Indiana vs Ohio
Same underlying data as the individual state pages, side by side. Statutory rates and redemption windows only — always confirm against the county's own auction notice before bidding.
| | Indiana | Ohio |
|---|---|---|
| Sale type | Tax lien certificate | Tax lien certificate (some counties) + foreclosure |
| Rate / penalty | Up to 15% of the minimum bid; 5%/yr on overbid | Up to 18%, bid down or negotiated |
| Redemption | 1 year (120 days on county-held certificates) | 1+ year |
These aren't the same kind of sale: Indiana runs a tax lien certificate, while Ohio runs a tax lien certificate (some counties) + foreclosure. That changes what you actually hold after the sale — a claim against the debt in one case, the property itself (or a right to it) in the other.
Redemption windows differ: Indiana gives owners 1 year (120 days on county-held certificates), Ohio gives 1+ year — the state with the shorter window resolves faster, for better or worse depending on what you're optimizing for.
Indiana sells tax sale certificates to the highest bidder above a minimum bid made up of the taxes, penalties and costs (IC 6-1.1-24-5). The owner has one year to redeem and pays 110% of the minimum bid within six months or 115% after that, plus 5% a year on any amount bid above the minimum (IC 6-1.1-25-2). Certificates on parcels nobody bought can be resold by the county at a later certificate sale, with a 120-day redemption period and a 10% return on the certificate price (IC 6-1.1-24-6.1, IC 6-1.1-25-4). Vacant or abandoned parcels certified for sale carry no redemption at all.
Full Indiana page →Ohio county treasurers may sell tax certificates (R.C. 5721.31): at auction the rate is bid down from 18% in quarter-point steps and the owner pays at least 6% of the price on redemption (R.C. 5721.32, 5721.30(E)), or the whole list goes to one buyer in a negotiated sale (R.C. 5721.33). The holder can file for foreclosure after one year (R.C. 5721.37) and the owner can redeem until the sale is confirmed. Where no certificate is sold, the county forecloses and the sheriff sells the property (R.C. 5721.18–5721.19).
Full Ohio page →Property & tax market
| | Indiana | Ohio |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $218,200 | $214,800 |
| Median property tax / year | $1,614 | $2,822 |
| Tax / home value | 0.7% | 1.3% |
| Tax / household income | 2.2% | 4.0% |
| Homes owned outright | 36.4% | 39.4% |
| “Other vacant” homes | 4.3% | 4.3% |
| Median year built | 1976 | 1970 |
A typical home in Ohio pays 1.7× the property tax of one in Indiana ($2,822 against $1,614 a year). One unpaid year is roughly the face value of a one-year certificate, so a typical Ohio lien ties up about 1.7× the money of an Indiana one — and, at the same rate, earns 1.7× the dollars.
Homes owned outright — where no lender has a reason to pay the delinquent bill for the owner — are 36.4% of owner-occupied homes in Indiana and 39.4% in Ohio. The Census “other vacant” share (foreclosures, homes in legal limbo or needing repairs, abandoned homes) is 4.3% against 4.3%: about the same, so neither state's lists should carry noticeably more empty properties.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates (tables B25077, B25103, B25081, B25002, B25004, B25035, B19013). Medians of what owners report paying, not statutory rates. County-level figures are on each state page.
Quick answers
Is Indiana or Ohio a tax lien state?+
Indiana is a tax lien certificate state. Ohio is a tax lien certificate (some counties) + foreclosure state.
Which has the higher rate, Indiana or Ohio?+
Indiana: Up to 15% of the minimum bid; 5%/yr on overbid. Ohio: Up to 18%, bid down or negotiated. Compare the actual statutory ceiling, not just the headline number — most "up to" rates get bid down at auction.
Which redeems faster, Indiana or Ohio?+
Redemption windows differ: Indiana gives owners 1 year (120 days on county-held certificates), Ohio gives 1+ year — the state with the shorter window resolves faster, for better or worse depending on what you're optimizing for.
Are property taxes higher in Indiana or Ohio?+
The median homeowner pays $1,614 a year in Indiana and $2,822 in Ohio (U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates). A typical home in Ohio pays 1.7× the property tax of one in Indiana ($2,822 against $1,614 a year). One unpaid year is roughly the face value of a one-year certificate, so a typical Ohio lien ties up about 1.7× the money of an Indiana one — and, at the same rate, earns 1.7× the dollars.
Want to line up more than two states, or swap in different ones? Use the interactive comparison tool — up to four states at once.
See where these two rank against all 50 states: full rankings.
This page is general information, not financial or legal advice. Rates and redemption periods are set by state statute and can change by county or legislative session — always confirm against the county's own auction notice before bidding.