DeSoto County vs Shelby (Southaven, Olive Branch: sales, crime, houses)

[JSwift]

We presently reside in the Memphis area & have an opportunity to purchase a home in the Olive Branch / Desoto County area.
The state income tax is what concerns us. People say that overall, when considering sales, state income, real-estate, property, etc taxes, it's a trade-off & that it all evens out in the end between the two counties...but that extra 5% still hurts coming out of the paycheck.

Are there tax advantages to living in Mississippi?

Thanks

[Starshine480]

We don't have all the taxes Shelby County does like road tax, wheel tax, etc. Seems like we hear of new taxes being added every month in Shelby County. Our car tags are higher when you buy a new car, but that's the only disadvantage I can see to see to living here. I don't see where it evens out at all, but I could be wrong. Of course, in DeSoto County the older your car the cheaper the tags.

My husband and I built a home here back in the early 80's so our twin girls wouldn't have to go to school in Memphis.

[tennreb]

Originally Posted by JSwift

We presently reside in the Memphis area & have an opportunity to purchase a home in the Olive Branch / Desoto County area.
The state income tax is what concerns us. People say that overall, when considering sales, state income, real-estate, property, etc taxes, it's a trade-off & that it all evens out in the end between the two counties...but that extra 5% still hurts coming out of the paycheck.

Are there tax advantages to living in Mississippi?

Thanks

It depends on your income and spending habits. Generally speaking, Tennessee favors those with higher incomes and DeSoto favors those with lower incomes who spend a higher share of their income on their home. That's why you don't see a lot of wealthy people in DeSoto County but a much larger middle class.

[charper1]

Originally Posted by Starshine480

We don't have all the taxes Shelby County does like road tax, wheel tax, etc. Seems like we hear of new taxes being added every month in Shelby County. Our car tags are higher when you buy a new car, but that's the only disadvantage I can see to see to living here. I don't see where it evens out at all, but I could be wrong. Of course, in DeSoto County the older your car the cheaper the tags.

My husband and I built a home here back in the early 80's so our twin girls wouldn't have to go to school in Memphis.

I can't believe no one ever replied, but then again I see not many people flock to this site or this thread.

I have lived in both (still have plenty of friends that still live there) and can tell you that each has it's merits and each it's negatives; and after all is said and done I prefer to live in Shelby County.

All economic, social and educational info taken into account, Shelby County still has more advantages. Your comments regarding taxes, even back then, were dead wrong and also then, like today, the educational system info is also incorrect based on the thread topic "SHELBY COUNTY vs DeSoto"; no one is talking specifically about Memphis proper, which is only a part of Shelby and most of what is overly dramatized about the city proper is a very tiny portion, similar to DeSoto resident failing to talk about all their problem areas, and there are more than a few. Heck Shelby has a few award winning schools and in addition; THREE are International Baccalaureate programs; one in Memphis itself and another one in MEM city also, although it is a private!! There are only four in all of MS and zero are in DeSoto.

I could go on and on about this topic, but the REAL facts do not support ever living in North MS for any other reason other than personal ones that are almost all based on perception, not reality or fact.

[brickpatio]

One nice thing about DeSoto County is there is a lot of space, with lots of trees, fields, and hills. I wold say the quality of life overall is very high.

[Dd714]

The best thing about Desoto county vs. Shelby county is that you have no risk of being swallowed up by The City of Memphis, and all it's related mess (crime, bad schools, bad and currupt politicians, bad police, mismanagement, waste, fraud, you name it...it's poster child of disfunctional government, hopefully recovering from the "King Willie" days). Of course, moving to the incorporated towns of Collierville, Germantown, etc, removes that threat as well. And they are both excellent and well managed towns.

As for the cost - you have to measure that out yourself. MS has the state income tax, TN (in Collierville and Germantown) have higher property taxes, higher housing costs, slightly higher sales tax. I believe there is a wash in terms of tax and housing costs, but it's dependent on each person's situation - where you work, schools, what kind of environment you want (urban vs. rural), all that have to be factored in.

[Robert_J]

I believe there is a wash in terms of tax and housing costs, but it's dependent on each person's situation - where you work, schools, what kind of environment you want (urban vs. rural), all that have to be factored in.

The Commercial Appeal had a story a few years ago on this. The U of Mem did a study and found that it is slightly more expensive to live in Desoto County.

We chose Desoto county based on all of the information in your post but crime was the number one factor. It's lower in Desoto county as a whole. Yes, there are pockets of higher crime numbers but we chose our neighborhood based on that as well. We did use an informal network of current and former police officers as our source of information.

I like the fact that I am 2.5 miles from Kroger, 5 miles from the Southaven mall but at night I can still hear cows in the pasture not far from my house.

[savage71chevelless]

Originally Posted by Robert_J

The Commercial Appeal had a story a few years ago on this. The U of Mem did a study and found that it is slightly more expensive to live in Desoto County.

We chose Desoto county based on all of the information in your post but crime was the number one factor. It's lower in Desoto county as a whole. Yes, there are pockets of higher crime numbers but we chose our neighborhood based on that as well. We did use an informal network of current and former police officers as our source of information.

I like the fact that I am 2.5 miles from Kroger, 5 miles from the Southaven mall but at night I can still hear cows in the pasture not far from my house.

Robert, that sounds exactly like what I am looking for. What areas should I look in? Was honing in on Olive Branch, but not sure exactly what part. Thanks

[Robert_J]

Stay south of Goodman for the most part. I'm near the Southaven/OB line. There are dozens of neighborhoods in this area at every price range.

I also have friends in the 'hood beside the OB Target. They are the very small lots but they have a community pool and a few other amenities. We are just a group of houses.

[savage71chevelless]

I have heard to stay south of Goodman, is that due to crime spillover? I didn't realize the hood was beside the OB Target, isn't that the new one? Seems like a nice area overall.