Royal Oak is the cheaper of the two. Its lowest homestead rate is 37.9610 mills against Birmingham's 38.1422 — about $32 a year less on a $350,000 home at the uncapped taxable value.
| Municipality | Homestead mills | County rank | $250,000 | $350,000 | $500,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Royal Oak | 37.9610–42.7595 | 34 of 52 | $4,745 | $6,643 | $9,490 |
| Birmingham | 38.1422 | 35 of 52 | $4,768 | $6,675 | $9,536 |
Dollar columns are the annual homestead bill at the uncapped taxable value — roughly half the purchase price. Multi-district cities show their full rate range; the rank and dollar figures use each city's lowest district.
Royal Oak is the cheaper of the two. Its lowest homestead rate is 37.9610 mills against Birmingham's 38.1422 — about $32 a year less on a $350,000 home at the uncapped taxable value.
About $32 a year on a $350,000 home — 38.1422 mills versus 37.9610 at each city's lowest homestead rate, using the official 2025 Michigan Treasury millage report.
No. Birmingham and Royal Oak draw from different school districts, so a move between them changes both the city millage and the school levy underneath it.
Usually not, in either city. Michigan taxable value uncaps the year after a sale and resets to roughly half the purchase price, so the seller's capped bill on the listing is almost always lower than what you will pay.