Last year I lived in a dormatory, there were approximately 8-10 first year students who lived on campus last year. There is also some (expensive) housing available just off of campus where some students live. I believe the names of those places are Washington Plaza and Chatham Tower. There is also a quasi-dorm apartment building on campus called Brottier Hall.
All in all though, most students are commuters. There are two predominate parts of town where students live; Southside and Shadyside. Southside is a 10 - 20 minute walk from campus. You cross a huge bridge and then walk up several flights of stairs cobbled together up the side of the bluff. Most people nevertheless opt to drive from the Southside. Southside has the most bars of any part of the city, a lot of Bohemian types. There are always a lot of people out in the Southside, at all hours; it is the more "edgy" part of town. The Southside is divided into the flats (which are nearer to the river and the ground is flat) and the slopes (which are homes built into the side of the slopes going up the hills facing downtown). Parking can be a female dog.
Shadyside is not within walking distance of campus. Shadyside is a little ways past Oakland, which is the campus area for Univeristy of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon. It is the more yuppie/trendy part of town for young professionals. People seem a bit more pretentious on the whole compared to most other parts of town. Social activity centers on Walnut Street where there are a number of stores, restaurants, and bars. Specifically, people frequent Doc's, The William Penn Tavern, the Shadyside Saloon, and the Shady Grove; you can find a place within walking distance of all of these. Shadyside has no real hills. Parking can be a female dog.
People also live in Squirrel Hill, which is near Oakland and Shadyside. Squirrel Hill is home to a large Jewish community.
People also live in Mount Washington, which is the top of the cliff overlooking downtown.
Perhaps I can tell you more later.
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