Two buyers with the same $300,000 preapproval can end up with monthly payments $420 apart in the Miami Valley, and the difference is property tax. At October 2026’s average mortgage rate, principal and interest on a $300,000 home with 10% down is about $1,857 a month anywhere. Add the property tax, and the total is about $2,578 a month in Oakwood and $2,158 in Troy, a difference of about $5,045 a year.
That gap is the point of this guide: before you shop, look at what the same price costs to own in each town you’re considering. Taxes are set by taxing district, a combination of city or township and school district, and school levies are most of a typical bill.
At $200,000
Principal and interest: $1,238 a month. Property tax by town, owner-occupied:
| Town (its own school district) | Mortgage | Property tax | Total a month | With energy supply |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oakwood | $1,238 | $481 | $1,719 | $1,860 |
| Miamisburg | $1,238 | $402 | $1,640 | $1,781 |
| Beavercreek | $1,238 | $385 | $1,622 | $1,763 |
| Trotwood | $1,238 | $383 | $1,621 | $1,762 |
| Centerville | $1,238 | $379 | $1,617 | $1,758 |
| West Carrollton | $1,238 | $354 | $1,592 | $1,733 |
| Kettering | $1,238 | $344 | $1,581 | $1,723 |
| Bellbrook | $1,238 | $341 | $1,578 | $1,720 |
| Dayton | $1,238 | $332 | $1,570 | $1,711 |
| Vandalia | $1,238 | $311 | $1,549 | $1,690 |
| Huber Heights | $1,238 | $306 | $1,544 | $1,685 |
| Fairborn | $1,238 | $289 | $1,527 | $1,668 |
| Springboro | $1,238 | $262 | $1,500 | $1,641 |
| Xenia | $1,238 | $246 | $1,483 | $1,625 |
| Tipp City | $1,238 | $244 | $1,481 | $1,623 |
| Lebanon | $1,238 | $237 | $1,474 | $1,616 |
| Mason | $1,238 | $236 | $1,473 | $1,615 |
| Piqua | $1,238 | $217 | $1,455 | $1,596 |
| Troy | $1,238 | $201 | $1,438 | $1,580 |
At $300,000
Principal and interest: $1,857 a month. Property tax by town, owner-occupied:
| Town (its own school district) | Mortgage | Property tax | Total a month | With energy supply |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oakwood | $1,857 | $722 | $2,578 | $2,719 |
| Miamisburg | $1,857 | $603 | $2,460 | $2,601 |
| Beavercreek | $1,857 | $577 | $2,433 | $2,575 |
| Trotwood | $1,857 | $575 | $2,432 | $2,573 |
| Centerville | $1,857 | $568 | $2,425 | $2,566 |
| West Carrollton | $1,857 | $531 | $2,388 | $2,529 |
| Kettering | $1,857 | $516 | $2,372 | $2,513 |
| Bellbrook | $1,857 | $511 | $2,367 | $2,509 |
| Dayton | $1,857 | $498 | $2,355 | $2,496 |
| Vandalia | $1,857 | $467 | $2,324 | $2,465 |
| Huber Heights | $1,857 | $459 | $2,315 | $2,457 |
| Fairborn | $1,857 | $434 | $2,290 | $2,432 |
| Springboro | $1,857 | $393 | $2,250 | $2,391 |
| Xenia | $1,857 | $369 | $2,225 | $2,366 |
| Tipp City | $1,857 | $365 | $2,222 | $2,363 |
| Lebanon | $1,857 | $355 | $2,212 | $2,353 |
| Mason | $1,857 | $353 | $2,210 | $2,351 |
| Piqua | $1,857 | $326 | $2,183 | $2,324 |
| Troy | $1,857 | $301 | $2,158 | $2,299 |
At $400,000
Principal and interest: $2,475 a month. Property tax by town, owner-occupied:
| Town (its own school district) | Mortgage | Property tax | Total a month | With energy supply |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oakwood | $2,475 | $962 | $3,437 | $3,579 |
| Miamisburg | $2,475 | $804 | $3,280 | $3,421 |
| Beavercreek | $2,475 | $769 | $3,244 | $3,386 |
| Trotwood | $2,475 | $767 | $3,242 | $3,383 |
| Centerville | $2,475 | $758 | $3,233 | $3,374 |
| West Carrollton | $2,475 | $708 | $3,183 | $3,325 |
| Kettering | $2,475 | $687 | $3,163 | $3,304 |
| Bellbrook | $2,475 | $681 | $3,157 | $3,298 |
| Dayton | $2,475 | $664 | $3,139 | $3,281 |
| Vandalia | $2,475 | $623 | $3,098 | $3,239 |
| Huber Heights | $2,475 | $612 | $3,087 | $3,228 |
| Fairborn | $2,475 | $579 | $3,054 | $3,195 |
| Springboro | $2,475 | $525 | $3,000 | $3,141 |
| Xenia | $2,475 | $491 | $2,967 | $3,108 |
| Tipp City | $2,475 | $487 | $2,963 | $3,104 |
| Lebanon | $2,475 | $474 | $2,949 | $3,090 |
| Mason | $2,475 | $471 | $2,947 | $3,088 |
| Piqua | $2,475 | $435 | $2,910 | $3,051 |
| Troy | $2,475 | $401 | $2,877 | $3,018 |
What this leaves out
Homeowners insurance, mortgage insurance (usually required with less than 20% down), HOA fees and special assessments aren’t included, and they vary by home. The energy column adds the Cost of Living page’s typical supply cost, $141 a month for electricity and natural gas at the default rates in the Dayton area, before delivery charges; it’s the same everywhere in the table. Property tax figures are estimates for tax year 2025 (paid in 2026) from the Ohio Department of Taxation’s published rates; each town uses its own school district’s taxing districts, so parts of a town in another school district can pay more or less. For a specific house, the county auditor has the exact bill, and the calculator shows how to find it.
Mortgage figures use Freddie Mac’s October 2026 average 30-year fixed rate of 7.33%, a 30-year loan for 90% of the price. Your own rate depends on your credit, loan type and lender.
How the region compares overall: A Dollar Goes About 8% Further in the Dayton Area Than the U.S. Average.
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