Tell me more about Dayton, Xenia, Beavercreek, and Centerville, please! (Columbus: home, theater)

[ohio_peasant]

It's important to be aware of local income tax. For out of state people, especially from a no-income-tax state like Texas, it can be a rude awakening. Cities/towns charge local income tax, the one exception being Beavercreek. Townships don't charge local income tax, but some charge school district tax, which is similar. Xenia City charges both local income tax and school district tax. Xenia township charges only the latter. It's... bewildering. Recommendation is to thoroughly review this with your realtor.

Of the choices headlining this thread, I'd pick Washington Township, which is the unincorporated area in/around Centerville... easily the nicest and simultaneously lowest income tax portion of the region. #2 would be Sugarcreek Township... more rural, across the county line, into Greene County. #3 would be Beavercreek.

I'd scrupulously avoid Xenia, Fairborn (town just west of Xenia), Riverside (town west of Beavercreek) or City of Dayton-proper. Oakwood is a nice older inner-suburb, but the taxes are exorbitant. We could go through the whole grid of towns, suburbs and townships, but... I'd stick with the aforementioned three.

Disclaimer: personally I'd much rather move FROM Ohio TO Texas, than vice versa.

[kyle19125]

Originally Posted by ohio_peasant

It's important to be aware of local income tax. For out of state people, especially from a no-income-tax state like Texas, it can be a rude awakening. Cities/towns charge local income tax, the one exception being Beavercreek. Townships don't charge local income tax, but some charge school district tax, which is similar. Xenia City charges both local income tax and school district tax. Xenia township charges only the latter. It's... bewildering. Recommendation is to thoroughly review this with your realtor.

Of the choices headlining this thread, I'd pick Washington Township, which is the unincorporated area in/around Centerville... easily the nicest and simultaneously lowest income tax portion of the region. #2 would be Sugarcreek Township... more rural, across the county line, into Greene County. #3 would be Beavercreek.

I'd scrupulously avoid Xenia, Fairborn (town just west of Xenia), Riverside (town west of Beavercreek) or City of Dayton-proper. Oakwood is a nice older inner-suburb, but the taxes are exorbitant. We could go through the whole grid of towns, suburbs and townships, but... I'd stick with the aforementioned three.

Disclaimer: personally I'd much rather move FROM Ohio TO Texas, than vice versa.

On a 50K salary Xenia's 2.5% income tax equates to $125.00 per year. The school tax is recovered through .5% in sales tax. I think most would find it difficult to get the undies in a bunch over that.

[ohio_peasant]

Originally Posted by kyle19125

On a 50K salary Xenia's 2.5% income tax equates to $125.00 per year. The school tax is recovered through .5% in sales tax. I think most would find it difficult to get the undies in a bunch over that.

2.5% of $50K is... $1250. If you have $200K/year in dividend income, that's $5000/year, just to Xenia. Before long, Texas property taxes start looking cheap.

Xenia Combined School District will also take 0.5% in income tax. Then there's the state income tax. It adds up.

[KathrynAragon]

Originally Posted by ohio_peasant

It's important to be aware of local income tax. For out of state people, especially from a no-income-tax state like Texas, it can be a rude awakening. Cities/towns charge local income tax, the one exception being Beavercreek. Townships don't charge local income tax, but some charge school district tax, which is similar. Xenia City charges both local income tax and school district tax. Xenia township charges only the latter. It's... bewildering. Recommendation is to thoroughly review this with your realtor.

Of the choices headlining this thread, I'd pick Washington Township, which is the unincorporated area in/around Centerville... easily the nicest and simultaneously lowest income tax portion of the region. #2 would be Sugarcreek Township... more rural, across the county line, into Greene County. #3 would be Beavercreek.

I'd scrupulously avoid Xenia, Fairborn (town just west of Xenia), Riverside (town west of Beavercreek) or City of Dayton-proper. Oakwood is a nice older inner-suburb, but the taxes are exorbitant. We could go through the whole grid of towns, suburbs and townships, but... I'd stick with the aforementioned three.

Disclaimer: personally I'd much rather move FROM Ohio TO Texas, than vice versa.

Nothing quite trumps the allure of grandbabies for me though. Thank you for the insight by the way!

Texas is not quite as tax friendly as Ohio in general though. What we lack in state income tax we make up for in property taxes and sales taxes (for instance, 8.25 percent where I live, and don't even get me started on property taxes, which in my case, for a home of 2211 square feet is nearly $5000.00 a year). One way or the other the tax man cometh. But I totally get what you're saying about Xenia - I've been warned about that particular area by a friend of mine who happens to live there, of all things.


I like what you're saying about Centerville though. I also like your other suggestions.

[kyle19125]

Originally Posted by ohio_peasant

2.5% of $50K is... $1250. If you have $200K/year in dividend income, that's $5000/year, just to Xenia. Before long, Texas property taxes start looking cheap.

Xenia Combined School District will also take 0.5% in income tax. Then there's the state income tax. It adds up.

I should have learned about doing math on a sinus headache day. Today's has been a whopper..

Even at $1250 one should consider differences in car insurance, groceries and utilities. More often than not they balance out or come awfully close.

[KathrynAragon]

Originally Posted by kyle19125

I should have learned about doing math on a sinus headache day. Today's has been a whopper..

Even at $1250 one should consider differences in car insurance, groceries and utilities. More often than not they balance out or come awfully close.

True. Every situation is different, but at the end of the day, the only things certain in life are death and taxes.\

I am headed to the area by the way! Flying into Dayton and staying with a friend in Xenia for a week the second week of February! Met with my realtor today. Things are moving forward.

[ohio_peasant]

Originally Posted by KathrynAragon

True. Every situation is different, but at the end of the day, the only things certain in life are death and taxes. ...

While truisms are generally true, so to speak, caveats proliferate. Currently I'm in California. It would be a specious stretch to argue that the combined local taxes are... a compelling value, for higher earners. One doesn't always get what one pays for.

By way of contrast, I'm considering... New Hampshire. NH is much like Texas in its tax structure. Overall tax burden is of course highly situational, but per capita public expenditures are far less, than in neighboring Massachusetts.

As for incidental expenses such as various types of insurance, gas/food etc., it's been my experience that these are dwarfed by taxes. Even here in California, I don't notice the $5/gallon gas, or the 10% sales tax, or the car insurance. But my state income taxes are higher than my rent. This is not a typo! State income taxes (not federal) are higher than rent. So when people talk about cost of living, high prices or this or that, expensive housing... I immediately ask: "what about the state/local income tax"?

Retirees in particular should note, that while your W2 income goes away in retirement, your taxable dividends and capital gains do not. Then there are (eventually) the RMDs. Every jurisdiction is going to want a piece of that. It adds up! Be wary....

[KathrynAragon]

Originally Posted by ohio_peasant

While truisms are generally true, so to speak, caveats proliferate. Currently I'm in California. It would be a specious stretch to argue that the combined local taxes are... a compelling value, for higher earners. One doesn't always get what one pays for.

By way of contrast, I'm considering... New Hampshire. NH is much like Texas in its tax structure. Overall tax burden is of course highly situational, but per capita public expenditures are far less, than in neighboring Massachusetts.

As for incidental expenses such as various types of insurance, gas/food etc., it's been my experience that these are dwarfed by taxes. Even here in California, I don't notice the $5/gallon gas, or the 10% sales tax, or the car insurance. But my state income taxes are higher than my rent. This is not a typo! State income taxes (not federal) are higher than rent. So when people talk about cost of living, high prices or this or that, expensive housing... I immediately ask: "what about the state/local income tax"?

Retirees in particular should note, that while your W2 income goes away in retirement, your taxable dividends and capital gains do not. Then there are (eventually) the RMDs. Every jurisdiction is going to want a piece of that. It adds up! Be wary....

Oh I plan to be wary! I am just saying that even though taxes are high in Xenia, and my friend who lives there warned me about them, her property tax rate is lower than Texas so it all boils down to individuality.

Also, am I right reading that the sales tax in Xenia is 0 percent? Wow, I am paying 8.25 percent on everything but groceries basically.

[woxyroxme]

Originally Posted by KathrynAragon

Also, am I right reading that the sales tax in Xenia is 0 percent?

It means that Xenia does not have a city piggy back tax. The state of Ohio has a sales tax and the county (Greene) probably has one too but the city itself does not.

[KathrynAragon]

Originally Posted by woxyroxme

It means that Xenia does not have a city piggy back tax. The state of Ohio has a sales tax and the county (Greene) probably has one too but the city itself does not.

Well, that sounds good to me.