Michigan vs Ohio cost of living (Toledo, Perrysburg: car registration, insurance, credit)

[dayton_ohio]

It looks like homes in Michigan are about the same price as in Ohio, but property taxes are lower and the state of Michigan gives a tax credit for Toledo city taxes.

Are there any disadvantages to living across the border in Michigan?

[canudigit]

Car insurance will run you more in Michigan because it is a no fault state. Gas is a little higher, maybe $.05 to $.10/gallon. The roads are not in as good of condition, as a rule, as in Ohio, especially in Bedford Township (the most populous township of the border area with about 30,000 residents that encompasses Temperance and Lambertville). Really, though, it's not that big of a deal, you just learn which roads to avoid. They have done some much needed paving recently as well, so it is better than it used to be.

Unless you have a well, water will run you higher than in Ohio, because the towns just over the border from Toledo buy their water from Toledo, so an extra surcharge is tacked on. There are a surprising number of homes with wells, though, which is what we had when we lived in Bedford Township.

All of that said, we moved over the border into Michigan seventeen years ago and have no regrets. We love it here and will remain here for the foreseeable future. We like areas like Perrysburg and Waterville, but we raised our kids in Bedford and Michigan has become home, even though we are both natives of NW Ohio, and our now adult kids much prefer Michigan and are also putting down roots here, so we see no reason to move back, and have, in fact, moved even farther up into Michigan. Day to day life isn't really much different than in the Toledo area, to be honest, and many of the people who live right over the border from Toledo at one point migrated from Ohio for the lower taxes and rural atmosphere.

Disadvantages? IMHO, no, or at least none that would be important enough to make us move back to Ohio.

[SWOH]

I know a lot more about your username's city than Toledo, OP, but do you have children?

If you do, and they are near college-aged, you might want to consider which state has public universities you like more.

Personally, if I would have had the opportunity to live in Michigan, it would have been amazing because I could have gone to the UofM. That would have been awesome. As it was, I didn't even apply because it was prohibitively expensive for out-of-state students.

But if you're in Michigan, that means your kid won't be going to OSU, Miami U, OU, etc. most likely unless you're willing to pay a lot more in tuition. So check the stats, see where you kid(s) are at, and plan from there. If they have the stats for UofM, right there is an excellent reason to live in Michigan instead of Ohio.


Good luck!

[residinghere2007]

I also don't think there are any disadvantages. IMO one of the main advantages of living in NW OH and SE MI is that you can take advantage of what there is to offer in both regions.

I have family members who live in SE MI and they like living there. What canudigit said though is true about MI roads!! It is a noticeable difference even on major freeways when you cross back into OH. But SE MI is beautiful IMO and is a short commute to Toledo if you will be working there.

[ram2]

Originally Posted by OHKID

Personally, if I would have had the opportunity to live in Michigan, it would have been amazing because I could have gone to the UofM. That would have been awesome. As it was, I didn't even apply because it was prohibitively expensive for out-of-state students.

U of M is expensive for in-state students.

[canudigit]

Originally Posted by ram2

U of M is expensive for in-state students.

Well, our daughter goes there and it's under $13,000 a year for in-state tuition. That's a lot cheaper than most private schools. I actually think it's a great bargain!

[SWOH]

Originally Posted by canudigit

Well, our daughter goes there and it's under $13,000 a year for in-state tuition. That's a lot cheaper than most private schools. I actually think it's a great bargain!

^Exactly. Want to know the most expensive public U in the nation?

Hint - It's not Michigan.
It's Miami of Ohio.

Why? In part it has the same issue as Michigan - it receives few funds from the state. Overall, only 9% of its budget is funded by the State of Ohio. Strategically, both it and the UofM would be a lot better off splitting away from the state. And I can say it appears to be happening to some extent for both. It'll only be a matter of time (I'm betting 10-15 years) until one or both of these institutions decides to leave their state's educational system and go private.

So for now, as a Miami student, I'm enjoying my time, hoping nothing drastic happens in the next two years, and that the university makes some bold moves towards privatization around 2020.

[dayton_ohio]

Can Michigan residents help confirm my calculations?

For two cars, it seems like you would pay around $4000 a year for car insurance in Bedford, compared to $2000 a year for Toledo.

Car registration in Toledo for two modest cars ($20,000 each) might be around $500.

Utilities might be a very hundred dollars higher in Michigan each year.

For a family earning $100,000 a year in Toledo, I think you save $2,250 in Toledo city income taxes.

Does that sound about right, or I am missing anything?

[Jill Thomas]

If you have school age children, I'd stay in Ohio. Michigan has defunded their public schools at an alarming rate. As such, teachers in Michigan are leaving the field in droves. It seems as if Ohio schools are more stable, and, if I were considering a move, I might look up data on school funding, prior to deciding. Also...car insurance rates in Michigan are the most costly in the nation. Yes, #1. Florida has no fault, and there is no comparison. Ohio is ranked 42nd in the nation for cost to insure drivers. If you have children, take this into account. If property tax is a concern, there are many areas in Ohio that are very reasonable, with excellent schools, where you can settle, near the Toledo area. Michigan roads are horrific. I drove them for 30 years, and there has been steady decline.