Henry Rifle Forums

I received my property tax statement yesterday. My taxes went up $700. I would complain but the total is only a third of what I would be paying in Seattle. Two more years living in Wisconsin and as a Disabled Veteran I get a tax credit for the house which is 90% of the value. Basically I’ll be paying $300 a year.

I do pay an income tax and a 5% sales tax. The sales tax is half what it was in Washington and most of my income is not taxable so overall I’m way ahead.

The overall cost of living is way lower living here in rural Wisconsin. Housing is the main savings and I pocketed almost a million dollars selling and buying. The only thing that is more expensive is transportation and only because it’s 30 miles for a latte compared to 3 in Seattle.

The only downside is there are no jobs here. I’m sure glad I’m retired. Well no jobs and we have an annual ice age.

Our property taxes aren't too bad here in the Land of 10,000 taxes, but we pay state income tax as well as sales tax. I would have left this state 25 years ago but Grandma say NO! The Grandchildren are here.
The Ice Age is upon us now as well, but at least I don't have to mow the grass.

Sir Henry wrote: ↑

Sat Dec 13, 2025 8:48 am

I received my property tax statement yesterday. My taxes went up $700. I would complain but the total is only a third of what I would be paying in Seattle. Two more years living in Wisconsin and as a Disabled Veteran I get a tax credit for the house which is 90% of the value. Basically I’ll be paying $300 a year.

I do pay an income tax and a 5% sales tax. The sales tax is half what it was in Washington and most of my income is not taxable so overall I’m way ahead.

The overall cost of living is way lower living here in rural Wisconsin. Housing is the main savings and I pocketed almost a million dollars selling and buying. The only thing that is more expensive is transportation and only because it’s 30 miles for a latte compared to 3 in Seattle.

The only downside is there are no jobs here. I’m sure glad I’m retired. Well no jobs and we have an annual ice age.

From one who is still experiencing what you left I am with envy.

Like Gene, I live in rural Wisconsin. Just mailed off the payment for my property tax, yesterday. I have no complaints about living up here in our north woods. Very little crime, people are great and the north woods are hard to beat for someone who loves the outdoors lifestyle. Yeah, our winters are long and very snowy, but I live only about 5 miles from a good latte and I love XC skiing. In fact, this has been one of my best winters for skiing.

Hatchdog wrote: ↑

Sat Dec 13, 2025 11:15 am

Sir Henry wrote: ↑

Sat Dec 13, 2025 8:48 am

I received my property tax statement yesterday. My taxes went up $700. I would complain but the total is only a third of what I would be paying in Seattle. Two more years living in Wisconsin and as a Disabled Veteran I get a tax credit for the house which is 90% of the value. Basically I’ll be paying $300 a year.

I do pay an income tax and a 5% sales tax. The sales tax is half what it was in Washington and most of my income is not taxable so overall I’m way ahead.

The overall cost of living is way lower living here in rural Wisconsin. Housing is the main savings and I pocketed almost a million dollars selling and buying. The only thing that is more expensive is transportation and only because it’s 30 miles for a latte compared to 3 in Seattle.

The only downside is there are no jobs here. I’m sure glad I’m retired. Well no jobs and we have an annual ice age.

From one who is still experiencing what you left I am with envy.

I thought of moving to Spokane because I grew up there. In the end I decided to leave not only King County but the entire state.

North Country Gal wrote: ↑

Sat Dec 13, 2025 11:27 am

Like Gene, I live in rural Wisconsin. Just mailed off the payment for my property tax, yesterday. I have no complaints about living up here in our north woods. Very little crime, people are great and the north woods are hard to beat for someone who loves the outdoors lifestyle. Yeah, our winters are long and very snowy, but I live only about 5 miles from a good latte and I love XC skiing. In fact, this has been one of my best winters for skiing.

Cold weather isn’t all that bad if you are prepared. Having been a mountaineer in Washington I was experienced in cold weather. It’s winter year round at the top of Mount Rainier.

My sister still lives in that ____ hole Washington State. When I visit I for the life of me cant figure out why anyone would want to live there. Property taxes at her place are way out of line.

BigAl52 wrote: ↑

Sat Dec 13, 2025 5:33 pm

My sister still lives in that ____ hole Washington State. When I visit I for the life of me cant figure out why anyone would want to live there. Property taxes at her place are way out of line.

The Cascades are a mountaineers paradise.

The politics there take away any paradise that it can offer. I wouldnt go downtown to fishermans wharf if you paid me to go

Taxes here in the People's Republic of New Jersey are over $8000 for a 52 x28 ranch house with tin siding on a 75 x 125 lot. Missed out (my fault ) on moving out to central Pennsylvania during covid.

BigAl52 wrote: ↑

Sat Dec 13, 2025 7:25 pm

The politics there take away any paradise that it can offer. I wouldnt go downtown to fishermans wharf if you paid me to go

I would tend to agree with you about the west side especially the Seattle metro area but things are lot different here in the East central part of the state. I'm not sure about the South Western part of the state but I think it's a lot different too until you start getting closer to the Vancouver/Portland area. I think Oregon is very similar geographically.

We do have to put up with all the new firearm restrictions the Western side is passing. If I was younger I would probably be considering moving to a different state but I've been here now for 73 years and not really wanting to start over and it would be tough financially.

BigAl52 wrote: ↑

Sat Dec 13, 2025 7:25 pm

The politics there take away any paradise that it can offer. I wouldnt go downtown to fishermans wharf if you paid me to go

It was okay up till about 2000.

dave77 wrote: ↑

Sat Dec 13, 2025 10:19 pm

BigAl52 wrote: ↑

Sat Dec 13, 2025 7:25 pm

The politics there take away any paradise that it can offer. I wouldnt go downtown to fishermans wharf if you paid me to go

I would tend to agree with you about the west side especially the Seattle metro area but things are lot different here in the East central part of the state. I'm not sure about the South Western part of the state but I think it's a lot different too until you start getting closer to the Vancouver/Portland area. I think Oregon is very similar geographically.

We do have to put up with all the new firearm restrictions the Western side is passing. If I was younger I would probably be considering moving to a different state but I've been here now for 73 years and not really wanting to start over and it would be tough financially.

Dave
Its somewhat the same in Colorado. I have a step daughter that lives in Naches. I’ve been all over the eastern part of Washington. But 16K a year for property taxes and when I left there last July 4.00 a gallon gas is crazy. Id like to get out of Colorado to where taxes and insurance are going through the roof. But at 73 the chances are slim

I get my property tax bill in July. Half is due then, half in January. I pay it all in July.

I'm sure there are lots of people in CT who are unhappy about the cost of living, taxes, and other social and political issues who would like to leave, but luckily I don't know any of them. The few people that I know enjoy living here and can afford it and they contribute and donate to help those who can't. I'm happy to pay for public schools, good roads, and other state and municipal services. We might complain about newly realized medical conditions, aches or pains, and other challenges to navigating the room or doing common chores, but the complaints are usually just an acknowledgment of some cosmic sense of sadistic humor.

There's no denying it. Eyes wide open. It really is a cruel world and eventually it is going to bare it's gnarly teeth. In the meantime, I'll pay my taxes and try to enjoy some good humor and shoot as much and as often as I can. I've got a lot of ammo.

Northern Virginia is the pain in our butts and seems to now be getting worse, but otherwise we are doing just fine here in SW Virginia. We also just paid our taxes and I would say how much for all we have and all we get, but I don't want everyone cussing at me, lol.

BigAl52 wrote: ↑

Sun Dec 14, 2025 9:11 am

Dave
Its somewhat the same in Colorado. I have a step daughter that lives in Naches. I’ve been all over the eastern part of Washington. But 16K a year for property taxes and when I left there last July 4.00 a gallon gas is crazy. Id like to get out of Colorado to where taxes and insurance are going through the roof. But at 73 the chances are slim

My county has a program that has a 3 tier property tax exemption for retirees and disabled. The top tier exempts some taxes if your income is below $48k. I qualified for the middle tier last year and am somewhat embarrassed at how low my property taxes were last year. Also my property's assessed value was frozen when I retired 10 years ago. It will go to the current assessment if I go over the $48k but as long as I don't go over $48k 2 consecutive years it will revert back to the original assessment from 10 years ago.
I'm not sure if it's statewide but it probably is as it does exempt you from some state taxes if your income is low enough.

My property tax bill comes the first of the year. School taxes came in September. I get a school tax refund for owning my home. It comes out to around 15%. You have to sign up for it. School taxes are more than property taxes here. I live in the lowest taxed town of our county. My part time job is in the next county. Each winter I can see my taxes at work as I cross the county line in the winter. The roadway goes from wet to snow covered as I enter the next county. It depends how much snow is in the road depending whether the state, county or town takes care of that road. On the state road, the counties usually contract to take care of it. Apparently they all don't get the same rate for the same road.

I’m looking at all my property tax bills since I bought in Wisconsin. In 2022 my taxes were $2,393 and this year they are $3,870. Most of the increase has been from acquiring more land and adding new structures. The school district passed a levy and that portion increased from $1,497 to $1,791. I get a tax credit of $64 because I’m owner occupied and I get a credit of $193 coming from the state lottery. In two more years I get a tax credit for the house value as a Disabled Veteran.

Overall my combined property, income, and sales tax is a lot less than in Washington. Even licensing my autos is a lot less. And all I have to do is tolerate an ice age for five months each year.

Of course Real Estate taxes vary by locality here in Va. but in my little but expen$ive city I paid my half in November of the $3200 on my rancher sitting on 1/2 acre lot. You would think paying taxes on this place for 40 years now would be enough! Cost of Senior life is trying to hold on to what you worked and paid for with the rising cost of home insurance and taxes!

Here in the east side of Washington State (less expensive than where Sir Henry lived) my property taxes have surged since 2020. When the riots were happening in the larger cities many moved here and other nearby areas and our home values were inflated. Double edged sword as yes my home is worth more but the cost to live in it has increased greatly. Not only in taxes but in home owners insurance which has also increased considerably. The difficult part is my income hasn’t increased in this time frame with the exception of the Social Security cost of living increases. My pension is still exactly what it was when I retired in 2015.

Just less expendable income than five years ago compounded by the inflation of the last four years. But so far we are good, and making ends meet. We certainly have cut back on some spending tho.