Each row shows where Pittsburgh sits on the national distribution for one economic concept across all three mobility measures.

All income a person receives, including wages and transfers.

α Absolute mobility 60th percentile

this county national median

35.61 — Higher means children who started at the bottom reach a higher rank on average.
β Persistence 67th percentile

this county national median

0.35 — Higher means rank sticks across generations — less mobility.
δ Extensive margin 62nd percentile

this county national median

The gap for children whose parents had zero of the resource vs. the lowest positive amount.

Income earned from work (wages and salaries).

α Absolute mobility 55th percentile

this county national median

38.14 — Higher means children who started at the bottom reach a higher rank on average.
β Persistence 82nd percentile

this county national median

0.39 — Higher means rank sticks across generations — less mobility.
δ Extensive margin 91st percentile

this county national median

13.24 — The gap for children whose parents had zero of the resource vs. the lowest positive amount.

The probability of owning a home (the extensive margin of housing wealth).

α Absolute mobility 76th percentile

this county national median

64.17 — Higher means children who started at the bottom reach a higher rank on average.
β Persistence 29th percentile

this county national median

0.35 — Higher means rank sticks across generations — less mobility.
δ Extensive margin 13th percentile

this county national median

-15.67 — The gap for children whose parents had zero of the resource vs. the lowest positive amount.

The value of housing assets a person holds.

α Absolute mobility 26th percentile

this county national median

35.72 — Higher means children who started at the bottom reach a higher rank on average.
β Persistence 56th percentile

this county national median

0.32 — Higher means rank sticks across generations — less mobility.
δ Extensive margin 33rd percentile

this county national median

-2.22 — The gap for children whose parents had zero of the resource vs. the lowest positive amount.

The total value of all assets a person holds.

α Absolute mobility 40th percentile

this county national median

39.07 — Higher means children who started at the bottom reach a higher rank on average.
β Persistence 79th percentile

this county national median

0.35 — Higher means rank sticks across generations — less mobility.
δ Extensive margin 70th percentile

this county national median

6.35 — The gap for children whose parents had zero of the resource vs. the lowest positive amount.

County	State	α (absolute mobility)	β (persistence)	δ (extensive margin)	n
Allegheny	PA	37.76	0.398	3.94	12500
Armstrong	PA	45.11	0.207	6.05	1600
Beaver	PA	40.81	0.298	6.79	2400
Butler	PA	41.01	0.290	1.47	2500
Fayette	PA	35.98	0.340	9.36	1700
Lawrence	PA	41.97	0.274	3.37	1600
Washington	PA	39.03	0.379	10.13	2900
Westmoreland	PA	38.69	0.348	14.01	4000

Pittsburgh

The five lenses at a glance