Americans are struggling with affordability this year, with housing costs rising and health care premiums spiking. 

Pitt students are feeling the financial pressure this year, too — citing higher housing and grocery prices — and some are picking up more work shifts to combat the cost.

Polling in the last month shows that almost half the country is struggling to afford the cost of living, and Americans are souring on their approval of the current economy. Politicians and news outlets have dubbed 2026 the “year of affordability” in response to growing affordability concerns across America.  

Dylan Lescisin, a first-year biology and Japanese-language student, is living off-campus in Glenshaw with his parents until he can afford to rent an apartment near campus. Lescisin said South Oakland housing is unaffordable for him, even while working two jobs.

“I have a lot of days where I’m out of the house, 13 hours of classes and work, and at least half of my week is like that,” Lescisin said. “I have to save up to be able to move on to campus, but then there’s groceries and other things you have to worry about too.”

Genesee Diggins-Kennedy, a senior nursing student, has seen her rent increase by $300 total this year. Currently working 20 hours per week to pay for rent in South Oakland, she has picked up more work shifts to mitigate the increase. 

“With the increase of rent, I need to pick up another shift and make sure I’m better outlining [my work schedule],” Diggins-Kennedy said. “I’m already living paycheck to paycheck, and I haven’t even graduated yet.”

Eryn Murphy, a recent graduate who majored in natural sciences, lives in South Oakland and worked 36 hours per week to afford her rent, utility, grocery and gas bills as a student. Murphy said she believes the cost of housing in Oakland is too high for a predominantly student population.

“I think [the cost of housing is too much] for students because a lot of people that I know are working so that they can pay their rent,” Murphy said. “Their parents aren’t paying their rent.”

Andrea Boykowycz, the executive director of Oakland Planning and Development Corporation, said Oakland’s cost of housing is attributed to the dramatic increase in students at Pitt.

“The biggest driver of unaffordability in all four of Oakland’s neighborhoods is increasing student demand without a corresponding increase in supply that is available, accessible, desirable and affordable for students,” Boykowycz said.

To mitigate the issue, Boykowycz said the OPDC advocates to the University that it should follow through on increasing on-campus housing for undergraduates. However, according to Boykowycz, there is not one clear solution.

“It’s a big problem, and we’re aware there’s not just a single solution,” Boykowycz said. “We have to press on all the buttons at once.”

Amelia Silber, a sophomore neuroscience student, secured a lease for next year on a three-bedroom duplex in South Oakland for $750 per month. Silber said she feels “lucky” for this, due to the heavy competition. Silber asked friends and secured the lease through personal connections, which she felt aided in the effort.

“We thought if we searched on our own, we wouldn’t be finding good deals,” Silber said. “We talked to friends, figured out who had upperclassmen siblings that were graduating, and then we took it from there.”

Lea Omer, a sophomore English literature and Russian-language student, said relying on connections to find housing is problematic and adds to the competitive nature of finding housing in Oakland. 

“You have to have connections,” Omer said. “Usually [it’s the case where] someone graduates and they’re gone, so they have a spot to fill, so I feel like it’s pretty hard to get housing.”

Omer planned on living on-campus, but now lives in an apartment in Shaler Township because of what she deems high-housing pricing in Oakland.

“My initial plan was actually to move into one of Pitt’s apartment-style housing so that you didn’t have to have a meal plan, but the reason I didn’t was because it was quite expensive,” Omer said.

Lauren Hinrichsen, a sophomore political science and Russian-language student, said she believes there are some perks Pitt offers to help with affordability, but she believes Oakland is an overall unaffordable area. 

“I know we have access to a lot of things with our tuition, like free transport on the buses, but there’s a lot of things about living in this area that are unaffordable,” Hinrichsen said.

Hinrichsen pointed out the lack of grocery stores in the neighborhood. When she lived in Oakland last year, transportation to grocery stores was her biggest roadblock. Hinrichsen moved to Shadyside this year.

“The more expensive grocery stores are closer, like Giant Eagle,” Hinrichsen said. “In Shadyside, it’s a lot closer to grocery stores [which has] reduced my cost of living in general.”

While she appreciates the free transportation as a Pitt student, Saanvi Tiruveedhula, a junior biology and neuroscience student, uses Instacart to grocery shop. Tiruveehdula said she believes groceries cost less off-campus, but riding the bus can take a while.

“[Taking the bus] is sometimes a whole day trip, but with a car it might be better,” Tiruveedhula said.

KB Huang, a senior biology student, hails from Chicago, which she believes is a comparably less affordable city than Pittsburgh. 

“I think Pittsburgh is more of an affordable city compared to Chicago, where I used to live,” Huang said. “Groceries here are a lot cheaper, especially if you go to Aldi or Trader Joe’s instead of Whole Foods, for example.”