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We will be moving to Dayton in a couple of months. Currently, we are looking at the Beavercreek/Centerville areas. However, I have been reading thru my posts as well as others and I am becoming intrigued by Tipp City. However, I have some questions about TC and hopefully, some of you will have some answers.
Questions:
* What are the taxes like for TC? All taxes.
* What are the schools like? We do not have kids - but are interested in terms of resale value.
* Crime in that area?
* Good areas to live in.
* Travel time to WPAFB? Travel time to Beavercreek?
* Nearby job opportunities.
Any info that you guys can give me would be great appreciated.
Thanks!!
Well, I'll let smile42 give you all the DL and other good stuff about Tipp.
*As for your concerns, I think the taxes in TC are lower then those of Beavercreek or Centerville, but don't quote me on that.
*I'd consider the schools in TC to be at the same level as Centerville or Beavercreek. I beleive they built a new high school not to long ago. I was up there last fall for marching band. Even TC, a town less then half the size of Beavercreek has a wonderful community pool/water rec center. That's one of the more embarrasing sides of Beavercreek.
*The area has little to no crime from my understanding. It'll certainly rank under Beavercreek/Centerville since it is a. smaller, and b. has no mall(s).
*Not sure of "good" areas to live in. As with any town, there will be areas of lower value. There is a train track running through town, so I'd avoid buying close to that. I'v heard the townships are beautiful.
*Never traveled the back roads, but I hear they are still conveinent to the base. Maybe 20-25 min from the maps I've seen. Still, it's not time spent in traffic. You'll be moving pretty well. Granted, it's still probably longer then living across the street from the gate in Beavercreek. While the Fairfield Mall would be on the other side of the base, the base itself can seem like a pain to circumnavigate. It's just so big. Most shopping (on the mid-level budget) can be found in TC, Troy, Vandalia or Huber Heigts. These places will be closer. If you are into more upscale stores, then the longer drive to Fairfield Mall or still longer one to the Greene will be about 30+ min.
*Not as familiar with the companies north of Dayton. Most of the base/defense work is in Riverside, Beavercreek, or Fairborn. Most of that is around the Fairfield Mall exit at N. Fairfield and Col Glenn Hwy.
Hope all this information is helping in your decision.
Well, from my posts, you know all the good parts about the cute, historic downtown in Tipp City. I'm going to break this into two posts. Your questions, and my additions!
Here are answers to your specific questions:
* What are the taxes like for TC? All taxes.
I'm definitely not a tax expert, so you'll want to talk with a realtor about the difference between Tipp City, Monroe Township, and Bethel Township (if there is any).
Sales tax in Miami County is 6.5%.
Tipp City income tax is 1.25%.
Property tax is somewhere around 1-1.5%.
Note: we have our own water treatment facility (brand new) and electric company (through AMP-Ohio). As I understand it, our rates are significantly lower than other areas in the Miami Valley.
* What are the schools like? We do not have kids - but are interested in terms of resale value.
Our schools are the center of the universe here and consistently ranked at top levels in both the area and the state. This is a very family-oriented community, and the town rallies behind both the academic and athletic traditions. Academically, we are rated Excellent by the State of Ohio. We're one of the few high schools in the state to teach Mandarin Chinese as an elective, and one of the h.s. history teachers has been named State Teacher of the Year by different organizations. We're also known for always having competitive teams in nearly every sport. The football team went to the playoffs last year, basketball got to the State Sweet 16, girls and boys soccer are always top-ranked, etc. The all-new Tippecanoe High School, just a few years old, boasts a great gym and performing arts center. President Bush spoke there this spring.
* Crime in that area?
Violent crime is nonexistent. Petty theft and robberies happen, but that seems to be limited to a few areas. As wrightflyer alluded, we are not on a bus line. That has definitely kept us a little more insular. Our crime index is 184.2. Dayton is 734.2. (National average being 350-something.) Ouch! That said, though, the crime rate for all the Dayton suburbs is pretty low. You'll be safe in Beavercreek, Centerville, Oakwood, etc.
* Good areas to live in.
Depends on what you're looking for!
The historic district is popular if you're looking for brick Federal style houses, Victorians, bungalows, etc. (My house was built in 1852!) Most of these range $125,000 - $200,000, though there are plenty for more and less! There's an active Downtown Tipp City Partnership that has lots of volunteer support for things like our new farm market, Harvest Fest, Mum Festival, Christmas Homes Tour, etc.
The subdivisions off Evanston Road are all well-kept and usually have a nice inventory of $200,000 - $400,000 homes to choose from. These are walking distance from St. John Catholic Church and town if you like a good power walk! There are sidewalks all the way. These areas would be Spring Hill, Cottonwood, Hampton Woods, Sycamore Woods, etc. Most of these were built in the 90's/00's.
The oldest, most established subdivison is Deercliff Run off Ginghamsburg Road. It also has a good inventory of $200,000 - $400,000 houses. These are more like 80's/early 90's styles.
A brand new subdivison called Rosewood Creek has houses upwards of $1m.
Those are just a sampling, and there are plenty of rural plats as well. I'd suggest trying either of these and using 45371 for the zip code:
* Travel time to WPAFB? Travel time to Beavercreek?
I taught at Wright State (next door to the Base) for two years and actually found myself enjoying the drive. There are 542 ways to get to WPAFB from here. For Beavercreek, it depends on which part of town you're trying to get to. I can be at the North Fairfield Road / Colonel Glenn area (mall, Wright State, Nutter Center, shopping & restaurants) in 25 minutes. To get to 'old Beavercreek' takes another 5. And, to get to The Greene (new mall, a little further south) takes another 5.
Here are just a few ways of getting to WPAFB:
- I-75 to Route 4 (the only time I ever do this is in the pitch dark . . . otherwise, I much prefer country roads)
- SR 201 to I-70 to I-675 (again, I'm not a highway fan, so I rarely do this)
- SR 571 through New Carlisle makes a sharp right and becomes I-675 (most direct if you're going to Beavercreek itself or The Greene)
- Choose one of the zillion country roads that leads to SR 235, which becomes Route 4 (which leads to the back entrances of WPAFB, Wright State, the Air Force Museum, Children's Medical Center, and Fairfield Commons)
Just pick whichever road you like best. I rarely get bored driving to/from that area! Sometimes I'll take a faster road on the way there and then come back through horse farms on the way home. It's always fun to mix it up!
* Nearby job opportunities.
This depends entirely on what type of job you're looking for. Honestly . . . Ohio ranks 2nd in unemployment right now. So, it's not easy. That said, Tipp is nicely situated between downtown Dayton, Vandalia, Englewood, Huber Heights, Troy, Piqua, etc. That gives you a lot of opportunity within a 25-30 mile radius. Go to Monster.com, CareerBuilder, or USA Jobs and use 45371 as your zip code reference. As far as major companies . . . it's 2 minutes to our Meijer distribution center; 5 minutes to Honda and Hobart in Troy; 15-20 minutes to downtown (Fifth Third Bank, Mead WestVaco, NCR); 25-30 minutes to the Base, Wright State University, University of Dayton, etc.; 35-40 minutes to Research Park (Reynolds & Reynolds, Delphi, Kodak Versamark, etc.); 40 minutes to Miami Township (Lexis Nexis, Teradata). I'm leaving out plenty of heavy hitters, plus all the hospitals. And, don't forget Tipp itself. We have Precision Strip, Spring Hill Nurseries, Tip Top Canning, Trophy Nut Co., Dolly Toy, Tipp Novelty, A.O. Smith, Repacorp, etc. So, there's lots of opportunity here. It's just a matter of finding the right fit.
Hope that helps, and good luck searching! Feel free to e-mail me if you want more info. I have several friends who are realtors here in town .
Oh, and wrightflyer is correct. We do have excellent recreational facilities!
The aquatic center is new. It's adjacent to the city park and football stadium and offers the usual outdoor pools along with huge slides and a mini water park for younger kids. It's $200 for a family of four to join for the summer.
We also have the Robinson Branch YMCA which sits between Tipp and Troy on 25-A. Not sure of the regular rates, but it has a daycare, gym, indoor walking track, weight/cardio room, outstanding indoor pool area, class rooms, etc. My rate was a special, and I don't want to quote you the wrong amount!
Our parks system is well developed. The City Park has tennis courts, a round house (used for summer camps and rentals), the high school football/soccer stadium, the pool, a basketball court, baseball diamonds, etc. Kyle Park on the other side of town has a driving range, skate park, soccer fields, and many more ball diamonds. We have a bike path that runs about two miles long from downtown up to City Park, continuing to a small nature center & the Miami River. It will eventually connect from Taylorsville Reserve all the way to Troy, but the 2 mi. section we have now is perfect for avid walkers. Most subdivision neighborhoods also have their own playgrounds. Deer Cliff has its own tennis court. And, there are two or three other nature preserves scattered around town.
And, one more nice recreational opportunity is Charleston Falls Preserve off Ross Road. There's a beautiful waterfall you can hike down to, excellent walking paths through the woods, pond area, prairie, etc. We love it!
Conveniences
Aside from the fact that Tipp oozes charm, I like living here because it seems like we have the best of both worlds. We have corn fields and farm markets, horse farms, and the Miami River. But, we're also within striking distance of all the usual conveniences.
Most important on my list is that we're literally 5 minutes from the Dayton International Airport, and you don't even have to take the highway to get there. If you do lots of traveling, this probably Tipp's top selling point over Beavercreek & Centerville. If we're traveling together, we take a cab for $15 instead of paying the parking fees on site.
Tipp itself has:
Restaurants
Harrison's, Coldwater Cafe (French provincial), 2nd Street Deli, Grounds for Pleasure Coffeehouse, Sherer's Ice Cream, Hinders (awesome wings), Hickory River Smoke House, Chin's Ginger Grill, a takeout Chinese place, several pizza places, Sam & Ethels (breakfast), Tipp 'o the Town, Bob Evans, Frisch's, and all the usual fast foods (McDonald's, Wendys, Burger King, Taco Bell, Arby's). There are two carry-outs and a very well-stocked wine shop.
Stores
Lots of cute stores downtown with antiques, home decor, art, etc. Also, two groceries, several beauty salons, a nail salon, a flooring center, a hardware store, two trophy shops, a framing shop, all the usual gas stations, etc.
Troy - 10 minutes north - adds:
Krogers, Meijer, Wal-Mart, Lowe's, Kohl's, lots of nice restaurants, more coffee houses, etc.
Huber Heights - 10 minutes south - adds:
Krogers, Meijer, Wal-Mart, Lowe's, Kohl's, Elder Beerman, Marshall's, Tuesday Morning, Hobby Lobby, Bed Bath & Beyond, Showcase Cinemas, the $2 movie theater, Blockbuster Video, etc.
Vandalia - 5 minutes south - adds:
More 'casual dining' restaurants than you can count along Miller Lane (ALL the chains), another Krogers, another Blockbuster, etc.
And, then if you drive the 30 minutes to Fairfield Commons or The Greene, you can add anything else you can possibly think of (Cheesecake Factory, Fleming's, Books & Co., Barnes & Noble, Best Buy, Dick's, Macy's, Penney's, Sears, another Elder Beerman, etc.).
Even Starbucks, Trader Joe's, Stein Mart, Dorothy Lane Market, and Graeter's are all within reach. As long as it's not rush hour, I can get to all those in 25-30 minutes via I-75! They're in Oakwood and Kettering.
Does anyone reading this watch Gilmore Girls? If you're familiar with the show, Tipp might just remind you of Stars Hollow. Those who live in the subdivisions surrounding town may not be as tuned in, but for town dwellers, Tipp is very much like that fictional community.
Walk along Main Street on a Friday night, and you'll hear a guy with a guitar playing outside the Hotel Gallery. Stop by on the last weekend in October, and you'll enjoy our new Harvest Fest, celebrating Halloween in historic style. Don't miss the children's costume parade, led by the high school band (in costume and playing 'Monster Mash'). Visit Francis Barber Shop and talk with Jim and his clients about the town's history. It's straight out of 'Hoosiers.' If you really want to get involved, fight over what kind of street lamp would be the most authentic for restoration. Or, join the debate over whether we should go back to being called Tippecanoe.
PSSST...Smile 42! Maybe I shouldn't tell you this, but many trucking companies route their trucks to DAP and the other business around there over W. Main Street to N 4th Street...
Thank you all for the info. You know - this forum would not be the same without you three
Smile42 - after reading your posts late last night - I had my husband read them. We both agree that Tipp City sounds great. So right now - we have a three-way tie between Beavercreek, Centerville and Tipp City. Unfortunatley, I never watched the Gilmore Girls - but if I ever catch a re-run, I will definitely watch it. BTW - for the driving distance to WPAFB - you never gave an estimate, but from the other info on other places that you gave - can I assume a good 20 minutes of driving? How is it in the winter? Do the roads get bad? Also, we are looking to spend no more than $170k - what area would you recommend we look into. From you post, it looks like it would be the "historic" area. Which area exactly is that?
Wrightflyer and Crew Chief - what can you guys tell me about taxes in your town?
There are three basic taxes you should know about in the Dayton area: Local income, property, and the state sales tax.
Beavercreek's biggest advantage is that it has no income tax. Thus, as the system works in Ohio, if you work on base, you will pay zero income tax. If you live in a city with an income tax and work on base (federal property is exempt), you will pay that cities income tax. If you live in Beavercreek and work in Dayton for example, you will pay what I believe is a 1.5% income tax to Dayton. If you live in a community with an income tax and work in one, you pay the higher amount and the difference goes to either the city you work or live in. That's an extremly oversimplified description of Ohio's income tax laws. This also contributes to a slower rate of new growth as the tax system is a bust for new businesses.
Property taxes in Beavercreek are generally around $2000-$3000 for a $100,000-200,000 home. Homes appraised at $200,000-400,000 can expect around $3000-6000 in property tax. Personally, we pay a little more than $5000 for our home appraised at $270,000. This is only a simple comparison. On top of this, the township may have a slightly lower tax rate. Each home's appraisal (and thus tax) will differ. Greene County has a cool property map site with information on each property including tax.
Greene County Geopgraphic Management System (broken link) Click on the side link that says "GIS map server". I'm not sure if Montgomery or Miami County have a similar GIS map database. Also, Beavercreek's property taxes may seem a little higher because of the absence of an income tax.
Sales tax is pretty simple. While it can vary by county, Beavercreek is subject to the state's 6.5% sales tax. That rounds to $0.07 on the dollar.
Ohio isn't generally known as one of the friendliest states in terms of taxes. They can be somewhat high compared to other parts of the coutry, but if the communty is doing well, its usually due to the taxes collected.
PSSST...Smile 42! Maybe I shouldn't tell you this, but many trucking companies route their trucks to DAP and the other business around there over W. Main Street to N 4th Street...
I've never actually been to an office on the base, so I'm not sure how long it takes to get through the gates, find parking, walk to different offices, etc. But from my house to the Area B gate off of Route 4, it's 25 minutes. So, it will depend on what area you're working in.
As for roads . . . I'd wager we have about 2 days a year where everything, including offices with non-essential Base personnel, closes because of a really bad snow storm. Then, there are probably 8-10 days where lots of schools are closed due to snow (or the forecast of snow). And, then add a few where it's just snowing a little and a few random private schools close.
I'm not going to lie -- driving in Dayton in the snow can be miserable. Last year was particularly bad. But in *most* cases, main routes are cleared pretty well. I've noticed that sometimes it's impossible to get out of my driveway and down my street . . . and then once I hit the well traveled roads, it's like spring time!
My Mom has driven from Tipp to the base area daily for 20 years. She's lucky, though. As a teacher, she gets the snow days .
Beavercreek and Centerville dwellers will have to fill me in on their snow clearing situations. I personally find that I-675 is usually a skating rink in inclement weather. It must be the way it's situated and out in the open?!
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