WEBlue

We've found some towns/cities really push the parameters on property taxes, though, which over time will have a massive effect on who moves in & out. For instance, we quite like the town we're presently renting in, but would hesitate to buy a property here because the mill rate is so high that even if you buy a modest home you're paying disproportionately high proerty taxes compared to several neighbouring towns. According to folk here, a large part of the reason for the high mill rate is that some big corporations have folded or moved away from this town, so the shortfall is being made up by hiking homeowners' taxes.

This is destructive in two ways--it's causing long-time homeowners who have the funds to move to relocate to nearby towns with lower prop taxes, and the ones who can't afford to move are suffering liens that may eventually help send them into foreclosure. Everyone agrees it's a lose-lose situation for a nice town with overall EXCELLENT services (trash pickup, roads & pavements kept nicely, strong police, fire, paramedic sectors). The resident homeowner numbers will fall in favor of absentee landlords who break up the old houses into ever-smaller flats to pay their taxes, and the town will go downhill. It's a shame.

rallybug

I'd say that HI is only a good bet for retiring if you have no family, otherwise costs of flights etc would get prohibitive, whether for the retiree(s) or their family for visits.