PlainZIP

Pittsburgh, PA · standard

ZIP Code 15221

Allegheny County, Pennsylvania - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

31,060
1,951/sq mi
$55,028
Median income
$171,300
Median home value
41.8%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Pittsburgh pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with below-median home values, in a low-density, mixed-tenure area.

21th pct
household income, US ZIPs
35th pct
home value, US ZIPs
1,951
people per sq mi
45%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 15221 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 15221 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, with 31,060 residents across 15.9 square miles, a density of 1,951 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 15221 reports a modest median household income of $55,028 (29% below the Pennsylvania average), while per-capita income is $40,791. The poverty rate stands at 19.2% and the unemployment rate at 9.4%. Median home value sits at $171,300 (25% below the state average), median rent at $997 a month, and owner-occupancy at 44.7%.

A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 41.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 39, and the average commute is 28 minutes. To put 15221 in local context, 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 6 additional ZIPs in Allegheny County, for a geography-aware comparison.

Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →

Top industries in ZIP 15221

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Pittsburgh, PA

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 15221.

establishments

What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 15221, Pittsburgh, PA · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.

Quick Facts

31,060

Population

15.9

Area (sq mi)

1,951

People / sq mi

New York

Time Zone

standard

ZIP Type

Neighborhood Scorecard
Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.
View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 15221?

39.0

Median Age

47.1%

Male

52.9%

Female

3.8%

Foreign-Born

White 46.1%
African American 42.1%
Asian 1.8%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 8.6%
Hispanic or Latino 4.0%

Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How much do residents earn?

$55,028

Median Household Income

-29% vs state

$40,791

Per Capita Income

19.2%

Poverty Rate

9.4%

Unemployment Rate

28.2 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 15221 ranks nationally

Pittsburgh, PA household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$55,028 21st percentile higher than 21% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Above this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What is the education profile here?

High School Graduate or Higher 65.4%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 41.8%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

17,268

Total Housing Units

14,685

Occupied Units

2,583

Vacant Units

1.99

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 44.7%
Renter 55.3%

$171,300

Median Home Value

-25% vs state

$997

Median Rent

1951

Median Year Built

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How have home values changed over time?

FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals

+5.3%

YoY Change (2024)

258

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+158%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 15221 have increased 5.3% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +158% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +3.4% 181
2021 +10.2% 200
2022 +12.5% 225
2023 +9.1% 245
2024 +5.3% 258

Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 502 business establishments in ZIP 15221, employing approximately 7,950 people with a combined annual payroll of $368,821,000.

502

Businesses

7,950

Employees

$368.8M

Annual Payroll

16

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Health care and social assistance 121 24.1%
Retail trade 54 10.8%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 49 9.8%
Other services (except public administration) 49 9.8%
Real estate and rental and leasing 37 7.4%
Construction 36 7.2%
Accommodation and food services 34 6.8%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 29 5.8%
Finance and insurance 25 5.0%
Wholesale trade 15 3.0%
Manufacturing 10 2.0%
Information 10 2.0%
Educational services 10 2.0%
Transportation and warehousing 9 1.8%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 9 1.8%
Management of companies and enterprises 3 0.6%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.

Nearby ZIP Codes

Want a side-by-side? Compare 15221 vs 15104 →

ZIP 15221 vs its nearest neighbors, by population

Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 15221 ranks #2 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 15221 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

median income

What this shows By household income, ZIP 15221 ranks #7 of 9 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
15104 Braddock, PA 9,038 2.1 mi
15218 Pittsburgh, PA 13,851 1.5 mi
15208 Pittsburgh, PA 10,406 2.2 mi
15112 East Pittsburgh, PA 3,292 2.5 mi
15217 Pittsburgh, PA 27,220 2.9 mi
15145 Turtle Creek, PA 7,132 2.5 mi
15235 Pittsburgh, PA 34,580 2.9 mi
15110 Duquesne, PA 5,565 4.3 mi
15120 Homestead, PA 18,931 3.4 mi
15232 Pittsburgh, PA 11,374 3.7 mi

More ZIP Codes in Allegheny County

15237 standard
Pittsburgh, PA
Pop: 41,895
15108 standard
Coraopolis, PA
Pop: 40,153
15235 standard
Pittsburgh, PA
Pop: 34,580
15213 standard
Pittsburgh, PA
Pop: 30,844
15236 standard
Pittsburgh, PA
Pop: 29,724
15102 standard
Bethel Park, PA
Pop: 29,529

Related Areas

Allegheny County Pittsburgh, PA Pennsylvania

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 15221 in? ▼
ZIP code 15221 (Pittsburgh) is located in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. Allegheny County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/allegheny-pa.
What is the population of ZIP code 15221? ▼
ZIP code 15221 in Pittsburgh, PA has a population of 31,060 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 15221? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 15221 is $55,028, which is 28% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 15221? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 15221 is $171,300, which is 38% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 15221? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 15221 is White at 46.1%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 4.0% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 15221? ▼
ZIP code 15221 has 502 business establishments employing approximately 7,950 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 15221? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 15221 are: Health care and social assistance (121), Retail trade (54), Professional, scientific, and technical services (49). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 15221? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 15221 increased by 5.3% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 158%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 15221? ▼
In ZIP code 15221, 65.4% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 41.8% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 15221? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 15221 is 28.2 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend more time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 15221? ▼
In ZIP code 15221, approximately 44.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 55.3% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 15221? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 15221 is 19.2% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.