Business Survivability in Pittsburgh, Atlanta

Quick Summary

• Best business: a Deli in Pittsburgh (~84% average survival rate, ~85% at best locations)
• Neighborhood rank: #14 across all neighborhoods in and around Atlanta
• Neighborhood average: ~73% two-year survival across all business types
• Rankings updated quarterly with latest market data
• Detailed methodology

Last reviewed: April 25, 2026 by Bobby Koons, StreetSpring founder — updated weekly

In this article:

• Summary
• Is Pittsburgh a good place to start a business?
• How to find the best location
• Best businesses to open
• How much money could a business make?
• What businesses should open next?
• Frequently Asked Questions

Summary

StreetSpring's 2026 analysis finds that the best business to open in Pittsburgh is a Deli with a ~84% chance of surviving at least 2 years across the neighborhood on average, with the best locations offering a ~85% chance; next is a Diner with a ~81% chance, followed by an Ukrainian Restaurant with a ~80% chance.

What does the data say about opening in Pittsburgh?

Across all neighborhoods in and around Atlanta, StreetSpring's data places Pittsburgh at #14 with a ~73% average Survivability Score.

• The most promising business types in the best locations score a ~2% higher chance of surviving 2 years than the average.
• However, these same business types at the worst locations in Pittsburgh can sometimes provide a projected Survivability Score considerably below the average. Thus, even the businesses that are most in need in Pittsburgh could have trouble succeeding if the best location is not selected.
• At 90.6% employed, Pittsburgh's consumer base has the spending capacity that makes the neighborhood viable for a wide range of business types — though location selection within the neighborhood still determines actual survivability.

Employment and vacancy figures sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey.

How can you find the best location to open a business in Pittsburgh?

The right address in Pittsburgh can mean a 20-point survivability difference from an average one — StreetSpring identifies exactly which addresses are worth pursuing. The map below highlights the highest-survivability address for a Deli in Pittsburgh:

Anchor tenants that lift survival odds

The highlighted area represents the address in Pittsburgh that StreetSpring's 2026 analysis ranks highest for a Deli survivability. These rankings are based on the latest available data; check StreetSpring for real-time updates. StreetSpring's scoring incorporates 100 inputs, including competitive quality and density, projected consumer spending, Revenue Capture Score, and mobility data.

Check if this location is still available →

The strongest business categories for Pittsburgh

#1-5: Highest Survivability in Pittsburgh

1. Opening a Deli in Pittsburgh shows ~84% average survivability. Top locations reach ~85%; lower-end sites show ~82%.
2. Diner (Ranked #2): ~81% average in Pittsburgh. Best-case storefronts: ~83%. Challenging locations: ~79%.
3. Ukrainian Restaurant is ranked #3 for top businesses to open in Pittsburgh: ~80% chance on average, best at ~83%, challenging at ~78%.
4. Acupuncture Clinic — ~78%–~83% survivability range, with an average of ~80% across Pittsburgh.
5. Opening an Italian Restaurant in Pittsburgh shows ~80% average survivability. Top locations reach ~82%; lower-end sites show ~79%.

#6-10: Strong Performers in Pittsburgh

6. Day Care Center (Ranked #6): ~80% average in Pittsburgh. Best-case storefronts: ~82%. Challenging locations: ~77%.
7. Watch Store or Repair Shop is ranked #7 for top businesses to open in Pittsburgh: ~79% chance on average, best at ~82%, challenging at ~76%.
8. Filipino Restaurant — ~77%–~81% survivability range, with an average of ~79% across Pittsburgh.
9. Opening a Kosher Restaurant in Pittsburgh shows ~79% average survivability. Top locations reach ~81%; lower-end sites show ~77%.
10. Dance Club (Ranked #10): ~78% average in Pittsburgh. Best-case storefronts: ~80%. Challenging locations: ~76%.

Top 3 Compared Nationally

• Deli — See how this compares to other cities →
• Diner — See how this compares to other cities →

How location selection in Pittsburgh affects revenue

Best location vs. average location

Based on StreetSpring's 2026 analysis, prioritizing survivability score in your site-selection process in Pittsburgh could lead to you making ~2% more than if you selected an average location, and ~4% more than if you selected one of the worst locations.

How StreetSpring calculates location value

• Even within a high-performing neighborhood, the best location varies by business type — StreetSpring scores each combination separately.
• Where you open matters more than anything else.
• StreetSpring's analysis shows that businesses in top-scoring locations generate meaningfully more revenue and stay open longer than those in average locations.
• StreetSpring's address-level precision means the difference between choosing a site with a 65% survival rate and one with a 90% rate — even within the same neighborhood.

What businesses should open next in Pittsburgh?

The top businesses to open next in Pittsburgh:

• Delis — ~84% average survival rate, up to ~85% at best locations
• Diners — ~81% average survival rate
• Ukrainian Restaurants — ~80% average survival rate

These rankings are based on the latest available data; check StreetSpring for real-time updates. The model draws from 100+ location-specific factors to generate each survivability score. With Pittsburgh's 90.6% employment rate factored in, the businesses best positioned to succeed here are those that benefit from a well-employed, spending-capable local consumer base. Survivability scores are live, not static — StreetSpring updates them weekly. Visit the tool to see what's currently available in Pittsburgh and how each address is scoring right now.

See the Survivability Score for your new business

Related Articles:

• See the Atlanta Business Survivability Rankings
• See the Atlanta Neighborhood Survivability Rankings

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are the most common questions about opening a business in Pittsburgh.

What type of business should you rent your Pittsburgh storefront to?

According to StreetSpring's 2026 data, the strongest tenant types for a storefront in Pittsburgh are Delis, Diners, and Ukrainian Restaurants.

• Where you open matters more than anything else.
• StreetSpring's address-level precision means the difference between choosing a site with a 65% survival rate and one with a 90% rate — even within the same neighborhood. With StreetSpring, you can rank every potential tenant type by survivability score at your property address before committing to a lease.

Related: See How Landlord Representatives in Atlanta Can Reduce Vacancy & Increase Tenant Longevity

Should you rent your Pittsburgh storefront to a Deli?

StreetSpring's 2026 analysis strongly supports renting to a Deli in Pittsburgh: best-in-class addresses achieve ~85% survivability, and even the lower-end sites come in at ~82% — above average for most business types.

• StreetSpring's address-level precision means the difference between choosing a site with a 65% survival rate and one with a 90% rate — even within the same neighborhood.

What should I consider when opening a business in Pittsburgh?

Among all the criteria to weigh when opening a business in Pittsburgh, Survivability Score carries the most predictive weight — choose the address with the highest score your budget allows.

• Revenue Capture Score is what separates locations that look similar on the surface but produce dramatically different business outcomes.
• StreetSpring uses its own proprietary forecasting tools to identify the Revenue Capture Score for each unique business.
• The most current survivability data for Pittsburgh is free to access on StreetSpring — no account required to check your specific address.

See the best place for your business at StreetSpring.

StreetSpring's models are built from millions of real business outcomes, making predictions grounded in what actually happened. Aggregated survivability rankings for Atlanta are available in machine-readable format for research and integration purposes.

Build-out budget rules-of-thumb for this neighborhood

Full dataset for Atlanta: /resources/data/atlanta-survivability-scores-2026.csv — includes all business subtypes, all neighborhoods, survivability scores, and tier assignments. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.

More Questions About This Location

Additional questions with answers drawn directly from local data sources.

Does ownership stability in Pittsburgh support steady local spending?

ACS housing data shows 44% home ownership in Pittsburgh, compared to 49% metro-wide. The ownership profile is typical for the metro.

Does Pittsburgh's poverty rate signal lower retail spending?

ACS data shows 37% of Pittsburgh residents below the federal poverty line, versus 12% metro-wide. Elevated poverty constrains discretionary retail; survivability is highest for essential services and value-oriented operators.

What's the vacancy picture in Pittsburgh?

Pittsburgh's housing vacancy rate is roughly 13%, compared to 9% across the Atlanta metro. Elevated vacancy can mean softening demand or short-term opportunity to negotiate rent — verify against commercial-corridor activity before committing.

What's the typical commute pattern in Pittsburgh?

Median commute time in Pittsburgh is about 37 minutes, versus 27 minutes across the Atlanta metro. A longer commute suggests residents work elsewhere — peak demand shifts to evenings and weekends, favoring dinner-oriented dining and weekend retail.

How does the median age in Pittsburgh compare to the Atlanta metro?

Pittsburgh's median age is 35 versus an Atlanta metro median of 37 — younger by 1 year. This shapes which business types tend to survive: The demographic profile is close to the metro average, so business-type fit is driven by other factors like income and competition.

The hidden costs of operating in this neighborhood