Guanacox

I am relocating from NYC to Pittsburgh.. The company I will be working for is located in the Canonsburg area.. My concern is pre-k’s/school and neighborhoods. I want to live out of the city, but not too far. I will first rent until I get familiar with the territory.

Please suggest good neighborhoods & schools districts.

Thanks

zabes

Mt. Lebanon or Upper St. Clair. Both are fairly close to Canonsburg as well as downtown and both have excellent schools. I grew up in Mt. Lebanon and it is a great place to raise kids.

rjw_lgb_ca

Either of those suburban communities would work for you. I grew up in neighboring Bethel Park, and the schools there were good (and as far as I know are still good). Housing prices are shockingly low (I now live in California-- enough said). However, property taxes look rather high. Can locals comment on that...?

BlackandGold

Canonsburg is actually about 20 miles south of Pittsburgh. It is in Washington County which has lower property taxes than Allegheny County. I don't know anything about the school districts in that area other than the Peters Township school district is rated # 11 in PA, but you may want to focus on Washington County if you plan to eventually buy.

tuscanlifeedit

Mt Lebanon has a slightly more urban feel, with a large village/neighborhood center that is walkable. I like it a lot but I like city living.

Upper St Clair is marginally closer to Canonsburg and has a more suburban feel to it. Malls, no walkable center.

Both of these are in Allegheny County, where Pittsburgh is the major city and taxes are a little higher than neighboring counties, but differ from school district to school district. Both Mt Lebanon and Upper St Clair are top rated school districts in Pennsylvania, surpassing what's nearby in things like test scores, graduation rates, college attendance, etc. You can find all this on the internet.

Heading south from Upper St Clair, towards Canonsburg, is Peters Township. Extremely suburban, pretty nice, more house for your money (although not cheap) but since it is in Washington and not Allegheny County, taxes can be lower. I know lots of people who are pleased with schools there, but that's totally anecdotal. I have more solid information on the school districts in Allegheny County.

All these places have very good neighborhoods, some more "neighborish" than others. Do you want a street where your kids can have friends, or a larger suburban spread?

Most of what's between Mt Lebanon and Canonsburg has upscale neighborhoods.

tuscanlifeedit

BlackandGold and I were posting at the same time

Steelersfan

The area around Canonsburg is a more recently growing area, newer plans of homes.
Yes, property taxes are lower in Washington County.
Since your work is in Canonsburg, and that also is out of the city, as others have said, may be the ideal area for your homesearch.
Lots of young couples raising their families in this area.

Most of the suburban schools are good districts, many preschools are actually church run. (though not necessarily a religious program!)

It's going to be VERY different from NYC, but also much less expensive. Most of what you asked has been covered, any additional questions?

Good luck with your move, and welcome to da Burgh!

Steelersfan

You will also be quite close to Meadows Racetrack and Casino, and the Tanger Outlets, this area is growing in recent years. Just about any kind of business you'd need or want will be nearby.
You're also close to Mingo Park and South Park for more "outdoorsy" pursuits.
If not Canonsburg, there are lots of great neighborhoods within commuting distance. A good realtor will be your new best friend!

Guanacox

@zabes, @rjw_lgb_ca, @BlackandGold, @tuscanlifeedit, @Steelersfan,

Thank you all for the educational data. We truly appreciate the time you have taken.