Central Oakland

Pittsburgh, PA

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Central Oakland - Pittsburgh, PA

Area Guide

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A historic suburb just outside Downtown Pittsburgh

Historic Nature Walkable Restaurants Community

Less than five miles east of Downtown Pittsburgh, Central Oakland is convenient to both the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University. A mix of shops and restaurants line Atwood Avenue, the commercial center of this district, while many apartments for rent sit among the side streets.

Central Oakland shares its border with Schenley Park, a must for anyone who loves the outdoors. You can take part in a variety of sports at the Schenley Oval Sportsplex or walk among the flowers at the Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens. One of the highlights of Phipps, the Butterfly Forest, lets visitors enjoy enchanting views of butterflies flying freely throughout the glasshouse room.

Central Oakland provides a rich amount of food options. Stop by the Pittsburgh Popcorn Company for some free samples, or grab a hot dog at the Original Hot Dog Shop, a neighborhood institution since 1960. After your meal, walk along the streets and admire the renovated Victorian buildings.

Rent Trends

As of January 2026, the average apartment rent in Central Oakland is $821 for a studio, $1,056 for one bedroom, $1,644 for two bedrooms, and $2,089 for three bedrooms. Apartment rent in Central Oakland has increased by 3.0% in the past year.

  • Studio

  • 297 sq ft

    Average Sq Ft

  • $821/month

    Average Rent

  • 1 BR

  • 423 sq ft

    Average Sq Ft

  • $1,056/month

    Average Rent

  • 2 BR

  • 784 sq ft

    Average Sq Ft

  • $1,644/month

    Average Rent

  • 3 BR

  • 548 sq ft

    Average Sq Ft

  • $2,089/month

    Average Rent

Transportation

92

Walker's Paradise

out of 100 WalkScore® Rating

Lace up your walking shoes because this area is considered a walker’s paradise.

69

Excellent Transit

out of 100 TransitScore® Rating

You’ll have excellent transit living in this area, with several nearby transit stops.

76

Very Bikeable

out of 100 BikeScore® Rating

This area is very bikeable. You’ll find a variety of bike paths and lanes.

Reviews of Central Oakland - Pittsburgh, PA

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3.5 11 Reviews

Niche User

9 years and 5 months agoNiche Review

The city police are available in an abundance along with assistance from campus police. City events have a heavy police presence. Unfortunately with every city comes crime, but for the most part there is a safe atmosphere.

Niche User

9 years and 10 months agoNiche Review

This is a diversified area with a lot to do

Niche User

9 years and 11 months agoNiche Review

Average of america I would say.

See All Reviews on Niche.com

Points of Interest

Parks and Recreation

  • Carnegie Museum of Natural History
  • Phipps Conservatory and Gardens
  • Schenley Park
  • Chatham Arboretum
  • Frick Environmental Center

Airports

  • Pittsburgh International
  • Arnold Palmer Regional

Top Apartments in Central Oakland

Houses for Rent in Central Oakland

Property Management Companies

Search Nearby Rentals

Methodology

† Our analysis of utilities, groceries, transportation, healthcare, home prices, and other goods and services is sourced from the Cost of Living Index, a respected benchmark published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) that provides a thorough overview of living expenses across different regions.

Rent data is provided by CoStar Group’s Market Trend reports. As the industry leader in commercial real estate information, analytics, and news, CoStar conducts extensive research to produce and maintain a comprehensive database of commercial real estate information. We combine this data with public record to provide the most up-to-date rental information available.

Consumer goods, services, and home prices are sourced from the Cost of Living Index published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER). The data on this page is updated quarterly. It was last published in November 2025.