Living in Milford, Ohio: homes, prices and straight answers

What is downtown Milford like?

It is a real old Main Street on the Little Miami River, with local shops, restaurants and cafes, and the bike trail a few steps away. Milford got its name from its ford, an early crossing of the Little Miami River, and the town dates to the early 1800s. Today you will find locally made crafts, antiques and plenty of places to eat.

It is gorgeous around Christmas, when they really decorate. In summer you can walk across the bridge and watch the kayakers on the river. With some tear-downs and rebuilds going on, it feels like an old town that has been made new again.

Is Milford the city or Miami Township?

Both carry Milford addresses, but they are two different places, and the difference shows up in your taxes. The City of Milford is small, about 3,500 homes, with the historic downtown. Miami Township around it is much bigger, about 17,800 homes, and it is where you find the big national stores and restaurant chains along State Route 28.

• Income tax: the city charges 1%; the township charges none where you live.
• Schools: the city is in Milford schools; township addresses can be in Milford, Loveland, Goshen or Clermont Northeastern schools.
• County: almost everything is in Clermont County, but a small western part of the city is in Hamilton County, where a few addresses are assigned to other school districts.

Look up every address with the Clermont County Auditor before you write an offer.

Is Milford on the Loveland bike trail?

Yes. The Little Miami Scenic Trail runs right past downtown Milford, 9.5 miles south of downtown Loveland. The city calls itself a Trail Town because several long trails meet here, including the Little Miami trail, the Buckeye Trail and the North Country Trail. If the river or the bike path is a big draw for you, you do not want to miss this area. People hike, bike and kayak here all year.

I also cannot talk about Milford without mentioning the Cincinnati Nature Center nearby. You can hike, go birding, or learn how they tap maple trees for syrup, and it is beautiful in every season.

How does the Milford income tax work?

If you live inside the city, you pay Milford 1% of your earnings, and Milford gives no credit for tax you pay to the city where you work. So if you work in Cincinnati, which charges 1.8%, you would pay both, 2.8% in all. Many Ohio cities give at least some credit, so this surprises people. Live in Miami Township and there is no local income tax where you live. The details are on the city's tax page.

What kinds of homes are in Milford, and what do they cost?

Older houses and a lot of condos and apartments in the city, and mostly single-family subdivisions from the 1980s on in Miami Township. Only about 43% of homes in the city are single-family houses, and the median one was built in 1968. In the township, 80% are single-family houses and the median year built is 1989. There are higher-end homes too, some into the millions.

The city median fell about 17% this summer, but that rests on about 17 sales a month, so the mix of homes that happens to sell moves it a lot. Across the 45150 ZIP code, with many more sales, the median was about $340,000, up about 5%. That is still well below Anderson Township next door, at about $395,000. If Milford stretches your budget, look east to Batavia and Amelia.

What should I know before I buy in Milford?

Check the flood map for anything near the river, and drive your commute at the time you would really make it. The Little Miami runs along the west side of Milford and through the middle of it, so ask about flood history before you fall for the view. My video on checking a home's flood risk shows how.

The one downside I see is that there are not a lot of major employers right here, so plan on commuting unless you work from home. At least I-275 is close. Thinking about a brand-new house nearby? Read New construction vs. resale first.