Pittsburgh is more Midwest than you think
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The humble pierogi is a staple in Pittsburgh and several other Midwestern cities. Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios
No one wants to hear it, but Pittsburgh is pretty Midwestern.
The big picture: The debate about our identity is perpetual, and now is as good a time as any to reignite the argument.
Case in point: Sports are the biggest cultural touchstone in Pittsburgh, and the connections are largely to the Midwest.
- Two of the Steelers' division rivals are in Ohio, and the other — the Baltimore Ravens — was stolen from Ohio.
- The Pirates' biggest rivals (the Cubs, Cardinals and Reds) all occupy the Midwest.
Driving the news: Pittsburgh is one of the top markets for Ohio-based chain Condado Tacos, which expanded into the city in 2018 and now has six locations here and has exceeded the company's expectations, spokesperson Sara Kear said.
- Kear said that founder Joe Kahn visited Pittsburgh a few years before starting Condado and the city reminded him of the character and warmth of Cleveland and other Ohio cities.
Fun fact: Pittsburghers also go crazy for fish fries, pierogies and kielbasa — all Midwestern staples.
- Many yinzers still call soda "pop" like Midwesterners do.
Between the lines: University of Pittsburgh economist Chris Briem says that Pennsylvania doesn't function as one unit within its state boundaries but as distinct regions with their own connections. For Pittsburgh, that connection is to the Midwest, particularly Cleveland.
- "Pittsburgh and Cleveland are so close and so integrated, you can think of them as one place: 'Cleveburgh,'" he said.
Reality check: Only 9.4% of Pennsylvanians said they live in the Midwest, according to a 2023 Emerson College survey.
Yes, but: What about Appalachia?
- Pittsburgh was coined "The Paris of Appalachia" by former Pittsburgh Post-Gazette columnist Brian O'Neill in 2009, and many locals agree.
What they're saying: James Santelli, longtime Pittsburgher and former KDKA producer, said the region's hilly topography and location at the base of the Appalachian mountains mean it's in Appalachia.
- "Pittsburgh is a city not just of hills and rivers and valleys — we've been shaped by them," he said.
💠Ryan's thought bubble: Pittsburgh does share many aspects of both the Midwest and Appalachia — but it has its own accent and is probably more comfortable as its own autonomous region dubbed "Yinzerland."
💠Thought bubble from Axios Columbus' Alissa Widman Neese — a true Midwesterner: I love everything about Pittsburgh and all of you are welcome into the Midwest — except the Steelers! (Sorry.)