$369,245Average Value$309Average Price per Sq Ft1Home For Sale
Why live in Central Oakland, in Pittsburgh’s East End
Central Oakland is in the middle of a college town and medical district in Pittsburgh’s East End. The towering Cathedral of Learning centers the University of Pittsburgh’s campus on the neighborhood’s east side, and Carlow University and Carnegie Mellon University are also nearby. University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, one of the largest employers and healthcare providers in the city, operates multiple cutting-edge hospitals and specialist facilities in the area. These twin industries have massive footprints on Forbes and Fifth Avenue, feeding a constant stream of students and healthcare workers into buzzy restaurants, nightlife spots and tranquil public parks. Overall, it’s a lively, walkable community with developing commuter connection to downtown Pittsburgh.
Central Oakland is a highly populated college town.
Central Oakland is home to the University of Pittsburgh and includes many historic buildings.
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Renting, investing and parking in Central Oakland
Sidewalk-lined residential blocks slope away from Forbes Avenue. While many of the early 20th-century properties you see may have once been single-family homes, most have been turned into multifamily properties. “Almost everyone I’ve ever dealt with in Oakland has been an investor or a tenant. Very few people want to buy to live there like you do somewhere else in the city,” says Brian Schmidt, a Realtor with Re/Max Home Center who’s specialized in Pittsburgh and the surrounding area for 27 years. “There’s a huge percentage of investors from outside of Pittsburgh that own properties in Oakland. A large portion are parents whose kids go to school there or who will go to school there.” Prices range from the mid-$300,000s to the lower $700,000s, depending on the property’s number of units and renovation needs. If you have a car, be sure to get a parking permit from the city, as off-street parking is hard to come by. Street parking is competitive, especially through the academic year.
Homes sit on tightly packed blocks in Central Oakland.
Some of the nicer homes in Central Oakland have space between the buildings.
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Using Pittsburgh Regional Transit to get around Oakland and beyond
It’s already easy to walk, bike or catch a Pittsburgh Regional Transit bus in Central Oakland, and a PRT project is set to further enhance public transportation by 2027. “The new University Line is going to give higher-speed bus service from the city to Oakland,” Schmidt says. “That's going to bring more students and medical people into Oakland. It won’t be all stop-and-go traffic; it’ll make everything better and faster.” Whether you’re taking PRT or driving to commuter highways like Interstate 376, you can easily reach:
UPMC hospitals like Presbyterian, Magee-Womens Hospital and Western Psychiatric Hospital, all within a mile of home
The University of Pittsburgh, Carlow University and Carnegie Mellon University, also a mile or less away
Downtown Pittsburgh, 3 miles away
Pittsburgh International Airport, a 20-mile drive
I-376 will take residents from Central Oakland to downtown in a breeze.
Public transportation is constantly running through Central Oakland.
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Walkable restaurants and nightlife on Forbes and Fifth
The sidewalks on Forbes and Fifth avenues bustle with students and healthcare professionals traveling between hospitals and lecture halls. A healthy mix of apartment buildings, restaurants and nightlife spots fills these parallel commercial corridors and their connecting blocks. Some local favorites include:
Redhawk Coffee Roasters, a cool, cozy coffee shop to get some caffeine
Primanti Bros., Pittsburgh’s favorite casual chain, known for massive, fry-stacked sandwiches
Hemingway’s Cafe, a place to order a boozy pitcher with friends, play trivia and sing karaoke
Viva Los Tacos, a favorite for late-night Mexican eats and margaritas
The Porch, an airy spot to enjoy seasonal recipes next to Schenley Plaza
Beyond shopping at a handful of corner stores, you’ll need to leave Central Oakland for groceries. One of the closest stores is a Market District about 2 miles from home in Shadyside.
Divvy Coffee & Buns in Central Oakland is the perfect spot to study.
People love the tacos at Viva Los Tacos in Central Oakland.
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Green space at Schenley Plaza and Schenley Park
Schenley Plaza is a peaceful green on Central Oakland’s eastern edge, where you can picnic, ride the merry-go-round or throw a frisbee with views of the Cathedral of Learning. The plaza is part of the 450-plus-acre Schenley Park. One of Pittsburgh’s five regional parks, it's packed with attractions like Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, a swimming pool, a skating rink, forested hiking and biking trails, a golf course and multiple classic playgrounds and athletic amenities.
Tennis courts are part of the athletic fields at Schenley Park.
A group of dog walkers pass through Schenley Park.
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Student life and events with Carnegie institutions
Pitt’s events schedule contributes to the buzzy, college-town feeling found throughout Oakland. Crowds travel up cardiac hill when there’s a basketball game at the Petersen Events Center, and Bigelow Bash shuts down its namesake street with a free-to-students concert each spring. Central Oakland is also convenient to less collegiate fun. The nearby Carnegie Library holds plenty of small hobby classes at the main branch. Anchor exhibits and changing displays draw crowds to the Carnegie Museum of Art and Natural History.
Neighborhood schools and magnet programs through PPS
Kids who are too young to attend a local university are served by the Pittsburgh Public School District. PPS assigns students to neighborhood schools, but you can also apply to schools with magnet academic programs. The top-rated Pittsburgh Allderdice High School is a neighborhood school that has an engineering magnet program.
Pittsburgh Allderdice High School is top-rated.
Pittsburgh Greenfield K-8 draws students from 6 surrounding neighborhoods.
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Noise from college life and hospitals
Between campus events, emergency helicopters landing on hospital helipads and rush hour traffic, Central Oakland can be a noisy place. It's quieter over holiday breaks, but you can always expect some level of sound near Forbes and Fifth.
GreatSchools:
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
View GreatSchools Rating Methodology
Are you familiar with the Central Oakland neighborhood?
to let others know what life in this neighborhood is like.
Crime and Safety
1 - Low Crime, 10 - High Crime
Central Oakland
US
Homicide
6
4
Sexual Assault
6
4
Assault with Weapon
5
4
Robbery
4
4
Burglary
7
4
Motor Vehicle Theft
6
4
Larceny
5
4
Crime Score
5
4
Source: WhatIsMyCrimeRisk.com
Central Oakland Demographics and Home Trends
On average, homes in Central Oakland, Pittsburgh sell after 74 days on the market compared to the national average of 55 days. The median sale price for homes in Central Oakland, Pittsburgh over the last 12 months is $525,000, down 11% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
This triplex at 211 Coltart Avenue offers 3 separate units with a total of 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms. The property includes 3 parking spaces in the rear for easy access. First Floor Unit: Features 2 bedrooms and 1 bathroom, providing ample space for comfortable living.Second Floor Unit: Includes 1 bedroom and 1 bathroom, suitable for smaller households or individuals.Third Floor Unit:
Discover a quiet, well-maintained community offering exclusively 1 bedroom apartments in the center of Oakland. Just a short walk to Pitt and close to CMU and Duquesne campuses, this location is ideal for students and professionals alike.Enjoy the convenience of on-site laundry, off-street parking, 24/7 emergency maintenance, and attentive on site management.Live where everything
Immediate occupancy Location, Location, Location: Nestled on a classic Oakland street, you are literally minutes away from everything you need. Charming 1-bedroom, 1-bathroom apartment. This residence is an ideal home for students, medical professionals, and anyone looking to be in the center of it all.This second-floor unit offers a well-designed layout that maximizes both space and natural
John PolselliBERKSHIRE HATHAWAY THE PREFERRED REALTY
Parkview is close to Schenley Park, the bus and shuttle stops, and is within walking distance of many shops and restaurants. We are pet friendly with no breed or size restrictions (fees apply). There is coin operated laundry on site, 24 hr maintenance, and off-street assigned parking (fees apply).
5BR Multi-Level Home | 2 Kitchens | Walk to Pitt | Parking AvailableRare full-house recently updated rental in Central Oakland featuring 5 bedrooms, 2 kitchens, 2 full bathrooms, multiple living areas, basement laundry, and on-site parking.3417 Ward St offers a flexible multi-level layout that works exceptionally well for a group looking to live together while still maintaining
5BR Multi-Level Home | 2 Kitchens | Walk to Pitt | Parking AvailableRare full-house recently updated rental in Central Oakland featuring 5 bedrooms, 2 kitchens, 2 full bathrooms, multiple living areas, basement laundry, and on-site parking.3417 Ward St offers a flexible multi-level layout that works exceptionally well for a group looking to live together while still maintaining
Two-bedroom apartment(s) avail at 343 McKee Place in the heart of Oakland. Newly renovated, nice apt located in a secured building with cameras. Fantastic location! Close to Oakland Business District, universities, hospitals, Shadyside, south side, station square and much more. Avail Aug 1,2026. 2-bedroom apt for $1600 plus gas and electric. Security deposit required also. I am in Oakland every
One Bedroom apartment. Just remodeled kitchen and bathroom, new ceramic tiles in kitchen, bedroom and bathroom. Recently painted. 1/2 a mile walking distance to the University of Pittsburgh and CMU. All utilities is included in rent
Residential Victorian house overlooking historic Oakland Square. Close to all shops, food and schools. 10 minute walk to Forbes. This is a quiet block that is walking distance to PITT in only 8 minutes :-) CMU is a 15 minute walk or the shuttle bus that drops you off in front
Local Logic measures the walkability, access to public transit and bikeability of any address. CAP Index provides objective, accurate, and consistent data to help measure, compare, and mitigate crime risks.
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