Small city with a vibrant downtown in Westmoreland County
Once a wagon trail stretching from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh, East Pittsburgh Street now anchors the small city of Greensburg. In recent years, the city has seen a revitalization after encouraging growth in downtown Greensburg. “The culture in downtown Greensburg is really nice. They’ve done a great job updating the city and developing the area,” says Melissa Merriman, a Realtor with Keller Williams Realty and former resident. “There are breweries, great restaurants and an arts district that brings in big-name entertainment.” Initiatives like the Downtown Greensburg Project and local organizations such as the Greensburg Redevelopment Commission and Greensburg Community Development Corp. have played an essential role in the expansion of downtown Greensburg, with future plans to develop the city center into an “18-hour downtown” humming with activity from sunup to sundown.
Greensburg also serves as the county seat for Westmoreland County and is home to government buildings like the Westmoreland County Courthouse and the Westmoreland County Sheriff’s Office. As of 2023, the U.S. Census Bureau estimates the city’s population at around 14,600, a 2% decrease since 2020. According to a 2023 report from the Center for Rural Pennsylvania, Westmoreland County is projected to see a 16% drop in its population by 2050, which would be the second largest of any county in Pennsylvania. Population loss has been an ongoing issue since the collapse of the steel industry in the 1980s, and the county is working to create more jobs to combat the issue. Recent investments include $81 million to create 300 new jobs at the New Kensington Advanced Manufacturing Park, and in May 2024, the county was awarded another $2.5 million from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to help fund the creation of a new 217-acre business park in Bovard.
The Independence Health System is the largest employer in Westmoreland County, and its headquarters are in Greensburg. Across its five hospitals, IHS employs 7,300 people, making it the third-largest healthcare system in Western Pennsylvania. Greensburg is also home to Westmoreland Hospital and Seton Hill University, which serves as a satellite campus for the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine. Just under 2,000 students attend the university, while around 4,300 are enrolled at its LECOM campus. Part of the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Area, Greensburg is about a 34-mile drive from Steel City. “It’s on the outskirts, so it doesn’t have the hustle and bustle of downtown Pittsburgh, but it’s only a short drive away if you do want to have a night out in the city,” Merriman says.
Greensburg has everything one could need to live without leaving the neighborhood.
The Westmoreland sign is located just outside the courthouse in downtown Greensburg.
The Independence Health System is the largest employer in Westmoreland County.
A resident walks down the street in Greensburg, among large historic architecture.
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Downtown Greensburg, local businesses and the Westmoreland Mall
Downtown Greensburg offers a vibrant commercial corridor centered around North Main Street and West Pittsburgh Street. “What’s nice about downtown is the diversity of architecture. The Greensburg Redevelopment Commission has done a great job mixing historic buildings with newer construction,” Merriman says. Thanks to the Downtown Greensburg Project, the city center is packed with local shops, restaurants and events. Stores like Rabbit Hole Records and Main Street Sweets sit down the street from coffee shops such as The White Rabbit Café and Patisserie. The food scene spans the globe, ranging from traditional Italian dishes at Olives and Peppers to Syrian dishes at Sittay’s Mediterranean Kitchen. All Saints Brewing Company serves craft beverages, and the brewery is also home to the weekly Farmers Market of Greensburg. Events downtown include Greensburg Craft Beer Week, Greensburg Restaurant Week and the seasonal Greensburg Night Market.
Larger shopping centers are the norm around the outskirts of Greensburg. The Hempfield Square shopping center features Target, Lowe’s and Giant Eagle Supermarket. The Westmoreland Mall is less than 2 miles away and offers more than 170 retailers, making it the largest shopping destination between Pittsburgh and Lancaster. The mall is also home to Live! Casino Pittsburgh, which produced over $100 million in revenue in 2022.
The Westmoreland Mall is a hub for shopping in the Bovard area.
Residents decide on their favorite tea at The White Rabbit Cafe and Patisserie in Greensburg.
A colorful piece of culinary art is served up at Main Street Sweets in Greensburg.
Shops line the downtown strip of Greensburg, PA.
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Prices for single-family homes are below the national average
There are eight wards in Greensburg, each made up of several neighborhoods. These include two neighborhoods listed on the National Register of Historic Places: the Greensburg Downtown Historic District and the Academy Hill Historic District. Other notable communities are the Shuey Plan, which was developed between the 1930s and ‘40s and overlooks Seton Hill University, and the Hilltop, an established neighborhood in the city’s southwestern corner with a rich Italian history. Newer developments like Saybrook Village and Evergreen Hill date to the 1990s and sit in the city’s northern half. Colonial Revival, ranch-style, split-level and Cape Cod-style homes are the norm, although traditional Foursquares are common in the city center. The median price for single-family homes in Greensburg is $230,000, significantly lower than the national average of around $420,000. This number is also lower than the median price of homes in Pittsburgh, which as of August 2024, was $274,000. “Greensburg is also more affordable than living in Allegheny County. You can get a house for around $200,000, so it’s very affordable for first-time homebuyers,” Merriman says. Homes here typically sell after 64 days on the market, about 31% longer than the national average of 44 days. There are several townhouse developments in Greensburg, including a new construction community built in the early 2020s. The median price for townhouses is $225,000, but new construction can fetch upwards of $270,000.
Greensburg has a plethora of architecture styles ranging from ranch, cape code, to split levels.
Southwest Greensburg neighborhoods featuring below-ground garages and Cape Cod style homes.
Foursquare houses are common in in Greensburg.
A colonial style home is perfect for a growing family in Greensburg.
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Abundant green spaces, Five Star Trail and a vibrant cultural district
There are nine playgrounds in the city of Greensburg, and 68% of residents live within a 10-minute walk of a park. The Thomas Lynch Field Complex serves as the city’s main outdoor space and features a playground, an aerobic center and various athletic facilities. It’s also home to the Veterans’ Memorial Pool and Kirk S. Nevin Arena, an indoor ice arena that hosts the Westmoreland Hockey Association. Following the Southwestern Pennsylvania Railroad corridor, Five Star Trail spans nearly 8 miles between Greensburg’s Lynch Field and the borough of Youngwood, where it then connects with the Sewickley Creek Trail. Greensburg Country Club features a private 18-hole golf course, while Mt. Odin Golf Course offers a public 18-hole course and driving range. The Greensburg Hempfield Area Library offers programs for all ages, including craft nights for adults and story times for children. Adopted in 2022, Shape Greensburg proposes a comprehensive plan for the city that includes a vision of Great Parks for Everyone. While most plans are still in the works, upgrades to the city’s Spring Avenue Park were completed in 2024.
In addition to shopping and dining, downtown Greensburg is home to the city’s robust cultural district. The Westmoreland Museum of American Art offers free admission, and visitors can see a rotating cast of exhibits that complement the museum’s permanent collection. The permanent collection covers four centuries of American art, with a special focus on Southwestern Pennsylvania. Dating to 1926, the Palace Theatre is home to the Westmoreland Symphony Orchestra and serves as a popular venue for Pittsburgh’s River City Brass band. The theatre also hosts local arts groups alongside big-ticket entertainers, including past performances from the Blue Man Group, Cyndi Lauper and comedians like Bill Engvall. Stage Right! is a local nonprofit organization with various performing arts classes, while the Greensburg Civic Theatre puts on three main-stage shows each season.
A resident sits and relaxes on a Lynch Park bench in Greensburg.
Greensburg Country Club, in Greensburg, is perfect for a relaxing 18 holes of golf.
The Greensburg-Hempfield Area Library has a creative and colorful children's section.
The historic Palace Theatre in Greensburg hosts concerts and live events.
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Free concerts, seasonal festivities and Shuey Burgers
The sounds of Greensburg can be heard all summer at the Robertshaw Amphitheater in St. Clair Park. SummerSounds brings a free weekly concert series to the park each year, while Summer Sparklers celebrates the Fourth of July with a performance from the Westmoreland Symphony Orchestra.
Events in downtown Greensburg include the Greensburg Music Fest, which highlights local bands, food trucks and artists each August. The city’s annual Holiday Parade marks the beginning of winter, including an appearance from Mr. and Mrs. Claus, as residents line up along North Main Street to watch the festivities. The Greensburg Volunteer Fire Department Hose Company No. 8 hosts seasonal burger bashes for the community, serving up a local favorite known as the Shuey Burger. Named after a former member of the fire department, the Shuey Burger is topped with sauteed Vidalia onions and has become a signature dish in Greensburg and beyond.
Residents enjoy live music as they walk from vendor to vendor at the Greensburg Night Market.
Hear the Rhythms of Summer as you pass through downtown Greensburg.
You will find friendly people at Old Salem Farmers Market in Greensburg.
Cross West Otterman Street to hear the Rhythms of Summer.
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Students can attend the Greensburg Salem School District
The Greensburg Salem School District earns a B from Niche and has an average student-teacher ratio of 14-to-1. The district consists of three elementary schools, a middle school and a high school, all of which receive a B or B-minus from Niche. The Diocese of Greensburg offers 12 private Catholic schools in the area, including Greensburg Central Catholic Junior-Senior High School. Greensburg is also home to Seton Hill University, a private Catholic university serving about 2,200 undergraduate and graduate students. The University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg is about 2 miles south in Hempfield Township.
Fort Allen Elementary School is located within a couple blocks to the middle and high schools.
Harold Middle School is dedicated to setting up students for a successful future.
Hempfield Area Senior High is a large campus with a beautiful turf football field.
Seton Hill University, sits high on a hill top in Greensburg.
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Highway access, local bus service and an Amtrak station
Outside of its walkable downtown, Greensburg is largely car-dependent. U.S. Route 119 and U.S. Route 30 pass through the city, connecting residents to major thoroughfares like Interstate 76. Pittsburgh is about a 34-mile drive away via I-76, also known as the Pennsylvania Turnpike, and Interstate 376. Westmoreland County Transit Authority offers local bus service, including a direct route to Pittsburgh. The Greensburg Amtrak station is served by Amtrak’s Pennsylvanian line, and the train stops at the station twice a day on its way from New York City to Pittsburgh. Arnold Palmer Regional Airport is about 10 miles away, and Spirit Airlines offers direct flights to two destinations: Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and Orlando, Florida. Pittsburgh International Airport is about a 50-mile drive away, and over 135 nonstop flights depart from the airport each day.
In 2023, Greensburg received a $20,000 grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Health’s WalkWorks program to help develop its Active Transportation Plan and improve pedestrian infrastructure. As of 2024, planning is ongoing, and the city is working to develop a Steering Committee to manage the project.
Crime rates and a four-season climate
Based on rates for both violent and property crimes, Greensburg earns a C-plus from Niche for overall crime and safety. According to the FBI’s Crime Data Explorer, the city ranks below national averages in all categories except for assault, where crime rates are about 25% higher than the national average.
Greensburg offers a four-season climate. Temperatures are typically the highest in July and August, climbing into the 80s. In the winter, temperatures dip into the 20s, and the city sees an average annual snowfall of about 32 inches. Greensburg typically sees about 43 inches of rain each year, with the wettest months being May, June and July.
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