The Pittsburgh metro area in 2014 gained about 5,200 homes, which include multi-unit and single-family dwellings, according to federal figures released Thursday.

Local government officials called the increase an affirmation of the growth they’ve noticed.

“I don’t think this is a one-year or two-year thing,” Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald said.

The number of housing units increased 0.3 percent, to 589,772, in Allegheny County, while the median value for housing increased 4.7 percent to $133,500. Median household income was up 0.8 percent to $52,400.

The figures come from the Census Bureau’s annual American Community Survey. It provides a wide range of socioeconomic data for places with 65,000 or more people, so Greene County is not included.

Butler County had a sharper jump in median household income, 2.8 percent to $60,782. The number of homes increased 1.8 percent to 80,358.

“We’re getting so much new housing up here because our taxes are so much lower,” county commissioners Chairman Bill McCarrier said. “Our taxes are less than half of some of the surrounding counties.”

Much of the new housing involves larger homes and several companies are expanding their Butler County facilities, he said, explaining the increase in household income.

“Everywhere you look around Butler, they’re building,” McCarrier said.

In Westmoreland County, the number of homes was up 0.3 percent to 168,282, and the median home value increased 0.9 percent to $141,000. Median household income was up 3.2 percent to $53,844.

“I knew that we were moving in the right direction,” said Charles Anderson, chairman of the county commissioners.

The number of employed workers in Westmoreland increased by about 4,500 from 2013 to 2014, a 2.6 percent increase, according to the survey, and the unemployment rate dropped from 6.3 to 5.3 percent.

Although the government can’t produce private-sector jobs, it can lay the groundwork for them, Anderson said. Westmoreland has expanded its educational resources and industrial parks while keeping a lid on spending, he said.

“Taxes haven’t gone up in 10 years, and I’m not expecting them to go up any time soon,” he said.

Brian Bowling is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at 412-325-4301 or bbowling@tribweb.com.

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