Royal Oak is the cheaper of the two. Its lowest homestead rate is 37.9610 mills against Ferndale's 47.1564 — about $1,609 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 |
| Ferndale | 47.1564–51.6764 | 47 of 52 | $5,895 | $8,252 | $11,789 |
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 Ferndale's 47.1564 — about $1,609 a year less on a $350,000 home at the uncapped taxable value.
About $1,609 a year on a $350,000 home — 47.1564 mills versus 37.9610 at each city's lowest homestead rate, using the official 2025 Michigan Treasury millage report.
No. Ferndale 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.