Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Ten years ago in CT I was paying $1400 a year for my six year old car because the town I lived in had an extremely high mill rate. Then they added on the state income tax. I moved to Miami, FL, land (at that time) of cheap taxes, no car tax, no state income tax etc, now taxes on property are out of control, and although there are still no state or car taxes, there are plenty of other things that make up for that including the outrageous cost of houses and lack of jobs - and of course in Miami if you're not bilingual it's pretty slim pickin's for jobs.
We pay $200 a year for our newer cars, that is a piece mind you, our property tax is $1100 a year, what we find more expensive, is food, health insurance why I dont know, and the state taxes taken out of our checks, not to mention the high gas tax and sales tax, I swear we are taxed for everything. We never complained about the property tax, it is average to what we paid in Oregon but everything else seems higher.
shhhhh..... you'll upset them! They have to believe that everything here is cheaper and easier than it is wherever they are coming from (usually NY or NJ). Don't you know the rules?
You have obviously never lived anywhere that is extremely overpriced to where the point of being middle-class is impossible. I am sure you are being sarcastic and just have a cynical sense of humor, but it is kind of hurtful to some people who had no choice but to relocate. No one expects life to be easier but maybe just more manageable than where they moved from. And taxes are a reality wherever you live; the difference is in some states you actually have a fighting chance at owning a home. Be grateful you grew up and currently live in two states that have given you that luxury. It ain't the case for some people.
You have obviously never lived anywhere that is extremely overpriced to where the point of being middle-class is impossible. I am sure you are being sarcastic and just have a cynical sense of humor, but it is kind of hurtful to some people who had no choice but to relocate. No one expects life to be easier but maybe just more manageable than where they moved from. And taxes are a reality wherever you live; the difference is in some states you actually have a fighting chance at owning a home. Be grateful you grew up and currently live in two states that have given you that luxury. It ain't the case for some people.
I believe iminformed is from new York, not NC and is moving back.
Thanks for the link. I see their numbers include all state and local taxes, i.e., the total tax burden by state.
Federal taxes are the same everywhere, so they are moot for discussing tax burdens on a state vs state basis.
What I take from the data is that if you throw out the 6 high states and the 6 low states, then it really doens't matter very much which state you choose to live in. Among the 38 remaining states, there is a difference of 2% in total tax burden. On a 100k income, that's only a $2k per year difference. So we all must ask ourselves: Are we willing to spend up to $2k more per year to live where we want to live? Then turn the question around: Are we willing to live in a state we hate just to save $2k per year. Not me. I hated northern Virginia and I got out as soon as we retired.
Of course, property taxes can vary greatly by county or city. I believe that a $300k home in Pittsburgh will set you back $12k per year in property tax. If my data is wrong, please advise. High and low property tax rates can occur from township to township in PA, or so I recall from house hunting up there.
There are many permutations to tax rates and how they are applied. High income people may want to live in a state with no income tax (FL, TX, NV and a few others) and live in a modest home, this will reduce their total tax burden. That's their choice. But, most high income people choose to live in large expensive homes, and I can assure you if you live in an expensive home in a state with no income tax, you will pay a hefty real estate property tax. Then again, very high income people don't need to worry about paying these taxes.
Hatred of taxes is an acquired taste, some people obsess about it. IMO, life's too short to live in a place you hate just to save $2k year or whatever. Best to take the larger view and find your happiness, then see if it's affordable.
To me it isn't just about taxes, it is also the cost of things.
Very True. Our home in CO cost $550k. It would easily be $1M back in VA, even more in CA. If we lived in those areas, it would add another $500k tacked onto a mortgage. Even if we could afford that, we're looking at an added $3k per month in added mortgage costs. That's $36k more per year in added costs, and for what, for a chance to save $2k a year on taxes? I don't like that math. And since both the CA and VA tax burdens are higher, it's an even bigger loser.
Yes, the cost of things is relative to location. All the national chains price their goods based on local costs, so the very same item can be cheaper in podunk than in LA or Manhattan or DC, etc. That's where a cost of living index come in handy, you can see housing costs and all other costs as a total, then figure it out from there. Its a lot cheaper here in CO than in LA or Manhattan or DC. My pension is the same everywhere, here is where we are, and AFAIC, Colorado is nicer than just about anywhere else.
I believe iminformed is from new York, not NC and is moving back.
Indeed, if you think you are getting taxed to death in NYC, venture on up to Upstate NY, they (we) pay the same taxes as you, but on houses that are worth about half as much (and that's being generous). You think taxes 6-8k is a lot for a house that is worth $400k on Long Island; try having taxes like that on a house that is only worth $150,000. My cost of living is about the same here as it was there, eventhough the average house price in Rochester is $137,000 (and that's now, it was only in the low 90's when I left in the mid 1990's) vs. about $220,000 here. Let's get one thing straight here.... nobody, not even me, could deny that NYS is a fiscal mess that needs to make some SERIOUS changes. I love my family, hometown and the region of the state I am from, but I do NOT love New York State (with the exception of the landscapes, culture, and most of the people). The thing is, with such a large number of people from that state moving to NC (or any other area), they are really just exporting the problem to the new area. It's not ALL the state and local government's fault; we let it get that way.
I grew up in NC, but have been gone since I turned 18. It's a beautiful state and I love visiting and I want to move back, but the taxes are oppressive.
4. Annual vehicle tax (your car, and having to pay tax on it annually...priceless)
5. Sales tax (paying tax on your stuff, so you can get taxed for owning it later)
Tell me those aren't regressive and oppressive taxes, on a region of the country that has had historically low wages and low employment levels. Basically over taxing people that can't afford it.
So this is why I left at 18 and have not been back permanently and can't move back, just too many taxes.
Sorry NC, especially Asheville, but I'm moving back, but I'm only going as far as East Tennessee. That way I can visit my sister, but I don't have to pay those expensive taxes.
My mom moved to TN 2 years ago and my granny is moving to SC next year due in part to the high cost of living in NC and the high taxes.
Tony in WA state
Does anyone know the tax rate/percentages on these taxes? Even some examples would be helpful. We feel our taxes are high in Ca. (property taxes specifically), because our tax rate is based upon the purchase price of your home which of course is outrageously high in CA.
We also have to register our vehicles every year (new vehicles being the most expensive, older vehicles the least). Do you have to register and pay taxes on a vehicle in NC? What is "personal tax"? Do you pay that every year on the items you own, or is it in addition to sales tax? Thanks for any help you can be. Just trying to be a bit more educated.
~Duke101
duke101...we do not pay personal property tax here. That was incorrect. We do pay car taxes yearly and it is around $25 to register your car yearly. It is also $30 for the yearly safety inspection. ( I think they do this in almost all counties here) For both of my cars, the taxes were under $70. (cars are 2000's so newer ones would be more)
I hope this gave you a little insight on the taxes. Coming from CT ourselves we saw a drastic drop in property taxes.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Does it really matter all that much??
