Michigan/Ohio Living (Toledo, Sylvania, Bedford: real estate, insurance, school district)

[yeehaa]

We want to relocate closer to family near Toledo. We would like help deciding to live in nearby MI or to live in OH. We have MI pensions which are taxed in OH. OH has lower vehicle fees, but higher utilities? How else do the two areas compare as far as real estate, state taxes, utilities, and expenses in general?

[Traveler87]

I would go with Ohio just because the quality of living is better. Michigan has terrible roads too. You know when you have entered Ohio due to the fact that the roads are much smoother. Also, Toledo has some nice suburbs, that are not far from the Michigan border, like Sylvania.

[ImaMichigander]

I am amazed at how many people are saying the the quality of life is so much higher in Ohio than Michigan. (I was just on the MI forum and the anti-MI sentiment was expressed a few times there too.) I am a born and raised Michigander, through and through, and I have never considered that to be a disadvantage to our southeastern neighbor, Ohio. We're moving to Ohio in a few months, and I am having a great deal of difficulty crossing the "Ohio Boarder Barrier" as we have come to call it. I love Michigan. I guess that's all. Well, not quite. To give Ohio it's props, they do have some great zoos and science centers.

[yeehaa]

Thanks for your replies. We noticed property taxes seem to be double in OH to what comparable property taxes are in MI. We have also read on this site where the utilities in the Toledo vicinity are nearly double of those in MI. Does anybody have information about this?

[YoMikey617]

Auto insurance is a lot higher in Michigan.

[rrtechno]

Originally Posted by yeehaa

Thanks for your replies. We noticed property taxes seem to be double in OH to what comparable property taxes are in MI. We have also read on this site where the utilities in the Toledo vicinity are nearly double of those in MI. Does anybody have information about this?

I don't have any direct comparisons, but Montpelier, which would put you about 50 miles west of Toledo has very reasonable utility rates. We have municipal electric so we are not at the mercy of First Energy (Toledo Edison). Much of the rural area around us is on an Electric Cooperative, so they are lower than TE also.

[jmtilton]

property taxes in the burbs of lower Michigan are twice what they are in Toledo. Now that is the city of Toledo proper. The outlying areas like Sylvania, and Washington local school district, which is right at the border of Bedford/Lambertiville are quite high. The utility rate for the entire city of Toledo really are high though. Not sure about Michigan, right over the border. Areas like Lambertville and Bedford may be just like Toledo since Ohio backyards border Michigan backyards in these areas.

[Robert_Ray's_daughter]

I lived in Toledo for many years and loved it. 2 years ago we moved to Temperance, it has a country feel and we really enjoy living here. I lived off Talmadge 3 minutes from Westfield mall. I liked the area, but, utilities and property taxes are higher in Toledo. Temperance is quiet and a great place to live! The streets ARE alot worse in Michigan! Hope this helps, Jan