We moved to Pittsburgh from the DMV too. I grew up here and swore I’d never come back, and here we are.

COL is hugely different. Even in the “fancy” burbs here, you’ll get far more for your money than in the DMV. The tax info mentioned above is important. Schools are all independent districts, managed separately, not like the county systems in the DMV. That can be tricky to manage and understand.

Driving is like the DMV in that many people feel they are more important and drive that way. But there is a special difference here where people feel like they need to be “nice” and let you go when it’s not your turn. The rules of driving tend to get ignored in that way. Pittsburgh nice is a whole different beast, because many people are outwardly nice, but if you’re not in the “in group” socialization can be tough. This holds specifically for parents with school aged children. Many of the other parents have known each other for decades by the time their kids go to school.

Feel free to dm me if you have any other questions.