Delaware, Ohio · Delaware County · 55+ Guide
55+ Communities in Delaware, Ohio
The city of Delaware pairs a genuine historic downtown with small-city charm and strong 55+ demand — in Ohio’s highest-tax county. Here is every active-adult option and the honest math.
The city of Delaware, the county seat, has become one of Central Ohio’s most appealing 55+ destinations: a beautifully preserved, walkable historic downtown, Ohio Wesleyan University’s cultural life, and access to Grady Memorial Hospital — with downtown Columbus about 30 minutes south. It offers a slower, small-city pace without giving up amenities.
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Talk to a Specialist →The Delaware 55+ communities
Finished 65-home Epcon next to Scioto Reserve golf; resale only
Smaller, quieter Epcon ranch community
Wooded river-corridor Epcon setting
New-construction single-level in an up-and-coming pocket
Delaware County carries Ohio’s highest average property tax bills. The effective rate runs meaningfully above Franklin County’s ~1.69% — commonly ~1.8%+ depending on the district. On a $435k home that is roughly $57 a month more than the same home in Franklin County, about $6,800 over a decade. The downtown-Delaware charm is genuine; the county tax is the recurring cost of it. (Note: the city of Delaware’s districts can run a touch below Powell’s Olentangy rate — confirm the parcel.)
What Delaware costs to own
| Home price | Effective rate | Annual tax | 10-yr tax |
|---|---|---|---|
| $425,000 (new, Woodside) | ≈1.85% | ~$7,863 | ~$88,700 |
| $435,000 (Epcon ranch) | ≈1.85% | ~$8,048 | ~$90,800 |
| $480,000 | ≈1.85% | ~$8,880 | ~$100,200 |
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Who Delaware suits
The city of Delaware is for the buyer who wants small-city charm and a walkable historic downtown over suburban sprawl — and there is range here, from the finished, golf-adjacent Price Farms to the wooded River Bluff to new construction at Woodside. Budget for the Delaware County rate, claim the 65+ homestead exemption if you qualify, and confirm each parcel’s district. If the tax rate is the deciding factor, a Franklin County suburb is the structural alternative.
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