TorrenceHouse, 2010
Pleasant Hills’s story
79 years in pictures
Census counts: 3,808 in 1950, 8,504 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 2007 and 5 maps from 1904 on.
- 1947Pleasant Hills is settled
Pleasant HillsPA
A town of 8,212, settled in 1947.
3 bordering townsMap →
Photo: Canadian2006 · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
8,212
2025 Census estimate · −3.2% since 2020
Typical home
$269K
+1.2% in a year
Household income
$102K
median
Median age
43.8
years
Jobs based here
5,279
Balanced
TownGrade
A+
#35 of 1032 in PA
Is Pleasant Hills a good place to live?
Few places in the country grade higher. Pleasant Hills earns an A+, 35th among Pennsylvania's 1032 graded towns. Its public schools beat 92% of Pennsylvania towns on state tests and graduation, residents are healthier than 88% of U.S. towns on CDC estimates, and the median household earns $102K. Its lowest mark, a C+, is in cost of living. Pleasant Hills’ density of trails is 1.6 miles per square mile, where Pennsylvania’s towns sit at 0.4 and U.S. towns at 0.4. Only 61 of Pennsylvania’s 1,751 towns score higher on hazard risk. Pleasant Hills is more walkable than 91% of U.S. towns.
What makes Pleasant Hills stand out
Where Pleasant Hills beats most towns.
Get outside
5 miles of trails in Pleasant Hills
16.2% of the town is conserved land, across 3 parks and preserves.
3
Pleasant Kingdom10 acres
Trails © OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
How Pleasant Hills grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Pennsylvania), ordered by how far Pleasant Hills is from typical.
Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 3% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listA+Open →SchoolsAOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 11.4 of 20; 4.9% of households have no car; 4.7% of workers walk, bike or ride transitAOpen →HealthJefferson Hospital 1.5 miles awayAOpen →Jobs & income5,279 jobs based hereA−Open →SafetyB+Open →Cost of livingC+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors5 miles of trails; 16% conserved landA+Open →HistoryDOpen →Civic life5 library visits per resident; 2.8 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsCOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market44 days on market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 43.8; 46% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All 81 attractions →Acrisure Stadium and 59 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Pleasant Hills. Close and well known come first.
Big draw9 mi Stadium & arenaAcrisure Stadium
Big draw39 mi MuseumFallingwater
6 mi Theme parkKennywood
8 mi LandmarkFort Duquesne
8 mi Stadium & arenaPNC Park
8 mi Stadium & arenaPPG Paints ArenaSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Acrisure Stadium: Fo2grfr, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Fallingwater: Carol M. Highsmith, Public domain · Kennywood: Ski2007 of English Wikipedia, Public domain · Fort Duquesne: Sébastien Paquin, CC BY-SA 3.0 · PNC Park: alpineinc, CC BY 2.0 · PPG Paints Arena: Jleedev, CC BY-SA 4.0
.jpg){kind=link}
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Pleasant Hills: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Pleasant Hills, and how to reach them.
PowerDuquesne Light23.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterPennsylvania American WaterNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Pleasant Hills’ trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Pennsylvania you can register online until 15 days before Election Day, in person until 15 days before Election Day, or by mail (received 15 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereAllegheny County Board of ElectionsAllegheny County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP codes15236, 1512215236 94% · 15122 5%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Pleasant Hills.
Pleasant Hills pairs an A+ overall with homes cheaper than the Pennsylvania norm, is one of Pennsylvania’s best towns for the outdoors and has less tooth loss than most of Pennsylvania.
OutdoorsA+
Pleasant Hills keeps 16.2% of its land conserved
Its A+ for the outdoors ranks #27 of 1,037 in Pennsylvania.
4.5 miles of trail wind through 3 parks and preserves. The biggest place to walk is Mowry Park, 33 acres with 1.1 miles of trail.
#109for trails in PA
16.2%
conserved · 287 of 1,768 acres
4.5 mi
of trails · 1.6 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Pleasant Hills Arboretum | 1.7 mi | 17 |
| 2. Mowry Park | 1.1 mi | 33 |
| 3. Pleasant Kingdom | — | 10 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
SchoolsA
Pleasant Hills’ grade for schools is an A
One of its 2 schools is below, with the reason it’s listed. Public schools: West Jefferson Hills SD. 2 public schools serve Pleasant Hills, with 1,180 students in all.
92%of PA districts it outscoresASchool Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pleasant Hills MSLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8 | Grades 6–8 | 813 | B |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within PA on state tests and graduation
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A+
Very low risk in Pleasant Hills, with inland flooding at the top
9 flood insurance claims have been paid in Pleasant Hills since 1979. Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 97% of U.S. communities. Of the losses FEMA expects in the town, 66% come from inland flooding and 19% from cold waves. Federal disaster aid has reached households in Pleasant Hills once, in 2004.
3risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold waves
9
paid flood claims since 1979
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
HealthA
Pleasant Hills’ grade for health is an A
Its widest gap with Pennsylvania is tooth loss: 8.6% of those 65+ have lost all their teeth, against 14.5% statewide.
The share of adults in Pleasant Hills who sleep under 7 hours is 33%, below both Pennsylvania’s towns (38%) and U.S. towns (36%). For adults here, the share who report frequent mental distress is 13%. This Pennsylvania town beats the Pennsylvania average on 12 of 26 CDC measures and trails it on 1. Among adults in the town, 29% have obesity and 20% binge drink.
88%healthier than U.S. townsAHealth Grade
| Pleasant Hills | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 16% | 17% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 35% | 35% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 18% | 16% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 33% | 38% | 36% |
26 measures vs. Pennsylvania
12 better13 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | Pleasant Hills | PA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 8.6% | 14.5% |
| Fewer adults in fair or poor health | 14.6% | 18.7% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 10.6% | 8.8% |
Jefferson Hospital
1.5 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
88th
percentile among PA towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Climate
Pleasant Hills has four seasons and pleasant summers
Pleasant Hills’ July high comes in at 83°F.
21″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter24–40°
Spring40–62°
Summer60–82°
Fall44–64°
Oct 28
typical first frost
Apr 18
typical last frost
+1.1°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
SafetyB+
Pleasant Hills is safer than two in three U.S. towns, by crime per resident
Violent crime is rare: 5 reported in 2025, 0.6 per 1,000 residents.
Pennsylvania has less reported crime than most states, so among its own towns Pleasant Hills sits closer to the middle. Pleasant Hills’ rate of thefts and burglaries stands at 10.8 per 1,000 residents.
65%of U.S. towns report more crimeB+Safety Grade
| Pleasant Hills | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 10.8 per 1,000 residents | 5.7 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 0.6 per 1,000 residents | 0.7 | 1.6 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Pleasant Hills0.6
Pennsylvania2.3
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Pleasant Hills10.8
Pennsylvania13.6
U.S.15.5
65th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
42nd
percentile among PA towns
5
violent crimes reported in 2025
89
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A−
About one in three of Pleasant Hills’ working residents commute to Pittsburgh
Commuting out is the norm here: 6% of working residents work locally. The share of residents in Pleasant Hills who live below the poverty line: 4.8%. The top destinations are Pittsburgh (31%), West Mifflin (6%) and Jefferson Hills (4%). Half of commuters travel less than 8 miles.
6%work in town
| Pleasant Hills | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Work from home | 23% | 12% | 11% |
| Median household income | $102,000 | $81,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 4.8% | 7.6% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 27 minutes | 26 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Pleasant Hills6%
Pittsburgh31%
West Mifflin6%
Jefferson Hills4%
Bethel Park3%
8 mi
median commute distance
5,279
jobs based in Pleasant Hills
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
A
Walkability grade: more walkable than 91% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
HousingCost of living grade C+
Zillow puts the typical Pleasant Hills home at about $269K
Pleasant Hills grades A+ overall with a typical home of about $269K, below the Pennsylvania typical value; only 34 of the 112 Pennsylvania towns graded A− or better can say that.
Homes sold in Pleasant Hills spent a median 44 days on the market. Over the 12 months to September 2026, the typical home gained 1.2% in value. Bidding over the asking price: 50% of homes sold in the town.
$269KZillow home value
| Pleasant Hills | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 82% | 78% | 73% |
| Renters paying 30%+ of income on rent | 43% | 44% | 48% |
Typical home value
Pleasant Hills$269K
Pennsylvania$287K
Market temperature
44
days on market
102.6%
sale-to-list price
+1.2%
value change, 1 year
6
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Pleasant Hills
19pages on Pleasant Hills
The big questions
SchoolsABeat 92% of PA districts · 2 schoolsSafetyB+0.6 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthABetter than PA on 12 of 26 CDC measuresCost of livingC+$269K typical home · up 1.2% in a yearWork & commuteA−$102K median household income · 5,279 jobs hereNatural hazardsA+FEMA risk higher than 3% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
13 within 15 miles of the center of Pleasant Hills
Pittsburgh Institute of AeronauticsCommunity college · Private nonprofit · West Mifflin2.3 mi$18,730 tuitionPennsylvania State University-Penn State Greater AlleghenyUniversity or college · Public · McKeesport7 mi$14,408 in-state tuitionCommunity College of Allegheny CountyCommunity college · Public · Pittsburgh8.9 mi$4,842 in-state tuition
About 5 of every 100 Pleasant Hills residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Pennsylvania.
About Pleasant Hills
Borough in Pennsylvania, US
Pleasant Hills is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 8,504. It is a suburb of the Pittsburgh metropolitan area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1947
- Area
- 2.8 sq mi
Pleasant Hills’s neighbors
3 towns share a border with Pleasant Hills.
At #35 in PA, it grades higher overall than all 3 graded towns on its borders; Baldwin (A+) comes closest. West Mifflin next door grades lower for schools (C to Pleasant Hills’s A) and higher for cost of living (A− to C+).
BaldwinJefferson HillsWest MifflinPleasant Hills
How the neighbors grade
| Town | PA rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pleasant Hills | #35 | A+ | C+ | B+ | A | A |
| Baldwin | #82 | A+ | B− | A− | B+ | B+ |
| Jefferson Hills | #200 | A | C− | A− | A | A |
| West Mifflin | #731 | B− | A− | C− | C | B− |
Questions about Pleasant Hills
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Pleasant Hills, PA a good place to live?
Yes, by almost any measure. Pleasant Hills grades A+ overall, among the top 2% of U.S. towns and #35 of 1032 in Pennsylvania. It grades A for health, B+ for safety and A for schools.
Is Pleasant Hills, PA safe?
Yes, by national standards. Pennsylvania has less crime than most states, so among its own towns Pleasant Hills sits nearer the middle.
Is Pleasant Hills, PA expensive?
That is 3.5 years of the area's median household income ($75,762 across the Pittsburgh, PA metro area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C+.