Anchored by the Allegheny, Monongahela and Ohio Rivers, Pittsburgh has a rich industrial history dating back to the late 19th century. Steel production began in 1875 when Andrew Carnegie built the Edgar Thomson Steel Works along the shores of the Monongahela River, laying the foundation for an empire that would eventually become synonymous with the Steel City. Growth peaked in the 1950s as Pittsburgh accounted for half of the nation’s steel production and its population rapidly approached 700,000, making it the eighth-largest city in the country. As the steel industry declined throughout the 1970s and ‘80s, Pittsburgh underwent rapid deindustrialization and depopulation, with nearly 350,000 people moving away from the city.
Following the collapse of the steel industry, Pittsburgh has reinvented itself as a global hub for education, healthcare and innovation. With more than 29 colleges and universities, Forbes lists Pittsburgh as one of the top 100 most educated cities in the United States. The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center is the city’s largest employer, employing over 100,000 people across its award-winning hospitals and outpatient centers. As of 2024, Pittsburgh is also home to six Fortune 500 companies: PNC Financial Services Group, WESCO International, PPG Industries, United States Steel, Alcoa and Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies. Several tech companies have offices or headquarters in Pittsburgh, including Google, Amazon, Facebook and Duolingo.
Source: Homes.com
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