A Rust Belt city reinventing itself on the Ohio River
Bordering the Ohio River, Aliquippa has a rich industrial history dating back to the early 20th century. The Jones and Laughlin Steel Corp. opened its doors along the riverfront in 1910, laying the foundation for what would become one of the region’s most prosperous company towns. The community flourished throughout the first half of the 20th century, and its population swelled to more than 27,000 as demand for steel increased during World War II. Then, like many Rust Belt cities in Pennsylvania, the city underwent rapid deindustrialization and depopulation in the 1970s and ‘80s as the steel industry declined and J&L shut down the Aliquippa Works.
Today, the place where the Aliquippa Works once stood is now occupied by the Aliquippa Industrial Park, home to more than 20 warehousing, manufacturing and wholesale companies. It has plans to continue expanding, with Versatex investing more than $40 million into the facility in 2024. Perhaps the biggest project coming to Aliquippa is the construction of a new steel mill along the riverfront, which will be 72 Steel’s first manufacturing plant. The $218 million project is expected to be completed in 2025, and it will create more than 300 jobs. Aliquippa’s population now hovers around 9,000, and many of those who remain are longtime residents invested in the city’s ongoing revitalization. “It definitely was a town founded on steel. I would say it’s an extremely tight-knit community where everyone will look out for each other,” says Mark Gulla, a Realtor with Re/Max Select Realty with more than 10 years of experience in the industry. “It’s the kind of place where you go to a local restaurant and know all of the people in there.”
The Ohio River runs along the city of Aliquippa.
Aliquippa is known to be a steel working town.
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Home prices in Aliquippa are less than half the national median
J&L Steel and the Woodland Land Co. developed Aliquippa in 12 separate plans from 1910 through 1913. The community served as a prime example of a company town, and residential developments were meant to house workers, supervisors and their families. Most of the company homes were demolished after J&L Steel closed its doors, and few remain standing today. In 2021, the city received more than $140,000 from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development to help fund the demolition of abandoned homes and clear the way for new residential development. Homebuyers today will find a mix of workers cottages, Foursquares and Colonial Revivals built throughout the early 20th century. Farther from the riverfront, Cape Cod and ranch-style homes are the norm. The median price of single-family homes is around $175,000, less than half the national median and significantly less than the median price across the greater Pittsburgh Metropolitan Area. “There are a lot of first-time homebuyers because of the affordability factor,” Gulla says. “Aliquippa is also one of the untapped markets for investors. When I get a listing in Aliquippa, I get excited because I know it’s going to sell quickly." Older cities like Aliquippa are more likely to have lead pipes, and in 2024, the Municipal Water Authority of Aliquippa found elevated levels of lead in some of the city’s drinking water. The MWAA is conducting further testing and opened a new water filtration plant in 2024 to reduce iron and manganese concentrations in the city’s drinking water. Aliquippa has an overall CAP Index crime score of 5 out of 10, slightly higher than the national average of 4.
In Aliquippa, a ranch style house is perfect for a first time home owner.
Neighbors in Aliquippa keep their yards nice and tidy.
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Award-winning football team in The Aliquippa School District
The Aliquippa School District earns an overall grade of D-plus from Niche and has an average student-teacher ratio of 11-to-1. It consists of Aliquippa Elementary School and Aliquippa Junior/Senior High School, both of which receive a C-minus from Niche. The high school is known for its award-winning football team, which won its 20th WPIAL championship in 2023 and is the only high school in the country to have three alumni in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. “The first thing I think of when I hear Aliquippa is that tradition of sports,” Gulla says, "They love their sports." Kraft Heinz donated $1.3 million to the school district in 2023 to help fund the Aliquippa Athletic and Academic Center, which will be attached to the high school’s new Heinz Field. Construction is ongoing and is expected to be completed by the end of 2025. Nearby private school options include Our Lady of Fatima Catholic School, which serves prekindergarten through eighth grade.
Aliquippa Elementary School provides a nurturing environment for children.
Aliquippa Junior/Senior High School is a fun and safe place for students to learn.
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Pocket parks, the historic B.F. Jones Memorial Library and a nearby golf course
Aliquippa has several green spaces and community playgrounds. Local favorites include Louis ‘Lefty’ Cepull Memorial Park, which features various athletic fields, a playground and a memorial to local Veterans. Named after the founder of J&L Steel, The B.F. Jones Memorial Library opened its doors in 1929 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a prime example of Italian Renaissance Revival-style architecture. Its limestone façade and Ionic columns bring a historic feel to Franklin Avenue, and the library continues to support residents nearly a century after its opening with educational and recreational programming for all ages. Residents can also join the Aliquippa Bucktails, a sportsmen club with opportunities for archery, skeet shooting and more. The Shadow Lakes Country Club is less than 3 miles away, and its 18-hole golf course is open to the public. The city experiences all four seasons, with humid summers and cool winters that are typical across the rest of the Pittsburgh Metro Area.
Louis 'Lefty' Cepull Memorial Park is a perfect place for the young ones to play in Aliquippa.
Benjamin Franklin Jones is memorialized at the B.F. Jones Memorial Library in Aliquippa.
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Shopping and dining along Brodhead Road
Throughout the early 20th century, Franklin Avenue served as Aliquippa’s main commercial corridor, bustling with activity as mill workers made their way down to the riverfront. While many of its storefronts are now vacant, local businesses like Uncommon Grounds and eQuip Books continue to serve the community. Today, most shopping and dining is centered around the western half of the city along Brodhead Road. It features a mix of shopping plazas, fast-casual restaurants and local eateries like Mac’s Donut Shop. For more shopping and dining, Beaver Valley Mall is less than 10 miles away and has nearly 100 different retailers.
Residents of Aliquippa shop along Brodhead Road for their essentials.
Mac's Donuts has delicious fresh donuts to suit every taste in Aliquippa.
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Annual San Rocco Festa and Aliquippa Greek Food & Music Festival
Italian immigrants settled in Aliquippa throughout the early 20th century, and the city celebrates its Italian American roots each summer at the San Rocco Festa. “I go to that every year, and it’s really a community built on pride and passion,” Gulla says. “People march through the streets and express their Italian American pride. There’s great food, and you’ll see people you haven’t seen in a long time.” Local houses of worship include the Kimisis Tis Theotokou Greek Orthodox Church, which brings hundreds of people to the city each summer for its annual Aliquippa Greek Food & Music Festival.
A large line forms for food at the Greek Food and Music Festival in Aliquippa.
The annual Greek Food and Music Festival in Aliquippa delights locals with music.
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I-376, Pittsburgh commutes and BCTA bus service
Residents typically rely on their cars to get around. Aliquippa offers access to major thoroughfares like Interstate 376, which provides direct routes to Pittsburgh and Pittsburgh International Airport. The Steel City is less than 30 miles from Aliquippa, while the airport is about a 12-mile drive away. The Beaver County Transit Authority offers local bus service, with stops concentrated along the Franklin Avenue and Broadhead Road corridors.
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