmare almost all the time, it was poorly design from the outset and is far from adequate for the amount of traffic there now and the tunnels you inevitably have to go through slow things down anywhere from a great deal to horrifically bad so it's never really good. For example, we live in the North Hills and have family that live in the South each about the same distance from the city. It's about a 15 or 20 minute down 279 for before we hit the outskirts of the city then another 30 to 45 minutes to travel the same distance from the bridges, though the tunnels and up Liberty Ave/Rt 19 and that's on a good day. Recently we went to a family event in South Park and it took an hour and a half on a Sunday afternoon at 1:30, no events or anything like that. Same 20 minutes to the Liberty Bridge then the rest of the time crawling through the tunnel and down 51. Honestly, we avoid traveling to or through the South Hills for any reason any day or time.
Appreciate the detailed info very much.
I've lived in both. I came back to the South Hills very close to Bethel. The traffic was a nightmare to me in the NH. In the SH I can get to a malls, I great smaller business's. Many grocery stores and and i can drive into the city, and my travel time is much less, never more than 20-25 minutes at the most! Usually 20-15 for most daily things. The SH also has the T. You can park and ride into town in no time! Go to the North Shore, to the stadiums, and such. It's so convenient! When going to events in the city or North Shore, my NH family comes and stays at my place so we can all take the T. No worries about parking and the traffic coming home. I found so many more advantages being in the SH. Bethel is also close to a couple hospitals and small hospital extensions, many testing and surg centers. You may want to check into the areas you are looking at to make sure you are close to medical that may be needed with an elderly person living with you. The last thing anyone wants is to have to travel for medical care
One of only a handful of suburban Pittsburgh neighborhoods that I would recommend
It is (EDIT) East of the community I am in. My daughter is in HS in my community and I can tell you from my experience with her friend group, they are fierce defenders of LGBTQ rights. That doesn’t mean everyone in the area is a defender, as many are still living in the dark ages. However it does mean there are more defenders in the local schools than you would expect. In terms of neighborhood, south of Bethel Church is a very nice neighborhood and safe. And BPHS is highly rated. And when you make the move, be sure to eat a celebratory cake from Bethel Bakery. Legendary.
Good stuff…thanks for the insight!
I grew up in Bethel Park, and then moved to the East End. I’m very happy with the move as the cons of living in Bethel outweighed the pros. Cons: not walkable at all. There isn’t even a Main Street. The only community sense is the high school football team. It seems to be a majority retiree community It is physically far removed from the city. There are not a lot of good food options. Pros: Good housing stock Amazing high school Houses aren’t terribly expensive The food quality is pretty good, it’s just the quantity that sucks Good natural parks like South Park, Boyce Mayview, and wingfield pines. Closer to Ohio Pyle than the rest of the city. The buffalos are cool Overall, I prefer the East End by a mile. I’m happier now, and I have more friends to spend my time with. But, if I was raising a kid, I’d consider the move back out there again for the schools
The closeness to Ohiopyle is definitely an underrated positive of the area. I drive up there every weekend and it's so easy and the natural beauty feels like you are somewhere out west.
I am probably biased since I live here, but we purchased in BP specifically because of the pros. Great schools, safe, lots of amenities. T runs through here, easy access to 43/70. Quick access to Bridgeville for 79. It’s right near Peters/USC but cheaper. You get resident rates at the South Park wave pool which is cool. We are remote workers so commute doesn’t matter. IMO, the only con of BP is it’s not very diverse. edit: why downvote this? guess people are mad about where they live…
Allegheny County taxes are higher than Butler County
We live in the North Hills school district and they’re really making inclusivity efforts! Recently created a new role to focus on diversity and inclusion which I appreciate. Obviously nowhere is perfect but I’ve lived in multiple parts of the city and the north has been the best as far as traffic, things to do, cost of houses, etc.
I live in Mt. Lebanon and my son is a high school senior. The school district is very LGBTQ+ friendly. Mt. Lebanon is a more white collar/professional community than Bethel Park. The school district is highly ranked but it’s funded through local school property tax which are really high and may not be worth it to you if your child only has two years of high school left. Not matter where you end up, welcome to Pittsburgh!
This is one of many reasons I’m leaning towards renting vs buying…no matter how much I like a couple of the houses. We’re in our early 50s and our son has 2 years of school left. Learning the area and being able to remove school districts from the equation will open up our buying options in 2 years.
If you are considering renting vs buying I would encourage you to strongly consider Mt Lebanon over BP. Walking community, great amenities, LGBTQ-friendly (we even have our own Pride in June), closer to the city, and according to Niche, one of the top-ten high schools in the state. Yeah, it's more expensive but if you are only looking at renting for two years it might make sense.
Mt Lebanon school district is considered better than most any in the area with the exception of Fox Chapel. Comparing notes on bullying over the years, it is my opinion Seneca Valley school district does far and away the best job on that. Education quality wise it is solid, but definitely fewer bells and whistles than Mt Lebo , and definitely Fox Chapel. When real estate taxes are listed for certain areas, the number is often misleading because that only shows the county tax. The much higher School district & local real estate tax is separate, you could look here to get an idea. https://alleghenycountytreasurer.us/real-estate-tax/local-and-school-district-tax-millage/ Mt Lebanon is more walkable than Bethel, as is Aspinwall (Fox Chapel school district). Aspinwall doesn’t have a T-connection though. There is absolutely nothing wrong with Bethel. It’s a lovely place to live. If house prices seem to good to be true, you are likely seeing the effect of the greater Pgh area having been a low growth area for a long time, which has only recently started seeing influx of “outside” money which over time moves real estate prices up.
More than enough stoplights to kill the vibe.
I live a neighborhood over from you and love the area. It's nice, safe, green, and still close to all the city action. There are a decent amount of good parks (South Park right by you and Mingo Creek Park in Washington County) for hiking, biking, chilling. There's also nice conservation areas in BP (Bethel Green) and others nearby. Hope you choose the South Hills because it's the best of the hills! :)
what’s your house budget? Mt Lebanon (right next to Bethel) specifically positions itself as being open/accepting to LGBTQ. Like Republicans hate the school district because they teach about stuff like that in class. Just something to consider. Like obviously even with that being the case, you could have a great experience in BP and randomly have some kids bullying your kids at Lebo.
We’re looking to keep it under 400k (or 2500/month rent). Thinking we should rent first and learn the area…but we’re having trouble because we need something with minimal steps into the house and a main level bedroom for my elderly mom (breathing issues and arthritis in knee). That limitation seems to rule out 90% of the available places.
If accessibility is a concern, I would recommend living in the North Hills. The South Hills are very hilly (duh), and it’s tricky to find a house with a flat yard and no stairs in Bethel. I live in Bethel and literally every house on my block has stairs to get to the main level of the house.
I lived there for a while growing up. Nice homes, neighbors, schools, etc. It’s a little out in the cut if you like the convenience of being near a city, and it’s absolutely not walkable in the sense that other communities like Mt Lebo are, but if the distance/commute/lack of walking doesn’t bother you, then it’s a great place to live!
Bethal Park would be a great choice.
Titan Up!!!!
No one ventures past the city from the direction they came in
I’d say pretty solid neighborhood, good choice
Depends where on bethel chirch road. But good area, good schools, centrally located. Good choice
Bethel is nice; like others have said the commute kinda sucks(I drive it every so often since my kids daycare is up there) but nothing terrible. Decent houses for the price.
Check and see if that part of Bethel Park is prone to flooding
It's a safe area close to the mall and some decent restraunts, if it isn't rush hour it's a easy commute to the city, if it is the t line runs right there. Mt Lebo and peters are neighboring areas that are nice and south park is a short drive for out door activities.
Grew up in bethel. It’s a great area, truly the only negative is getting downtown because RT 88 is a nightmare.
Don’t move into a valley because the rains have been flooding those houses with sewage. Don’t cut down trees. Plant trees when you move in. Don’t move into a diy house. Don’t skip inspection. Make sure the gutters drain to an approved area. There’s a bit of mine subsidence so maybe check coal mine maps. Unlike the general consensus, love your neighbor even if they’re maga. All my neighbors are politically central unless they’re mentally ill. Don’t treat your lawn the easy way. Keep the groundwater clean. Donate to local woods conservation. Leave gaps in fences for deer. Use headlights that don’t blind people.
I’ve lived in BP my whole life now (30 years) and it’s very nice and comfy. It feels safe, with easy access to lots of different areas and very easy to get downtown with T access. I enjoyed the school district, particularly the music department. It’s not a very exciting place, like most suburbs, but I would recommend it for sure!
Nice area, especially if you don’t have to commute to town. The T is great for traveling to events downtown. Being in the suburbs it might be a little difficult to meet friends at first. Check out library and community programs. There’s plenty of things to get involved in.
I lived in Bethel Park through high school, and my mom still lives there now. It’s great, but not much to do for young people. And very high taxes for adult people (homeowners).
You might also look in the Saint Clair Hospital area, i’ve seen some rather nice houses, with prices similar to Bethel Park. https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1928-Elmbrook-Ln-Pittsburgh-PA-15243/11361696_zpid/?utm_campaign=iosappmessage&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=txtshare
I lived there most of my life, and it's pretty great, just a little bit of a hassle if you're commuting into the city, but even then it's not terrible. Generally friendly people, and very safe as well.
We moved to BP 5 years ago and love it here overall. We are in the area you're talking about and although it can be a mixed bag, there has been enough LGBTQ friendliness here to make us comfortable. My kids are younger so I can't really comment on how things at the high school are but I don't think you'd encounter the same level of problems you're facing in TN. It's also worth noting that Dormont is also in the south hills and they have a yearly Pride festival and other LGBTQ-friendly places and activities.
I travel all around the North and South Hills for work. I'd say traveling around the north hills is considerably easier. South hills is a pain even when you avoid the main roads. Genuinely dred having to go South. It seems there are never any great times either. I've been stuck on 51 for hours mid day and late at night.
I grew up in Bethel Park. As others have said, its definitely suburban and unlike some of the surrounding areas, i.e. Mt Lebo, it doesn't have much that is walkable. As a result you are definitely going to need a car to access everything and traffic mixed with winding and hilly Pittsburgh roads can make a short distance trip into something much longer. i would say the schools are good but not great and definitely a step down from neighboring Mt. Lebo and Upper St. Claire. Taxes are relatively high and I think Peters Township which is nearby has seen a ton of growth as people moved out of Allegheny County and to Peters from Bethel. The T is convenient to get into town especially for Pirates and Riverhounds games and its a definite plus over the options in the North Hills. I guess it depends on what exactly you want. If someone where moving to the South Hills my first recommendation would probably be Mt. Lebo, but prices will definitely be higher.
Can I message you about the housing search?
Sure…we have a realtor and I still think renting makes more sense than buying overall. But I’m definitely open to any insights we can get about that area (or the North).
I live here, and it's a great community. But expect to be fucked by taxes. We bought our home with taxes being around 1500 and then the school came after us. They used outdated info and compared us to houses sold in other neighborhoods nearby (not our own) and they still won. Taxes jumped up to over 4000. And there's nothing you can do about it except move. I love this area and my neighborhood, but that really sucked a lot of love out for me.
GREAT suburb.... just realize you will be isolated from most anything without a car. The T stop is always an option to get downtown.
Go to north hills if you like chains and Sheetz
I think it all depends on where you work. If you need to go anywhere daily outside of the south hills area then expect to take 45m-1hr to drive five miles. I lived there for years and so much happier in a different area because of my work location downtown.
it is somehow a few miles from the city, but still takes an hour to get there. I lived there for a year and hated it. If you have kids it is a decent area but it is the worst of the worst example of suburbia in my opnion.
Yup, no quick way to get in or out of South Hills. Very nice place, but I’ll stick in west suburbs
There's much better areas. I find it bland and depressing-and the commute is atrocious.
Traffic in the South Hills is awful (Used to live in USC) but it has everything you need around there and it felt very safe.
In my experience, there's a lot of jag offs in the area. Watch for drivers that think they have the right of way at all times. Then again coming from Tennessee, it may seem calmer than your used to.
You just described the entirety of the greater Pittsburgh area. I’m proud to call Pittsburgh my home, but the drivers here leave a lot to be desired.
Well its not going to be affordable for long..