“I was not a fan of Pittsburgh when I lived there. Maybe it’s gotten better” If it’s been many years since you lived in Pittsburgh, there have been many changes in the last 10 or 20 years. It usually does well in quality of life surveys and the cost of living makes it more affordable than many other major cities. It is not Boston or San Francisco but it has its own charms. But I agree, that many young kids would probably prefer living in Boston or San Francisco than Pittsburgh. They want to be where they perceive the action to be, whether that’s a particular college, city , or company.