Ohio and West Virginia may seem like two very similar states, considering they both make up the Valley.

However, NEWS9 learned that when it comes to owning a car, the two states are very different.

According to a Forbes research report, Ohio ranks as one of the top 10 best states to own a car in the country while West Virginia ranks as one of the top 10 worst.

According to Forbes, the main difference in the cost to own a car between the two states lies in the taxes and insurance fees.

Ohio County Assessor Greg Kloeppner confirmed for NEWS9 that West Virginia's tax cost on car owners can be high.

"Every county in the state of West Virginia has a personal property tax. It's nice to buy that vehicle the day that you buy it, but then the following year we always hear that 'Wow, I didn't expect that I was going to have to pay that kind of personal property tax,'" Kloeppner said.

The high tax on car owners in West Virginia is something people in the Valley have caught on to and tried to cheat, according to Kloeppner.

"It's sad but you could go to Ohio, simply go over there, and make up a street or P.O. Box and you would be issued a license within the state of Ohio," Kloeppner said.

Ohio does not have a personal property tax on vehicles.

And according to insurance agent Lee Paull III, the absence of property tax isn't the only advantage Ohio car owners have over West Virginians.

Paull said accident experience in West Virginia is worse than in Ohio, creating higher insurance premium costs as well for West Virginia drivers.