Moving to Chillicothe: Pros, Cons & What to Know
Moving to Chillicothe means moving to a real, wholly distinctive Ohio town -- Ohio's first (and third) state capital, and home to the newly-UNESCO-recognized Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks -- with genuinely affordable housing, a favorably low crime rate, and a real, notably partial local tax-credit structure worth understanding upfront.
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Learn moreA real, two-stint first-capital history
Chillicothe became Ohio's first state capital on March 1, 1803, serving until 1810, then AGAIN from 1812 until 1816 (Zanesville held the capital in the interim years) before the capital permanently relocated to newly-founded Columbus. This precise, two-stint history is a genuine, distinct piece of local identity.
A genuinely significant, current UNESCO World Heritage distinction
On September 19, 2023, UNESCO inscribed Ohio's Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks -- including Hopewell Culture National Historical Park's five component sites near Chillicothe -- as the United States' 25th World Heritage Site. This is real, current, and a genuinely significant identity marker this record does not understate.
Understand Chillicothe's real, notably partial municipal tax credit
Chillicothe's own municipal income tax (1.8%, administered through CCA since 2013) offers residents only a PARTIAL credit -- up to 50% of the amount owed to Chillicothe -- for tax paid to another municipality, genuinely different from the full, dollar-for-dollar credit documented for several other Ohio cities in this project.
Genuinely affordable housing, though prices carry a real, disclosed spread
Chillicothe's housing prices ran a real, unusually wide, disclosed spread across sources this pass ($117,179-$196,991) -- confirm current, specific listings directly rather than relying on any single aggregate figure.
Key takeaways
- Chillicothe was Ohio's first state capital (1803-1810) and again (1812-1816), before Columbus.
- Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks near Chillicothe were inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in September 2023.
- Chillicothe's own municipal tax credit is only PARTIAL (up to 50%) for tax paid elsewhere -- confirm this directly if relevant to you.
- Housing runs genuinely affordable, though prices carry a real, disclosed spread across sources.
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