When it comes to the question of "Where to Buy," many buyers narrow their search by school district. Interestingly, even buyers without children consider the school district when house hunting because a good district is thought to protect a home's value.
So where exactly are the good districts in Pittsburgh? According to Niche.com's "2021 Best School Districts in the Pittsburgh Area," you can find a great district both north and south of the City of Pittsburgh.
And what does it cost? Below is a snapshot of the real estate market in the top five areas according to this article.
OVERALL QUICK STATS
Average Median Sale Price in a Top 5 District = $313,500
District with highest median sale price = Fox Chapel School District
District with the lowest median sale price = Hampton Township School District
District with most bedrooms on average = Upper St. Clair School District
#5 Hampton Township School District
Hampton Township School District, located north of the City of Pittsburgh, is a single-township district covering 16 square miles, and it includes three elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school
2019 Hampton Twp. Real Estate Stats
Total homes sold: 227
Median sale price: $273,500
Average home size: 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms
The most expensive home sold in Hampton in 2019 closed at $2,200,000 and was rumored to be the home of Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.
The least expensive sale closed at $55,000, and as far as I know belonged to a regular old private citizen.
#4 Upper St. Clair School District
Situated south of the City of Pittsburgh, Upper St. Clair School district serves one municipality of the same name. The district covers 10.5 square miles, and is made up of three elementary schools, two middle schools, and one high school.
2019 Upper St. Clair Real Estate Stats
Total homes sold: 291
Median sale price: $329,900
Average home size: 4 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms
The most expensive sale in Upper St. Clair was a new construction home that closed at $1,130,000. The least expensive sale was a home built in the 1950’s that sold for $129,900.
#3 North Allegheny School District
As its name indicates, North Allegheny School District is located just north of the City of Pittsburgh, and is made up by four municipalities—Bradford Woods Borough, Franklin Park Borough, Marshall Township, and the Town of McCandless. The district covers 48 square miles, and is divided into seven elementary schools, three middle schools, one intermediate school (grades 9 and 10), and one high school (grades 11 and 12).
2019 North Allegheny Real Estate Stats
Total homes sold: 752
Median sale price: $324,900
Average home size: 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms
The most expensive sale in North Allegheny School District in 2019 was an 11-year old home in Marshall Township that closed at $2,280,000. The least expensive sale in the district was also in Marshall township and closed at $28,000.
#2. Mount Lebanon School District
Mount Lebanon School District, which is just south of the City of Pittsburgh, services the municipality of Mt. Lebanon, and covers 6 square miles. The district includes seven elementary schools, two middle schools, and one high school.
2019 Mount Lebanon Real Estate Stats
Total homes sold: 493
Median sale price: $299,500
Average home size: 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms
The most expensive sale in Mount Lebanon was a 6,106 sqft home on Washington Rd., and closed at $1,355,000. The least expensive sale was a 2 bedroom unit in The Bower Hill at Mt. Lebanon, one of the few cooperative communities in the Pittsburgh area. It closed at $45,000.
#1. Fox Chapel School District
Fox Chapel School District, located northeast of the City of Pittsburgh, is made up of 6 municipalities, covering almost 36 square miles, and includes four elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school.
2019 Fox Chapel Real Estate Stats
Total homes sold: 335
Median sale price: $340,000
Average home size: 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms
The most expensive sale in the district closed at $3,200,000 in Indiana Township. The least expensive sale in the district was also in Indiana Township, and closed at $47,500.
TAKEAWAY
While the median sales price across the top five districts hovers around the high 200's to mid 300s, each district had a wide range of home sales in 2019. Whether looking for an affordable first home, or an expansive estate, price should not be a factor that keeps the majority of buyers out of a top 5 school district.
Ready to start your home search in one of these top five school districts? Contact me today!
Thanks for reading!
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