Economy of Pittsburgh

factories have been directly renovated into modern office space. For example, Google has research and technology offices in a refurbished 1918-1998 Nabisco factory, a complex known as Bakery Square. Some of the factory's original equipment, such as a large dough mixer, were left standing in homage to the site's industrial roots. Pittsburgh's generally successful shift away from its industrial past has led to it being characterized as "the poster child for managing industrial transition". Other major cities in the northeast and mid-west have increasingly borrowed from Pittsburgh's model in order to renew their industries and economic base.

Pittsburgh has grown its economic base in recent years to include technology, retail, finance, education, and medical care (which constitutes the largest proportion of the city's employment). The largest single employer in the city is the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, with 48,000 employees. All hospitals, outpatient clinics, and doctor's office positions combine for 116,000 jobs, approximately 10% of the jobs in the region. An analyst recently observed of the city's medical sector: "That's both more jobs and a higher share of the region's total employment than the steel industry represented in the 1970s."

Area retail is anchored by over 35 shopping malls and a healthy downtown retail sector as well as boutique shops along Walnut Street, in Squirrel Hill and Station Square.

Education is another major industry in the region. The largest single employer in that industry is the University of Pittsburgh, with 10,700 employees.

Pittsburgh still maintains its status as a corporate headquarters city, with nine Fortune 500 companies calling the city home. This ranks Pittsburgh in a tie for the