Sandcastle Water Park entrance, 2005
West Homestead’s story
126 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 2005.
- 1900West Homestead is settled
West HomesteadPA
This town of 1,778 people was settled in 1900.
Population
1,778
2025 Census estimate · −4.7% since 2020
Typical home
$174K
−0.7% in a year
Household income
$77K
median
Median age
38.9
years
Jobs based here
1,289
Balanced
Is West Homestead a good place to live?
The best of West Homestead’s subject grades are an A for walkability and an A− for the outdoors; the weakest is a C− for safety. Only 133 of Pennsylvania’s 1,749 towns score higher on walkability. West Homestead's public schools trail 73% of Pennsylvania towns on state tests and graduation. On safety, just 59 of Pennsylvania’s 634 towns do worse. West Homestead’s trail network density is 1.3 miles per square mile, where Pennsylvania’s towns sit at 0.4 and U.S. towns at 0.4. On history, just 29 of Pennsylvania’s 1,749 towns do worse. West Homestead has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes West Homestead stand out
Where West Homestead beats most towns.
How West Homestead grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Pennsylvania), ordered by how far West Homestead is from typical.
WalkabilityEPA walkability 11.5 of 20; 8.5% of households have no carAOpen →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 16% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listAOpen →SafetyBehind most towns comparedC−Open →SchoolsGraded on exam and test resultsCOpen →Cost of livingHomes are easier to afford than in most townsB+Open →HealthMagee Womens Hospital of UPMC Health System 4 miles awayBOpen →Jobs & income$77K median household incomeBOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors1 mile of trailA−Open →History2 notable people born hereC−Open →Civic life3.3 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsCOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All 81 attractions →Acrisure Stadium and 57 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around West Homestead. Close and well known come first.
Big draw7 mi Stadium & arenaAcrisure Stadium
3 mi Theme parkKennywood
6 mi LandmarkFort Duquesne
6 mi Stadium & arenaPNC Park
5 mi Stadium & arenaPPG Paints Arena
6 mi LandmarkFort PittSources: 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 · 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 · Fort Pitt: Downtown_Pittsburgh_May_2008.jpg: Allie Caufield derivative work: GrapedApe (tal, CC BY 2.0
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Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to West Homestead: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in West Homestead, 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 West Homestead’s 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 code1512015120 100%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 West Homestead.
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A
Very low risk in West Homestead, with inland flooding at the top
Of the losses FEMA expects in West Homestead, 83% come from inland flooding and 9% from cold waves. On expected storm and flood damage, West Homestead sits below 84% of U.S. communities. Federal disaster aid has reached households in West Homestead once, in 2004.
16risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold waves
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
HousingCost of living grade B+
A typical West Homestead home is worth about $174K
For West Homestead, the typical rent is $1,247 a month. Three quarters of West Homestead households live in a home they own.
$174KZillow home value
| West Homestead | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,247 a month | $1,115 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 75% | 78% | 73% |
Typical home value
West Homestead$174K
Pennsylvania$287K
−0.7%
value change, 1 year
2
homes sold in September
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
SafetyC−
West Homestead sees more crime per resident than 78% of U.S. towns
The property offense rate in West Homestead is 15.1 per 1,000 residents. The level of violent crime here is 2.8 per 1,000 residents.
22%of U.S. towns report more crimeC−Safety Grade
| West Homestead | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 2.8 per 1,000 residents | 0.7 | 1.6 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 15.1 per 1,000 residents | 5.7 | 9.9 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
West Homestead2.8
Pennsylvania2.3
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
West Homestead15.1
Pennsylvania13.6
U.S.15.5
22nd
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
5
violent crimes reported in 2025
27
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Climate
In West Homestead, expect four seasons and pleasant summers
In July, afternoons reach 85°; in January, nights fall to 22°, and about 25 inches of snow falls in a winter.
25″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter24–41°
Spring40–62°
Summer61–83°
Fall44–65°
Nov 10
typical first frost
Apr 5
typical last frost
+1.1°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B
About two in five of West Homestead’s working residents commute to Pittsburgh
The top destinations are Pittsburgh (39%), West Mifflin (4%) and Munhall (3%). Jobs in West Homestead fell by 448 from 2013 to 2023, to 1,289. Half the trips to work are shorter than 6 miles.
4%work in town
| West Homestead | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 4.1% | 6.3% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 6.9% | 7.6% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In West Homestead4%
Pittsburgh39%
West Mifflin4%
Munhall3%
Monroeville3%
6 mi
median commute distance
1,289
jobs based in West Homestead
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
A
Walkability grade: more walkable than 95% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Who lives here
Young adults are more common in West Homestead than in Pennsylvania
Adults 18 to 34 are 29% of residents (22% statewide); adults 35 to 64 are 34% of residents (38% statewide). West Homestead’s age of the median resident is 38.9 years. For residents here, the share who are under 18 is 17%. College graduates make up just over a third of adults 25 and older, against 35% across Pennsylvania.
38.9median age · PA 40.9
| West Homestead | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 17% | 20% | 22% |
| Median age | 38.9 years | 43.2 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 35% | 29% | 29% |
| Aged 65 or older | 21% | 21% | 18% |
West HomesteadPennsylvaniaUnited States
Ages · share of residents
24%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma2%
High school34%
Some college14%
Associate’s16%
Bachelor’s22%
Graduate13%
Women and men · all residents
52% women, 48% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±8.6 points. Across Pennsylvania, 50.7% of residents are women.
| West Homestead | PA | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 12% | 10.8% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 4.7% | 9.7% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 4.4% | 9% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 24.1% | 13% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 12.4% | 12.6% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 11% | 11.9% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 10.6% | 13.6% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 9.3% | 11.4% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 11.6% | 8.1% | 7% |
| No diploma | 1.5% | 7.9% | 10.4% |
| High school | 34.2% | 32.9% | 26% |
| Some college | 14.2% | 15.1% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 15.5% | 8.9% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 21.8% | 20.9% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 12.8% | 14.3% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 1,800, single groups can be off by several points
HealthB
West Homestead is healthier than three in five U.S. towns
Among adults in West Homestead, 15% report frequent mental distress and 32% have obesity. CDC measures, 26 in all: West Homestead beats Pennsylvania on 2 and trails on 2. The share of adults in West Homestead who binge drink: 19%.
61%healthier than U.S. townsBHealth Grade
| West Homestead | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 18% | 16% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 16% | 17% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 32% | 35% | 35% |
| No health insurance, 18–64 (CDC PLACES) | 5.3% | 6.9% | 8.1% |
26 measures vs. Pennsylvania
2 better22 too close to call2 worse
| What stands out | West Homestead | PA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 10.7% | 14.5% |
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 82.6% | 79.2% |
| More adults with arthritis | 34.9% | 30.4% |
Magee Womens Hospital of UPMC Health System
4 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: dental
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
OutdoorsA−
Protected land: 2% of West Homestead
Parks and preserves in West Homestead: 2, covering 15 acres.
2%conserved
2%
conserved · 13 of 644 acres
1.3 mi
of trails · 1.3 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Riverplex at Sandcastle | 0.5 mi | 12 |
| 2. West Homestead Community Park | 0.2 mi | 3 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about West Homestead
20pages on West Homestead
The big questions
SchoolsCBehind 73% of PA districtsSafetyC−2.8 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthBBetter than PA on 2 of 26 CDC measuresCost of livingB+$174K typical home · down 0.7% in a yearWork & commuteB$77K median household income · 1,289 jobs hereNatural hazardsAFEMA risk higher than 16% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
14 within 15 miles of the center of West Homestead
Pittsburgh Institute of AeronauticsCommunity college · Private nonprofit · West Mifflin3.1 mi$18,730 tuitionUniversity of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh CampusUniversity or college · Public · Pittsburgh4.2 mi$21,926 in-state tuitionCommunity College of Allegheny CountyCommunity college · Public · Pittsburgh6.9 mi$4,842 in-state tuition
About 6 of every 100 West Homestead residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Pennsylvania.
About West Homestead
Borough in Pennsylvania, US
West Homestead is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, 8 miles (13 km) southeast of Pittsburgh, on the Monongahela River. Heavy industries associated with nearby steel mills existed here, such as axle works, brickworks, and manufactories of machinery, car wheels, etc. The largest concern was Mesta Machinery, which was one of the world's leading industrial manufacturers from 1898 until 1983. The population was 1,872 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1900
- Area
- 1.0 sq mi
West Homestead’s neighbors
3 towns share a border with West Homestead.
PittsburghMunhallHomesteadWest Homestead
How the neighbors grade
| Town | PA rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Homestead | — | — | B+ | C− | C | B |
| Pittsburgh | #928 | C− | B− | D | C | B+ |
| Munhall | #653 | B− | A | B− | C | C+ |
| Homestead | #966 | C− | A | D− | C | D |
West Homestead has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Compare West Homestead with a neighbor →
Questions about West Homestead
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is West Homestead, PA expensive?
Not for the area. That is 2.3 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 B+.
What is West Homestead, PA known for?
2 notable people were born here, including Jeff Goldblum and John I. McMonagle.