Strip District poised for even more growth, report says
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
The Terminal in the Strip drew 1.7 million visits in a year. Photo: Robert Knopes/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
The Strip District is booming, and it isn't showing signs of slowing down, according to a new report.
Why it matters: Once a neighborhood of warehouses and weekend shoppers, the city's historic market district has attracted robotics companies and a thriving residential population to solidify it as one the region's premier destinations for growth, innovation and entertainment.
By the numbers: An estimated 3,242 residents live in the Strip District, according to the 2025 "State of the Strip" report.
- That's a 319% increase since 2015.
- The neighborhood has added about 1,400 since 2020, which accounts for about 30% of the city's total population growth over that span.
Yes, but: The average rent for a one-bedroom is about $1,900 a month, meaning the Strip has the most expensive rental rates of any city neighborhood, according to the report.
State of play: It's not just new residents filling the Strip — visitors and office workers have been growing too.
- The neighborhood saw 8.4 million visits in 2024, up from about 7 million in 2022.
- One of the drivers of new visitors is The Terminal retail development on Smallman Street, which saw 1.7 million visits between June 2024 and May 2025, a 43% increase compared to the previous year, according to data from The Terminal.
- Nearly 10,000 employees work in the Strip, according to the report, led by robotics and tech companies like autonomous truck unicorn Aurora.
What they're saying: "The Strip District stands as a model for balanced development that respects both its historic roots and its forward-looking vision," said Pamela Austin, president and board chair of Strip District Neighbors, who commissioned the report.
The big picture: The urban real estate market is strong in Pittsburgh, and the Strip is one of the biggest contributors, said Keane George, managing director of real estate company SVN | Three Rivers Commercial Advisors.
- He said residents keep filling new housing developments.
- "The Strip District is pretty amazing in that way," said George.
💠Ryan's thought bubble: As the Strip District transformed — particularly when The Terminal moved in — there was a lot of chatter forecasting doom for the neighborhood's old-school charm. Essentially none of that has materialized, a sign that new developments don't have to be a bad thing.
What's next: While population growth has stagnated in the last three years due to few new housing developments completed in that time, the Strip has 2,509 more units in the pipeline.
- The neighborhood is poised to see its population double again within the next three years because of those projects, according to the report.