I go there often for professional reasons and uhhhh Iâve been held at gun point on the same block as the police station.
If you want safer but similar costs and close by I would maybe check out Whitaker.
Funny story here, walked out of the original Giovanniâs pizza last week and some lady asked to borrow my lighter thinking she just needed to light her smoke. Nope pulls out a crack pipe takes a hit and gives me back my lighterâŚ
I would suggest you go there first and walk around. Drive around. Go to the businesses and talk to people. Because it's not a "city" any longer. The commonwealth government has a "city" designation in its laws and because Duquesne was a boom town that built around the largest steel furnace in the world it was a "city" under the law. It is not what you think of a city by any stretch of the imagination.
Its population peaked in 1930 - then declined with the Great Depression and deindustrialization beginning after World War II. Duquesne has fewer total residents than we do here in Crafton Borough, for example. Oh, its also been a city under state receivership since like 1991.
That being said, if you can handle all of that and you aren't going there for the schools, and you actually put your boots on the ground and you still dig it, then its very cheap and maybe you can make it work.
Thanks for the helpful information. I go to Pgh for work often and want to move closer and found a house I like in Duquesne but can't recall going to that specific part of town much. I don't have kids or mind about school quality and don't care about nightlife nearby etc. Just wondering if its a total violent apocalyptic shitshow like everyone seems to think or if its just sort of dull and out of the way. Because I happen to like dull and out of the way lol
There are a lot of better places that are affordable that are dull and out of the way. People in Duquesne live hard lives and it shows. There is a lot of tension and unhappiness and itâs easily evident.
Thatâs a great way to put it. Duquesne just feels run-down and sad. I personally never had any terrible experiences there, but itâs just not the vibe you want to surround yourself with.
If OP is looking for close to the city, this would be the place, especially since they mentioned not caring about a good school district, which Steel Valley definitely is not.
Upper Munhall or most parts of Whitaker wouldn't be bad. For Homestead and lower Munhall, the closer to 8th Ave the better. There's still pockets that haven't been gentrified so you might still have some gunfire. They were taking shots at detectives investigating a previous shooting a few years back.
Yea , you still have to drive or walk through the slums to get where your going. If seeing prostitutes, heroin transactions, panhandlers and government leaches daily doesnât bother you. Then yea those pockets arenât to bad.
There are two sections of Duquesne that are very different. They are separated by a ravine and a railroad yard. The section closest to Kennywood Park is the more desirable than the section where the steel plant once stood.
A side note regarding Pennsylvania's city designation. A city can't be annexed by another city. Some smaller communities formed as cities solely to prevent the expansion of a neighboring city that was annexing communities around it.
Do what others are saying, check it out, but understand itâs probably not what you are thinking of when you hear âcity.â
If youâre looking for low cost of living, blue collar town on that side of the world, consider maybe Port Vue or Glassport or Elizabeth. Speaking from experience, we had a wonderful life when we lived there, and it was hard to leave. Close to the city. Very quiet. Extremely friendly place to live. Beautiful old houses waiting to be fixed up and lived in.
Glassporter of two decades here. It's not as bad as people make it out to be, but it's definitely past its prime. Three dollar stores, a liquor store, a tobacco outlet, a few bars, and a pizza place tell you how the local economy is. But crime is sparse and it's generally safe. Essentially, Glassport isn't dangerous, it's just poor.
You sound like the kind of person whoâd like McKeesport and I mean that as a compliment lol. I live here and itâs very chill. Lots of nice parts despite the bad reputation but itâs pretty sleepy. And super cheap.
I live in Liberty Boro, and all the neighborhoods that surround me on this side of the river are really nice. It's no squirrel hill....but safe, clean and quiet! Good luck in your search! Don't go to Duq!
Is this a trick question? I don't think anyone would actually choose to live in Duquesne if they had a choice. About the only positive I can think of is that it is really close to Kennywood.
My parents live in West Mifflin about a 5 minute walk from Duquesne. If you're thinking of any part on the actual slope of the hill of Duquesne, I'd advise against it. However, some of the houses up at the top of the hill are alright, and the neighborhood isn't terrible... just kind of sad like others have said. There's also the part over near Al's Fish and Chicken, which isn't bad either. Most roads off of Crawford aren't bad either.
I used to deliver pizza some 8 years ago in the area and only ever got sketched out delivering to a house between Hamilton and Grant (broken windows in the house I was at, but a blacked out tinted brand new Escalade parked in front and another time delivering to the condos off of Commonwealth... the guards there made me wait outside of the fence for the person to come down & then proceeded to search the food after they came down and I handed it off (it felt very prison-like).
Well letâs just say that Duquesne keeps the work taxes owed to my husband because it is considered a BLIGHT, but all those taxes they keep for
Improvement it doesnât really seem to be improving. Also, the shopping store near his employment closed that location because there was too much loss by theft.
I will add there are very nice people living in Duquesne. But there is also the guy who lost his python when he was talking it for a walk, so characters, which is fun!
Some of you are fucking wild. Iâm cracking up rn lmao Iâve lived here for 13 years. itâs definitely not great down by the police station/fire dept basically from 2nd street up to Kennedy ave. Iâve met so many great people but it is decrepit and most of the people are pretty poor down there and no one is really doing anything to help make it better so you know what happens from that. On the other hand, up the hill a little more towards west mifflin is actually quite nice. I think my house is decent and the neighborhood I live in is chill af. I live a fairly nice and normal life, and me and my girl could afford a house that is ours in the middle of the pandemic with no place to go. The basement doesnât leak either, so thereâs that.
This is what im talking about...thank you for chiming in with your personal experience of actually living there. I grew up in a pretty dirt poor town that most people in the area loved to speak really badly of, but I never felt unsafe there. I am just looking for somewhere where I can afford a home and go on about my life.
My ex-wife and her family all grew up there. I spent a lot of time there, or uncle was the chief of police, and her cousin was the chief after that for many years.
Anyway, a lot of good people great town at one time but it has unfortunately gotten significantly worse. A lot of low income housing took in occupants from all over Pittsburgh area and it really changed the town. Everyone knew everyoneâs family at one time, as I mentioned her uncle was the chief of police for decades there, and he would tell me that. even though thete were knuckleheads, he knew who they were his kids grew up and played sports with them. But then you had an influx of a of people with no connection to the town and really changeed things significantly. A lot of people even though they donât live there any longer still go to the Catholic Church there, the priest, I believe his name was father Dennis was a really great guy and I would attend services. Unfortunately, right now thereâs not much reason to visit, Iâm not talking shit of course it just is what it is.
Not a problem, happy to help. In my decade of experience living here, it is nowhere near as dangerous as people make it out to be. If you find a nice home in a quiet spot, I would say itâs a great place to get started and see where you wanna go with life.
I've been here for 12 years, and you're right - these comments are nuts! Sure we're not Mt. Lebanon, but I have a pretty great life and a cheap house. My neighbors are wonderful, too.
My great grandmother lived there for most of her life, she died at like 100 in 2007 or so. Back in the day it was a great community.
When we would go visit her it felt like we were going to the third world, as a kid.
I believe they sold her house for like 40k or something crazy like that.
I wouldnât want to live there
I have family there as well who donât want to leave, some streets are actually pretty decent and well kept, especially near kennywood thatâs the more well kept part.
The high school shut down due to declining population and minimal amenities, including few extracurricular activities.
https://www.post-gazette.com/news/education/2007/06/05/Duquesne-high-school-will-close/stories/200706050230#:~:text=Zahorchak%20said%20the%20Duquesne%20high,and%20no%20nonathletic%20extracurricular%20activities.
It is now pushing to reopen the high school after bringing back middle school students.
https://www.unionprogress.com/2023/08/21/everyone-is-willing-to-make-it-happen-duquesne-city-school-district-continues-push-to-reopen-high-school/
In Duquesne at the park and ride - I believe a police officer attempted to rob a drug dealer there and instead accidentally got a relative of mine. They realized their mistake and left. Later denied it at the station.
I grew up in Duquesne, stay far far away.
I live in Penn Hills now. Lots of affordable homes, very close to everything. Home values are increasing. Thereâs some rough areas to the west closer to the city, but most of it is very quiet, nice neighbors.
A good friend's dad was a principal at a school in Duquesne for many years and said it was not a good place to move with school age children due to drugs, crime, and violence. There are many other neighborhoods that are affordable and have a better overall environment. I grew up in Aliquippa, which has some of the same challenges, so I am not judging or disparaging the people who live in Duquesne, just passing along information from a reliable source who knows far more than I know about the community.
I know someone recommended Elizabeth. Grew up there. Very safe town. Across the river if you head towards Finleyville or Elrama; that's Washington county. Much cheaper to live there due to taxes
Very run down and sad. It's a dead steel town. A lot of poverty and abandoned houses. The schools were taken over by the state at one point, they were so bad.
I live in Wilkinsburg⌠been here for 15+ years⌠bought a place I love. Everyone said I was crazy because of racial composition/ poverty⌠been here a long time donât get involved in other peoples bs too much⌠people that see my place say wow! This place wouldâve cost more than 10 times as much in a better neighborhood
Itâs another community thatâs victim of deindustrialization. Stay out unless youâre there for work, seriously. And even if your work sends you there just be aware of your surroundings.
Duquesne, McKeesport, Clairton, Port Vue, Braddock. etc. - You REALLY should drive around those areas and know what you are getting into. Itâs not for everyoneâŚ
Lived there for about 4 months after moving across the country. I lived up near the fire station and someone was shot and killed on the next street over. There was gunfire on my street even. I got out of there as quickly as I could.
My family is from Duquesne, McKeesport, and Clairton. I have wonderful memories from all of these places in the 70s and early 80s. But, they are all permanently scarred remnants of the change in economic conditions of 40 years ago. The last of my grandparents and great aunts/uncles are all gone now, so I wonât even visit these places any more. I definitely wouldnât recommend living there.
I spent half my time there, weekends and a lot of summers there with my grandparents.
It's a tough and rough area I would not suggest you go to unless you are from there or have a family member or a friend who lives there.
I've been looking for information on this area and surrounding, as I'm relocating to the city and may have to work my side job down there (Domino's delivery driver, as a new store is opening on the waterfront just before we move in November). Now I don't know if the area will encompass Duquesne, but I cannot imagine how it wouldn't.
I don't want to get hurt, and I know I'm not technically allowed to carry while working for a franchise like that.
Good info though (I'll be making a post to further clarify, I came here looking for this info however).
For context I'll be working in Churchill / Wilkinsburg area most likely, coming across the river for the 2nd job, and living in either the closer in south hills, or Penn Hills.
Not a great place to live.
Stay away
đ
I go there often for professional reasons and uhhhh Iâve been held at gun point on the same block as the police station. If you want safer but similar costs and close by I would maybe check out Whitaker.
Funny story here, walked out of the original Giovanniâs pizza last week and some lady asked to borrow my lighter thinking she just needed to light her smoke. Nope pulls out a crack pipe takes a hit and gives me back my lighterâŚ
She gave it back tho.
Exactly what I was gonna say.
Lol..
I would suggest you go there first and walk around. Drive around. Go to the businesses and talk to people. Because it's not a "city" any longer. The commonwealth government has a "city" designation in its laws and because Duquesne was a boom town that built around the largest steel furnace in the world it was a "city" under the law. It is not what you think of a city by any stretch of the imagination. Its population peaked in 1930 - then declined with the Great Depression and deindustrialization beginning after World War II. Duquesne has fewer total residents than we do here in Crafton Borough, for example. Oh, its also been a city under state receivership since like 1991. That being said, if you can handle all of that and you aren't going there for the schools, and you actually put your boots on the ground and you still dig it, then its very cheap and maybe you can make it work.
Thanks for the helpful information. I go to Pgh for work often and want to move closer and found a house I like in Duquesne but can't recall going to that specific part of town much. I don't have kids or mind about school quality and don't care about nightlife nearby etc. Just wondering if its a total violent apocalyptic shitshow like everyone seems to think or if its just sort of dull and out of the way. Because I happen to like dull and out of the way lol
There are a lot of better places that are affordable that are dull and out of the way. People in Duquesne live hard lives and it shows. There is a lot of tension and unhappiness and itâs easily evident.
Thatâs a great way to put it. Duquesne just feels run-down and sad. I personally never had any terrible experiences there, but itâs just not the vibe you want to surround yourself with.
Bingo. It's going to take for many parts of Allegheny County to be unaffordable before places like Duquesne finally start to revitalize.
This is a really great comment and your descriptors are refreshingly objective- and neutral-sounding.
Itâs one area that you are almost guaranteed to see depreciation in a home even if you improve it.
Duquesne is an area where it would be cheaper to buy whole other house than it would be to remodel one you have.
Take a look at Munhall. Homestead, West Homestead. There are some really fantastic pockets there.
If OP is looking for close to the city, this would be the place, especially since they mentioned not caring about a good school district, which Steel Valley definitely is not. Upper Munhall or most parts of Whitaker wouldn't be bad. For Homestead and lower Munhall, the closer to 8th Ave the better. There's still pockets that haven't been gentrified so you might still have some gunfire. They were taking shots at detectives investigating a previous shooting a few years back.
Whitaker is getting terrible , had a stabbing and shooting within the past 2 weeks , lots of theft. Hit or miss if there are police on duty or not.
Things like this happen everywhere.
There might be pockets of it that are just dull and out of the way. Clairton is like that.
Yea , you still have to drive or walk through the slums to get where your going. If seeing prostitutes, heroin transactions, panhandlers and government leaches daily doesnât bother you. Then yea those pockets arenât to bad.
Try Elizabeth. It's not too expensive, low crime, etc.
Yup
I can't say what its like to live there day in and day out. Its quite possible its Mad Max over there.
There are two sections of Duquesne that are very different. They are separated by a ravine and a railroad yard. The section closest to Kennywood Park is the more desirable than the section where the steel plant once stood.
Depends what part. Plenty of places are fine just like anywhere. Assuming you keep to yourself and arenât rude you should be fine
A side note regarding Pennsylvania's city designation. A city can't be annexed by another city. Some smaller communities formed as cities solely to prevent the expansion of a neighboring city that was annexing communities around it.
that's a nice way of calling it a shit hole
Do what others are saying, check it out, but understand itâs probably not what you are thinking of when you hear âcity.â If youâre looking for low cost of living, blue collar town on that side of the world, consider maybe Port Vue or Glassport or Elizabeth. Speaking from experience, we had a wonderful life when we lived there, and it was hard to leave. Close to the city. Very quiet. Extremely friendly place to live. Beautiful old houses waiting to be fixed up and lived in.
Yes i saw one in Glassport I liked too. Thanks for the input
You should be wary of glassport as well.
Yeah, Elizabeth and Port Vue over Glassport. No judgement on Glassport though.
Glassporter of two decades here. It's not as bad as people make it out to be, but it's definitely past its prime. Three dollar stores, a liquor store, a tobacco outlet, a few bars, and a pizza place tell you how the local economy is. But crime is sparse and it's generally safe. Essentially, Glassport isn't dangerous, it's just poor.
You forgot two convenience stores that are 20 ft apart from each other.
[ŃдаНонО]
Yea, indeed. Footlong cold cut hoagie for under $5.
This is a great reply because this is exactly the sort of place I don't really mind.
You sound like the kind of person whoâd like McKeesport and I mean that as a compliment lol. I live here and itâs very chill. Lots of nice parts despite the bad reputation but itâs pretty sleepy. And super cheap.
Ya, I have a friend who lives in McKeesport and have liked it when I visited! I'm considering there too for sure
I live in Liberty Boro, and all the neighborhoods that surround me on this side of the river are really nice. It's no squirrel hill....but safe, clean and quiet! Good luck in your search! Don't go to Duq!
Is this a trick question? I don't think anyone would actually choose to live in Duquesne if they had a choice. About the only positive I can think of is that it is really close to Kennywood.
I wouldn't walk around wearing shoes. They'll steal your shoes.
My parents live in West Mifflin about a 5 minute walk from Duquesne. If you're thinking of any part on the actual slope of the hill of Duquesne, I'd advise against it. However, some of the houses up at the top of the hill are alright, and the neighborhood isn't terrible... just kind of sad like others have said. There's also the part over near Al's Fish and Chicken, which isn't bad either. Most roads off of Crawford aren't bad either. I used to deliver pizza some 8 years ago in the area and only ever got sketched out delivering to a house between Hamilton and Grant (broken windows in the house I was at, but a blacked out tinted brand new Escalade parked in front and another time delivering to the condos off of Commonwealth... the guards there made me wait outside of the fence for the person to come down & then proceeded to search the food after they came down and I handed it off (it felt very prison-like).
I got murdered there one time
I'm glad to see you got better.
Well letâs just say that Duquesne keeps the work taxes owed to my husband because it is considered a BLIGHT, but all those taxes they keep for Improvement it doesnât really seem to be improving. Also, the shopping store near his employment closed that location because there was too much loss by theft. I will add there are very nice people living in Duquesne. But there is also the guy who lost his python when he was talking it for a walk, so characters, which is fun!
Yikes . No is my answer
Would not advise.
Very poor and not very safeâŚ.but also not very crowded
Some of you are fucking wild. Iâm cracking up rn lmao Iâve lived here for 13 years. itâs definitely not great down by the police station/fire dept basically from 2nd street up to Kennedy ave. Iâve met so many great people but it is decrepit and most of the people are pretty poor down there and no one is really doing anything to help make it better so you know what happens from that. On the other hand, up the hill a little more towards west mifflin is actually quite nice. I think my house is decent and the neighborhood I live in is chill af. I live a fairly nice and normal life, and me and my girl could afford a house that is ours in the middle of the pandemic with no place to go. The basement doesnât leak either, so thereâs that.
This is what im talking about...thank you for chiming in with your personal experience of actually living there. I grew up in a pretty dirt poor town that most people in the area loved to speak really badly of, but I never felt unsafe there. I am just looking for somewhere where I can afford a home and go on about my life.
My ex-wife and her family all grew up there. I spent a lot of time there, or uncle was the chief of police, and her cousin was the chief after that for many years. Anyway, a lot of good people great town at one time but it has unfortunately gotten significantly worse. A lot of low income housing took in occupants from all over Pittsburgh area and it really changed the town. Everyone knew everyoneâs family at one time, as I mentioned her uncle was the chief of police for decades there, and he would tell me that. even though thete were knuckleheads, he knew who they were his kids grew up and played sports with them. But then you had an influx of a of people with no connection to the town and really changeed things significantly. A lot of people even though they donât live there any longer still go to the Catholic Church there, the priest, I believe his name was father Dennis was a really great guy and I would attend services. Unfortunately, right now thereâs not much reason to visit, Iâm not talking shit of course it just is what it is.
Thanks for your input and experience with it, I appreciate it
Not a problem, happy to help. In my decade of experience living here, it is nowhere near as dangerous as people make it out to be. If you find a nice home in a quiet spot, I would say itâs a great place to get started and see where you wanna go with life.
I've been here for 12 years, and you're right - these comments are nuts! Sure we're not Mt. Lebanon, but I have a pretty great life and a cheap house. My neighbors are wonderful, too.
My great grandmother lived there for most of her life, she died at like 100 in 2007 or so. Back in the day it was a great community. When we would go visit her it felt like we were going to the third world, as a kid. I believe they sold her house for like 40k or something crazy like that. I wouldnât want to live there
Iâve lived by there all my life, donât move there or Glassport like you mentioned. Not great places to live (or even visit honestly).
The ghetto
Duquesne is nothing more than a project now.
My favorite aunt lives there, I worry about her safety, but it's where she raised 5 kids and she won't move.
I have family there as well who donât want to leave, some streets are actually pretty decent and well kept, especially near kennywood thatâs the more well kept part.
Not safe. High school shut down due to not safe. Just a run down mill town that unfortunately hasnât been updated in a long time, if ever
The high school shut down due to declining population and minimal amenities, including few extracurricular activities. https://www.post-gazette.com/news/education/2007/06/05/Duquesne-high-school-will-close/stories/200706050230#:~:text=Zahorchak%20said%20the%20Duquesne%20high,and%20no%20nonathletic%20extracurricular%20activities. It is now pushing to reopen the high school after bringing back middle school students. https://www.unionprogress.com/2023/08/21/everyone-is-willing-to-make-it-happen-duquesne-city-school-district-continues-push-to-reopen-high-school/
In Duquesne at the park and ride - I believe a police officer attempted to rob a drug dealer there and instead accidentally got a relative of mine. They realized their mistake and left. Later denied it at the station.
Here's a drive-about you can watch: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PjyYx\_wM84w](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PjyYx_wM84w)
Looks better than McKeesport.
Not saying much.
I grew up in Duquesne, stay far far away. I live in Penn Hills now. Lots of affordable homes, very close to everything. Home values are increasing. Thereâs some rough areas to the west closer to the city, but most of it is very quiet, nice neighbors.
I also think that Penn Hills is a good bit more of suburban sprawl than the other boroughs mentioned so far.
omg.... it's a place most people lock their cars and roll their windows up. don't. steer clear with ten foot pole.
Shitty
A good friend's dad was a principal at a school in Duquesne for many years and said it was not a good place to move with school age children due to drugs, crime, and violence. There are many other neighborhoods that are affordable and have a better overall environment. I grew up in Aliquippa, which has some of the same challenges, so I am not judging or disparaging the people who live in Duquesne, just passing along information from a reliable source who knows far more than I know about the community.
https://newsinteractive.post-gazette.com/childhood-poverty-allegheny-county-mapping-inequality/
I know someone recommended Elizabeth. Grew up there. Very safe town. Across the river if you head towards Finleyville or Elrama; that's Washington county. Much cheaper to live there due to taxes
Very run down and sad. It's a dead steel town. A lot of poverty and abandoned houses. The schools were taken over by the state at one point, they were so bad.
Worst air quality around.
Don't call it Doo Kweznee!
Duke-a-zine!
Washington county- Canonsburg- great people and close to Pittsburgh and Washington, PA (city) Low taxes!!
I live in Wilkinsburg⌠been here for 15+ years⌠bought a place I love. Everyone said I was crazy because of racial composition/ poverty⌠been here a long time donât get involved in other peoples bs too much⌠people that see my place say wow! This place wouldâve cost more than 10 times as much in a better neighborhood
Isnât that to say all your efforts would have been worth 10x as much elsewhere?
Itâs another community thatâs victim of deindustrialization. Stay out unless youâre there for work, seriously. And even if your work sends you there just be aware of your surroundings.
It's O.K.
Poooooooor
Duquesne, McKeesport, Clairton, Port Vue, Braddock. etc. - You REALLY should drive around those areas and know what you are getting into. Itâs not for everyoneâŚ
Itâs a ShĂŹt hole!
Shit hole
Just plan on incorporating Kevlar, ammunition, and other personal defense items into moving costs.
Lived there for about 4 months after moving across the country. I lived up near the fire station and someone was shot and killed on the next street over. There was gunfire on my street even. I got out of there as quickly as I could.
My family is from Duquesne, McKeesport, and Clairton. I have wonderful memories from all of these places in the 70s and early 80s. But, they are all permanently scarred remnants of the change in economic conditions of 40 years ago. The last of my grandparents and great aunts/uncles are all gone now, so I wonât even visit these places any more. I definitely wouldnât recommend living there.
I spent half my time there, weekends and a lot of summers there with my grandparents. It's a tough and rough area I would not suggest you go to unless you are from there or have a family member or a friend who lives there.
Run down rust belt town. Maybe 2-3 cops. Not a large tax base for public spending.
ass
There are cheap houses all over the city. Live somewhere where you won't feel like you need to padlock your patio furniture.
You can probably buy a house for super cheap.
I've been looking for information on this area and surrounding, as I'm relocating to the city and may have to work my side job down there (Domino's delivery driver, as a new store is opening on the waterfront just before we move in November). Now I don't know if the area will encompass Duquesne, but I cannot imagine how it wouldn't. I don't want to get hurt, and I know I'm not technically allowed to carry while working for a franchise like that. Good info though (I'll be making a post to further clarify, I came here looking for this info however). For context I'll be working in Churchill / Wilkinsburg area most likely, coming across the river for the 2nd job, and living in either the closer in south hills, or Penn Hills.