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Can I get some honest info on TX living?

s10sakota

Well Known Member
Here?s the deal: I?m being taxed to death in Michigan.

I?m a pilot at Spirit Airlines and I?m thinking about moving to TX and would prefer to build or buy a hangar home at Hicks Airfield.

Between MI income tax, property tax, and ridiculous car insurance, It?s costing my over $20,000/yr to live there.

Spirit has a pilot domicile in Dallas and the no-income tax status in Texas is attractive as I can save over 12k/yr. I do know that property taxes are higher in TX but I?m already paying $7,000/yr for property taxes on my hangar home in MI.

I?ve always read that it doesn?t really matter if you move to a no income tax state as the gov?t will still find a way to steal your money.

I still think it would be less expensive to live in TX and not pay income tax, but does anyone have any real data about the costs?

Has anyone moved to TX from another state and realized a tax savings?

People tell me there?s other costs in TX like yearly car inspections, and school tax, etc...

What else? Sales tax may be higher, but for as little as I spend money I?m not overly concerned about that.

On April 1st, 2020 I?ll make the last payment on my house and then I?m serious about moving to TX if it makes sense to do so.

I just thought I?d see if I can get some good information from other aviation people as part of my research.

Thank you to anyone who can provide me some good data!

Happy flying...
 
Taxes

Funny. We moved out after 30 in Austin because of property/school taxes, traffic and the oppressive heat.
However, if I win the lottery, a home near Bandera or Leakey would be a dream 2nd home.
 
Yes the heat is what everyone I talk to complains about. But the flip side of that is that in MI we have 6-7 months of cold, dreary, depressing weather every year!

2 months of heat, or 6 months of hiding indoors??
 
School tax is part of your property tax. Car inspections in rural areas are 7.00 per year. Not sure in big metro areas,I think they run 25.00 b/c of emissions inspections. Could be a bit more. I own a small house in Ft Worth for my MIL to live in and with a valuation of 125k,the property,school,transit district,etc taxes run 3500.00 yr which I think IS high but there is some hard data. Auto registration depends on age & weight. Midsize newish SUV about 75.00 per yr. Nothing else tax wise comes to mind except of course the sales tax.
 
Had to look it up T67. Things are cheaper in Texas, just about everything, houses, hangars, etc. Property taxes can be higher because public schools are financed with property tax. Most places private airplanes and cars are not taxed (personal property). Weather is better. It seldom snows in Fort Worth.

I live out in the stix so everything is even cheaper. I fly out of 07R near Bishop in South Texas. I rent a hangar for $100/month. I live in a 2,500 sq/ft home that is on the tax rolls for around $200k with taxes around $3k/year. My daughter has a 1930s 1000 sq/ft home in Fort Worth that is on the tax rolls for about the same.
 
Moved from Ohio 12 years ago to just outside San Antonio. Best decision we have ever made as a family. Property taxes are very high in our area but with the State income tax and property tax in ohio we save almost 10k a year living here! It does get hot here but you can go out early and late and beat some of the heat and there is always a 10 kt wind. In Ohio, once October hit, there was no escaping the cold and dreary, snow, ice and sludge. A lot more flyin for the $100 burger days down here. Highly recommend the move!
 
I moved from Cali to Texas 30 years ago.

Sales tax: State = 6.25% + local ~0 - 2.25% ==> 8.5% (see: https://mycpa.cpa.state.tx.us/atj/)

Property tax: All over the map, as low as .67% (boondocks) to over 3% (city folk). The trick here is to live in a county with a low rate, stay outside of city limits/ETJs and the MUD/SUDs...(http://www.tax-rates.org/texas/property-tax)

Income tax: 0.0% (awesome...and one less tax return to fill out :))

Gasoline: 89 octane -- $1.90 - $2.30/gallon, AVGAS -- $3 to $6/gallon (depends upon the airport/FBO)

The weather is generally good - a couple of months out of the year (July/August) are bad, but fly to Utah and visit friends, or hang out in/by the pool -- which you can afford to do :)
 
I fly out of NW Regional 52F, near Hicks. I live 12 miles east in Flower Mound, just 5 miles N of DFW. My $240,000 2200 square foot home costs about $6100/year in state, county, and local taxes. In my opinion, these governments do a reasonable job returning that taxation into community improvements, roads, etc.

The NW quadrant of the DFW Class B is dotted with airfields with some of the lowest 100LL prices in Texas. KXBP is 25 miles west: $3.50/gal.

One thing to consider living at Hicks or some of the other airports where people live: If there's an airport property owners' association, that'll be an additional bill. For instance, the 52F owners association charges (I believe) $.29 per square foot of the property structure footprint. That means a 3000 sq ft hangar will cost $870/year. Not bad, but an additional cost of living.
But you'll be surrounded by fellow aviators, and tons of them are RVators.

Oh, and I have yet to spend a single cent on heating oil. Smoke Oil? Yes. We fly all year round down here. :cool:

For what it's worth.
 
Mark, there are many sites online, but I found this one first:

https://howmuch.net/articles/true-cost-living

It lets you drag around a map and see what is left over to live on after taxes, etc.

v/r,dr

PS: I'm in Highland Village, TX just north of Lewisville (the bad side of the tracks). Aircon costs $500/mo for the three hottest months of the year, but winters are really mild. Snow is rare. Rain made out of frozen golf balls does occasionally fall - budget new shingles every 10-15 years <g>.


Beautiful state but we don’t have a pilot domicile there and I won’t commute to work.
 
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I have been in TX for about 13 years and convinced a college friend to move here from Michigan a good 5 years ago. Overall, TX is a pretty inexpensive place to live. Yes, summers are hot, but not all that bad really. A pool was the best investment I have made for the summers.

*Cars are cheap to register <$100 a year.
*Boats are cheap to register as well, <$100 every 2 years
*Sales tax is generally 8.25% - pretty typical
*Gas is generally cheap (really cheap right now, but it has been high in the past, but still lower than other areas)
*Car insurance is typical
*HO insurance is a little high (due to hail)
*Electricity is pretty reasonable, just make sure you shop around for rates. If you just stick with one supplier all the time, you will pay (like cable). I change providers every 3-6 months and change rate plans by season. I have never had an electric bill over $250 during the summer (on a 3200 sqft house).
*Water is one of the major monthly bills, particularly during the summer. A big lawn is nice to look at, but that is about it.
*Property tax is where they get you, but you can control that by buying a less expensive home. If you don't have small kids, then search for the best school districts, and don't move there. The school tax can vary quite a bit and makes up the majority of the property tax. Move out to county land (unincorporated) and tax will be much lower.
*The only downside to Texas is the lack of topography, it is flat. Even hill country is flat. Before moving here most of my flying was in Northern Arizona and Southern California, so I am used to mountains. Without GPS, I would be lost out here...and watch out for antennas, that was new to me as well.
 
We've only been here about 6 months, and haven't quite figured out the overall financial impact, but have discovered a side benefit: the low humidity and weather.

Coming from Atlanta, and being relegated to an indoor living experience most of the year due to humidity, rain and mosquitoes, our area of TX (Keller) has been a real breath of fresh air. I've been able to get more outside time the last 6 months than I've been able to the last 10 years in Atlanta.

Yeah, it's hot, but it's a dry hot (mostly) and more tolerable (to me) than the sauna that was the ATL in the summer.
 
I was talking to family in Mississippi just the other day and doing some C.O.L. comparisons with Florida (very similar to Texas in terms of COL). MS has outrageous taxes - sales tax on vehicles plus "tag" which can cost more than $1000 per year, state income tax, and high sales taxes. Property taxes and real estate costs make up some of the difference, but not enough.

My sense is that the reason that COL in FL and TX are lower is that we have strong economies but also that the states are well-run. State government in both places just works, is pragmatic, and in Florida we have the "Sunshine law" which prohibits closed-door meeting at any level of government. The state is not perfect by any means but from an economic point of view it has done well. TX seems similar to me based on my discussions with family members who live there, and reading various comparisons.
 
T67 Life...

Mark,

I live at Hicks, and will continue to do so until I retire from my 121 day job next February.

If you?d like to discuss life here with your RV-7, I am your man.

PM me if you would like my contact info for an email or call.

V/R,

Rob Schroer
 
Here?s the deal: I?m being taxed to death in Michigan.

I?m a pilot at Spirit Airlines and I?m thinking about moving to TX and would prefer to build or buy a hangar home at Hicks Airfield.

Between MI income tax, property tax, and ridiculous car insurance, It?s costing my over $20,000/yr to live there.

Spirit has a pilot domicile in Dallas and the no-income tax status in Texas is attractive as I can save over 12k/yr. I do know that property taxes are higher in TX but I?m already paying $7,000/yr for property taxes on my hangar home in MI.

I?ve always read that it doesn?t really matter if you move to a no income tax state as the gov?t will still find a way to steal your money.

I still think it would be less expensive to live in TX and not pay income tax, but does anyone have any real data about the costs?

Has anyone moved to TX from another state and realized a tax savings?

People tell me there?s other costs in TX like yearly car inspections, and school tax, etc...

What else? Sales tax may be higher, but for as little as I spend money I?m not overly concerned about that.

On April 1st, 2020 I?ll make the last payment on my house and then I?m serious about moving to TX if it makes sense to do so.

I just thought I?d see if I can get some good information from other aviation people as part of my research.

Thank you to anyone who can provide me some good data!

Happy flying...

I?ve lived in Michigan, and found it to be pretty cheap considering the cost of real estate. Winters were cold, and grey, though. Texas is not in the top (bottom 10) tax wise and summers are *miserably* hot. I?ve also lived in South Carolina. Also pretty cheap real estate wise, but hot summers and all kinds of unfriendly critters. I haven?t found the perfect place yet... cost, climate, politics being considerations. Unless you want to live in southern Cal, I really think you need a summer and winter residence.

http://worldpopulationreview.com/states/tax-burden-by-state/
 
I’ve lived in Michigan, and found it to be pretty cheap considering the cost of real estate. Winters were cold, and grey, though. Texas is not in the top (bottom 10) tax wise and summers are *miserably* hot. I’ve also lived in South Carolina. Also pretty cheap real estate wise, but hot summers and all kinds of unfriendly critters. I haven’t found the perfect place yet... cost, climate, politics being considerations. Unless you want to live in southern Cal, I really think you need a summer and winter residence.

http://worldpopulationreview.com/states/tax-burden-by-state/

I imagine you lived in MI a few years ago and I suspect MI is like IL. Things have spiraled out of control, tax-wise, the last few years, as we dig out of the aftermath of decades of financial mismanagement. Much worse in Chicago vs the remainder of the state. In just 5 years, it has gone from a reasonable tax level for a big city living, to down right oppressive. Here in the land of govt corruption, the new answer to avoiding bankruptcy is new taxes. I fear it will continue until a larger mass exodus occurs.

Heck, Illinois even tried to lower the death tax to 800K a couple of years ago. THAT created enough threats to repeal it before it ever took effect.

Larry
 
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