Blog · October 17, 2026 · Pennsylvania
Using the Forest Hills GIS Map
Parcel data for Forest Hills comes from the county, and the viewer is free.
Main page: Allegheny County, PA GIS & Parcel Viewer (official map link, county facts and neighboring maps).
Platbookmapper is an Amazon Associate. If you buy through an Amazon link on this page, we earn a commission. The link is a product, not the county map.
For a parcel in or near Forest Hills, a look at the Forest Hills GIS map gives you the outline, the owner of record and a parcel ID. In this Forest Hills guide: which viewer to open, how to search it, and the limits worth knowing.
Opening the Forest Hills GIS map
Out toward Wilkinsburg, some cities also run their own GIS portal for utilities or zoning; that can add detail on top of the county map.
Opening the official parcel viewer
Your first stop is the Allegheny County ArcGIS parcel map; it includes each assessed parcel around Swissvale and Chalfant. If you're looking near Braddock Hills, enter a street address, an owner's name or a parcel number, and the matching parcel lights up. For acreage around Braddock Hills, the record panel usually lists the owner of record, acreage on the tax roll, a parcel ID and in many cases the last transfer.
Who handles what
If the acreage or value on a parcel near Chalfant looks off go to the county assessment office, since that office keeps the assessment data. Zoning, permits and septic questions near Wilkinsburg need the planning or permitting office, town or county, depending on location.
When a parcel crosses a boundary
If the land is near Edgewood, Allegheny County borders Armstrong County, Beaver County, Butler County, Washington County, and Westmoreland County, all with their own assessor records. Acreage along the edge near North Braddock may show up across two assessors' files, so check the neighboring map too. Closer to Wilkinsburg, our state page lists each neighboring county map across Pennsylvania.
Limits of the parcel data
Listed acreage is an estimate; only a licensed surveyor sets the real boundary for a parcel near Braddock Hills. For a parcel near Edgewood, records update in batches, so a deed recorded last month can take weeks to appear.
Forest Hills, PA: the basics
Forest Hills is part of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, so its parcels are on the county's map. With a lot near Swissvale, city or town hall handles things like zoning, permits and utilities for lots inside the boundary, while the county keeps the tax map. Land beyond the city limits near Swissvale usually follows county rules, not municipal ones.
Taking the map into the field
Most viewers work in a phone browser, useful out on a road near Wilkinsburg, though signal can drop in rural spots. A saved image of the lot near Wilkinsburg and its lines is a good backup.
Troubleshooting the viewer
If the viewer stalls on a phone near North Braddock, try a desktop browser or clear the cache; the Platbookmapper county page tracks the current link.
Finding the right lot
By address works best for lots in Forest Hills; owner names are usually entered last name first. On ground around Chalfant, a parcel ID is the most reliable search, and it's printed on tax bills.
Beyond the parcel lines
An aerial view around Swissvale helps you see where buildings sit inside the lines.
Backing up the map with records
When the details count, get the recorded deed from the Recorder of Deeds; the parcel map near Chalfant only summarizes it. On ground around North Braddock, have ready the document number from the tax record to skip a name search.
Places you'll see on the map
For acreage around Braddock Hills, pittsburgh is the county seat, home to the main records offices. You'll also find Braddock Hills, Chalfant, Edgewood, and North Braddock. For acreage around Chalfant, roughly 1,224,825 people call Allegheny County home (Census estimate, 2023) on some 730 square miles. Out toward Chalfant, Allegheny County was organized in 1788, so old deeds can run back a long way. Features like Allegheny River and Monongahela River are easy to spot when you zoom out from North Braddock.
Owner, value and acreage
Recent sales on nearby lots in Forest Hills are a useful starting point; they're not an appraisal.
Keeping a record
Print or screenshot the parcel near Chalfant with its ID visible, which helps later when you ask the assessor or a title company.
Sections, lots and bearings
Older tracts around North Braddock commonly use metes-and-bounds descriptions, a series of courses and distances from a starting point. Subdivision lots in Braddock Hills refer to a recorded plat, which is simpler to follow. Write down the legal description for the tract near North Braddock for any title or survey request.
Frequently asked
Can I see aerial photos on the map near Wilkinsburg?
For a tract near North Braddock, many viewers offer aerial imagery plus layers like city limits, zoning or flood zones; availability varies.
Can I use the Forest Hills GIS map for a fence near Wilkinsburg?
Short answer: the map near Chalfant isn't a survey, so a licensed surveyor should mark corners.
How often is the parcel map updated in Forest Hills?
For a home near Edgewood, records update on the assessor's schedule.
Can I search by owner name around Pittsburgh?
In most cases, click the lot near Braddock Hills to see the owner.
Who keeps deeds for property near Avalon?
If the land is near Swissvale, values are the county assessment office's job; recorded documents belong to the Recorder of Deeds.
Open the official Allegheny County, PA parcel map See it in the Platbookmapper directory
Not a survey. County GIS and tax parcel maps are assessment and planning layers. They are not a substitute for a recorded plat, deed, or licensed survey, especially for fences, setbacks, or boundary disputes.