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Are you comparing RI to living in nearby southern Massachusetts or the metro Boston area? Metro Boston is more expensive than RI primarily because the cost of housing is more expensive. However, if you compare the Massachusetts farm coast (loosely Somerset, Seekonk, Swansea, Westport, Dartmouth & Fairhaven) with RI, it's reversed. While the housing cost are probably similar apples for apples, the taxes and insurance costs are much higher in RI. Property taxes are also generally lower in Mass. The killer is you get far better schools for less property taxes in Mass. According the the studies I've seen, the best public schools in RI would be considered mediocre in Mass.
The south coast of Mass. is less expensive simply because it enjoys better and more efficient government at both the local and of course state level. You would be amazed at what an income boost is realized just by the savings (taxes & auto/HO insurance) of the move from RI to nearby Mass. Not to mention getting better schools, better roads and better services. Simply put, one state is amongst the country's best in multiple categories and the other is not.
I did this research 7 years ago. I was looking at Rhode Island and Massachusetts coastal towns. I'm from South Dartmouth and ended up buying my retirement home there but mom was living in North Kingstown at the time and used to live on the Sakonnet River in Tiverton so my scope was the west side of the Jamestown bridge in North Kingstown to Marion.
Everybody has high homeowners insurance. The Massachusetts towns are in a high risk pool unless you have a relationship with an insurance company. The property taxes are variable depending on the concentration of commercial property and waterfront vacation homes. Jamestown RI is very low, for example. Little Compton RI is extremely low. Both have well below a $10.00 mil rate. The Providence coastal bedroom towns like East Greenwich and Barrington are quite a bit higher because of the count of kids in the school systems relative to their tax base. Westport, Ma is also low. Dartmouth a bit higher with a $10.00-ish mil rate. This stuff is all online.
I don't think there is significant difference in overall cost of living other than the Providence coastal bedroom towns where real estate prices are higher. A retiree doesn't have big income so the graduated RI income tax is likely to be more favorable than the 5.15% flat Mass income tax. RI sales tax is a bit higher but 6.25% versus 7% isn't a big deal.
All you good City Data Forum members, what are your thoughts about this comparison? Seems to me, living in Mass as I do, which has a high COL, that the two states are comparable. Housing, food, gas, taxes etc. I have seen many posters in this forum that state that RI is very expensive to live in. Thinking of a move from Mass to RI and would love some input. Any thoughts? Thanks.
DO NOT DO IT!
We are leaving RI asap! The taxes are ridiculously higher than any of my friends in Mass plus the auto insurance and auto taxes are 2x as much at least. I have looked into it extensively. The schools are much higher rated in Mass as well. RI is ficsally and politically a disaster, stay away! I can't think of any benefits to living in RI over Mass. maybe, just maybe the commute times to get places are better in RI otherwise forget it.
Good luck, hope it helps!
We are leaving RI asap! The taxes are ridiculously higher than any of my friends in Mass plus the auto insurance and auto taxes are 2x as much at least. I have looked into it extensively. The schools are much higher rated in Mass as well. RI is ficsally and politically a disaster, stay away! I can't think of any benefits to living in RI over Mass. maybe, just maybe the commute times to get places are better in RI otherwise forget it.
Good luck, hope it helps!
jay02921 the situation is not as dire as you make it sound, and it is very specific to the individual.
I moved from MA to RI a few years ago. My income taxes stayed roughly the same and I pay 30% less car taxes (I drive 10+ yr old vehicles). Property tax is on par and house prices were more in line with my budget (ie. more house for my dollar). According to my records my car insurance went up 9.5%. Note that I moved from a small town in MA to a small town in RI. Car insurance is going to be higher in a city, regardless of what state you live in.
One important point to note is that the car tax mill rates vary by town in RI. MA has a fixed rate throughout the state. RI also has varying exemption amounts ranging from $500 of the value up to $3000-5000 (not exactly sure). The towns with more money tend to charge a lower car and real estate mill rate and also have higher exemptions. All of this data can be found online from each town's assessor website.
jay02921 the situation is not as dire as you make it sound, and it is very specific to the individual.
I moved from MA to RI a few years ago. My income taxes stayed roughly the same and I pay 30% less car taxes (I drive 10+ yr old vehicles). Property tax is on par and house prices were more in line with my budget (ie. more house for my dollar). According to my records my car insurance went up 9.5%. Note that I moved from a small town in MA to a small town in RI. Car insurance is going to be higher in a city, regardless of what state you live in.
One important point to note is that the car tax mill rates vary by town in RI. MA has a fixed rate throughout the state. RI also has varying exemption amounts ranging from $500 of the value up to $3000-5000 (not exactly sure). The towns with more money tend to charge a lower car and real estate mill rate and also have higher exemptions. All of this data can be found online from each town's assessor website.
You may be right for small town to small town but when I compared data from similar sized cities RI to MA, RI was much more expensive. Auto insurance approximately 40%more in RI, $9,600 in taxes for 400k in RI, 10k taxes on 700k house in mass Based on assessed values. You can't compare the schools, mass schools are far superior and the number of educated people in mass is much much higher than RI. I'm sure some small towns in RI are nice but I am comparing City to City of almost equal size and population. "Excise" in RI is very high, I have to pay $1600/year on a new car mass would be 1200. Sorry but I respectfully disagree and think overall Mass is a much better state than RI (minus the liberal agenda of both states).
You may be right for small town to small town but when I compared data from similar sized cities RI to MA, RI was much more expensive. Auto insurance approximately 40%more in RI, $9,600 in taxes for 400k in RI, 10k taxes on 700k house in mass Based on assessed values. You can't compare the schools, mass schools are far superior and the number of educated people in mass is much much higher than RI. I'm sure some small towns in RI are nice but I am comparing City to City of almost equal size and population. "Excise" in RI is very high, I have to pay $1600/year on a new car mass would be 1200. Sorry but I respectfully disagree and think overall Mass is a much better state than RI (minus the liberal agenda of both states).
by your moniker I will guess you live in Western Cranston. A very pretty area, but Cranston has been badly run for a while and taxes are high there. Did you vote any of those politicians in? Too bad you chose Cranston, but you must have liked something about it. A $400,000 home anywhere in Western Cranston would probably run $700,000 in comparable Massachusetts cities or towns. That the taxes are the same, on average, makes no difference. I mean a simple move to Scituate would probably save you the same money. Their excise tax is half of Cranstons'. Their property tax is less. Probably auto insurance and other items are less. They have their own well water and septic systems thus not having to pay the Narragansett Bay Commission each year. And they have a good school system where students are not taught to the test. I know that is the case as my daughter is a high school teacher in an affluent town in Massachusetts. And by the way you dis Rhode Island, you might be correct that we have "Rhude " residents as you have made that point on other posts. Fortunately many of the "Rhude" residents are leaving the state. Good luck in Massachusetts.
One important point to note is that the car tax mill rates vary by town in RI. MA has a fixed rate throughout the state. RI also has varying exemption amounts ranging from $500 of the value up to $3000-5000 (not exactly sure). The towns with more money tend to charge a lower car and real estate mill rate and also have higher exemptions. All of this data can be found online from each town's assessor website.
I just had to deal with my mom's auto property tax for North Kingstown after I moved her to assisted living 14 months ago and sold her car. I'd been in town hall obtaining a death certificate for her husband last summer and thought I'd paid her auto property tax in full for the year at that time. A couple months ago, I get another bill. I called asking them to explain. Turns out, they bill a year in arrears so I still owed the partial year 2015 automobile property tax. I've never lived anywhere in my life that didn't bill auto taxes in advance.
Massachusetts has a quickly declining excise tax on cars. When new, you pay 2.5% of the sticker price of the car. That's sticker price, not what you paid for it. It declines by about 20% per year so a 5 or 6 year old car pays practically no excise tax. I don't have a car in the state but it's motivation to buy leftover cars in October or CPO cars that are 3 model years old. You'll save a ton on excise taxes.
Boats aren't taxed in any way in Rhode Island. No sales tax, no property tax. I own a 1969 catboat registered in Mass. I pay $25.00 to the town for excise tax. On a new boat, you'd get crushed with the same rules as with a car. I look at the brand new $500K boats in the harbor and think about their excise tax bill.
Dear Members,
Please excuse me if my forum etiquette is wrong as I wedge in to ask a question regarding ormari’s response and reference to working in RI and living in Mass. My family is relocating this spring from Atlanta and we are looking at homes in both states. We will be working in Rhode Island. I did not consider the differences in tax withholdings. Are there additional things to consider when living in Mass but working in Providence?
Thank you kindly for any information or advice.
Property taxes are generally lower in MA, so are auto excise taxes and insurance. Income taxes, it all depends on how much you earn. Some people would pay more in MA, others would pay more to RI. Income taxes are basically a wash if you live in MA and work in RI. Cost of housing is usually lower in RI.
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