Pittsburgh Retail Market Report

The metro faces headwinds amid signs of recovery. In 2025, a wave of major retailer closures and bankruptcies swept through the region. Since demand began to recover toward the end of 2025, net absorption is expected to end 2026 in positive territory, holding vacancy from a further increase. Washington County remained the least-vacant submarket, and the only area to maintain a rate below 3 percent. The county should continue its recovery, given minimal construction in the pipeline. Parkway East, the greater downtown, and the north hills may see stronger improvements, despite vacancy increases exceeding 100 basis points, as these areas accounted for the most leasing activity toward the end of 2025. However, Pittsburgh has lost approximately 27,000 residents since 2020, concentrated among ages 20-34, a demographic with a growing preference for in-store shopping.