Pickerington? (Columbus, Fairfield, Westerville: sales, to rent, homes)

[AFfamily]

What do you know about Pickerington? When we move to the Columbus area, my husband will be working near the airport. It seems like the communte would be fairly simple, the housing prices seem fair and the schools sound good. Any comments?
Thanks

[LancasterNative]

Whenever I hear traffic reports in the morning, there always seems to be some big hassle in the Pickerington area, either on I-70 or on 256, which feeds into it. That's not to say any other area around the Outerbelt doesn't suck to commute on as well, but in my experience and just listening to the radio, traffic in Pickerington is a constant disaster.

"Pick-town" actually used to be a rural, idyllic little community in NW Fairfield County, mostly surrounded by dairy farms. It had one high school (with a really good girls' basketball progam) and everyone knew each other. Then the developers moved in, and in the past 15 years or so they've pretty much paved and built out every square inch of the place. Strip shopping centers, chain restaurants, cookie-cutter subdivisions and generic suburban blandness are what characterize Pickerington today.

For a little more peaceful/less hectic atmosphere, I'd recommend Pataskala. It's a quick shot down E. Broad St. into town from there.

For a really quick and easy commute to the airport, check out Gahanna. It's right next-door. Gahanna's schools have also come a long way in the last decade or so.

[streetcreed]

Pickerington is fine, there can be a little traffic, but if you want to live around the outerbelt, in a nice suburb close to things to do, that is part of life in those sections of columbus.

I would recommend living there, AF family i feel that your concept of the area is right on. Fairly simple area, with affordable homes, close to the airport and 270 and access to 70 which will take you downtown in decent time.

[AFfamily]

Thanks for your replies.

We are also considering Gahanna and Westerville. I asked about Pickerington because it has not been mentioned in any other threads I have found.

SChampion, we are still debating on whether to rent or buy as we think we will only be stationed in Columbus for 2 or 3 years. Any information you could give me would be helpful though.

[LancasterNative]

No problem AFfamily! Glad if any of what I said is helpful...

There's one good thing about Pickerington I forgot to mention: since Pickerington is in Fairfield County, you would be outside the reach of Franklin County's increasingly burdensome taxing authority! That could save you a nice chunk o' change each year in sales-, property-, and possibly even local income- or other taxes (the latter two depending on the reciprocity b/t Picktown and its neighboring jurisdictions). Anyway, that's always a nice thing about being outside the county Columbus sits in.

The same is true of Pataskala, which is in Licking Co.

[NewToCA]

However, you need to be aware of the piggyback school tax issue for some of the Pickerington area. Some areas have a piggyback income tax while others collect via property tax. It is very complicated but can be a big tax burden, especially if you have two incomes.

[LancasterNative]

Originally Posted by NewToCA

However, you need to be aware of the piggyback school tax issue for some of the Pickerington area. Some areas have a piggyback income tax while others collect via property tax. It is very complicated but can be a big tax burden, especially if you have two incomes.

That's true. Local taxes throughout central Ohio are really an arcane, confusing mess! But one thing's for certain: Franklin Co. has been upping its sales tax, which piggybacks on the base state rate of 5.5%. Combined with the state base tax, Franklin County residents now pay a 6.75% sales tax, .25 of which goes to COTA. Fairfield Co. folks pay 6.25%—lowest overall in central Ohio.

[wickedclown1020]

pickerington's traffic can get pretty bad in the am from brice rd and I-70 to downtown and in pm from the exit to 33 on i-70 to hill rd. I used to have to commute it. It's about 15-20 mins from downtown but usually would take 45 min during rush hour. There are 2 high schools and the area toward lancaster is known to be the better school. The area is pretty nice except some of the apt buildings I would stay away from esp the ones toward brice rd.