Compare military bases / Camp Lejeune → MCAS Cherry Point
PCS · NC → NC
Compare Camp Lejeune and MCAS Cherry Point
E-5 BAH with dependents is $1,851 a month at MCAS Cherry Point and $1,584 at Camp Lejeune (2026 DTMO rates), $267 apart. Measured against HUD's 3-bedroom rent for the ZIP outside each gate ($1,630 in 28541, $1,800 in 28532), that leaves $46/mo short at Camp Lejeune and $51/mo to spare at MCAS Cherry Point. Buying off-base, the Census median home value is $210,100 in Jacksonville and $207,700 in Havelock. Both are in North Carolina, so host-state taxes and DMV deadlines do not change with this move.
Moving the other way (MCAS Cherry Point to Camp Lejeune)? The same numbers apply—swap the columns.
Deadlines and checklists on this page are for arriving in MCAS Cherry Point; for Camp Lejeune, see the Camp Lejeune page.
Data: Camp Lejeune: DTMO 2026 BAH for MHA NC178, HUD rents for ZIP 28541, Census ACS for Jacksonville city, NOAA normals at New River MCAF, NC; MCAS Cherry Point: DTMO 2026 BAH for MHA NC177, HUD rents for ZIP 28532, Census ACS for Havelock city, NOAA normals at Cherry Point MCAS, NC. Jump to sources · Methodology
Will my BAH (Basic Allowance for Housing) go up or down if I move from Camp Lejeune to MCAS Cherry Point?
This calculator uses 2026 DTMO (Defense Travel Management Office) rates for selected pay grade and dependent status.
Monthly BAH at E-5 pay grade without dependents.
- Camp Lejeune
- $1,476
- MCAS Cherry Point
- $1,722
- Higher BAH at MCAS Cherry Point
BAH vs typical 2-bedroom rent nearby.
- Camp Lejeune
- $306/mo left over
- MCAS Cherry Point
- $382/mo left over
Housing just outside the gate: Jacksonville vs Havelock
Rents shown on table are the 40th-percentile for 2 and 3 bedroom figures for the residential ZIP code nearest the base.
| Camp Lejeune Jacksonville 28541 | MCAS Cherry Point Havelock 28532 | |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (city) | $210,100 | $207,700 |
| Median gross rent (city) | $1,321/mo | $1,280 |
| HUD ZIP 2-BR rent | $1,170/mo | $1,340 |
| HUD ZIP 3-BR rent | $1,630/mo | $1,800 |
| HUD metro 2-BR rent (wider area) | $1,173/mo | $1,184 |
| E-5 without dependents minus 2-BR | +$306/mo | +$382/mo |
| E-5 with dependents minus 3-BR | −$46/mo | +$51/mo |
E-5 without dependents vs a HUD 2-bedroom is +$306/mo at Camp Lejeune vs +$382/mo at MCAS Cherry Point. E-5 with dependents vs a 3-bedroom is −$46/mo vs +$51/mo.
PCS checklist for MCAS Cherry Point
- Update DEERS. BAH at MCAS Cherry Point uses MHA NC177 (ZIP 28533).
- Look up your exact rate on the DTMO BAH lookup.
- HUD 2-bedroom FMR near MCAS Cherry Point is $1,184/mo. On-base housing is separate.
- New North Carolina residents typically have 60 days for a license and 60 days to title a car.
- Reporting: MCAS Cherry Point.
Biggest differences
- E-5 with-dependents BAH is higher at MCAS Cherry Point ($1,851 vs $1,584).
- Median owner-occupied home value in the off-base city is $207,700 in Havelock vs $210,100 in Jacksonville (Census ACS 5-year, 2020–2024).
- HUD ZIP 2-bedroom rent just outside the gate is $1,340 in 28532 vs $1,170 in 28541.
Common questions
Does BAH go up from Camp Lejeune to MCAS Cherry Point?
DTMO CY2026 with- and without-dependents rates for every pay grade are in the BAH table on this page. E-5 with dependents: $1,584 vs $1,851; without dependents: $1,476 vs $1,722.
What is local rent like near MCAS Cherry Point?
HUD FY2026 Small Area FMR for ZIP 28532 (Havelock) is $1,340/mo for a 2-bedroom and $1,800/mo for a 3-bedroom. The wider metro 2-BR FMR is $1,184/mo.
Will BAH cover off-base rent if I PCS from Camp Lejeune to MCAS Cherry Point?
E-5 without dependents minus a HUD 2-bedroom is +$306/mo at Camp Lejeune vs +$382/mo at MCAS Cherry Point. E-5 with dependents minus a 3-bedroom is −$46/mo vs +$51/mo. Use the calculator for other pay grades. Actual listings vary; BAH is untaxed housing pay, not a rent cap.
What do homes cost in Jacksonville vs Havelock?
Census ACS 5-year (2020–2024) median value of owner-occupied homes is $210,100 in Jacksonville, North Carolina vs $207,700 in Havelock, North Carolina. Median gross rent in those cities is $1,321 vs $1,280. These are city medians (owners’ reported values), not last month’s sale prices.
Related PCS
Camp Lejeune · MCAS Cherry Point · Camp Pendleton → Camp Lejeune
Your PCS
Only destinations that share a service with the origin are listed.
Sources
Housing figures below are for the installation (MHA, HUD rent, climate). Host-state tax rates are statewide averages — not a tax return. County add-ons can differ, and wage tax on military pay follows legal residence, not the duty station.
- BAH (with and without dependents). DTMO CY2026 BAH tables for Camp Lejeune (NC178); MCAS Cherry Point (NC177). Confirm current rates on the DTMO BAH lookup.
- 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent. HUD FY2026 FMR — Onslow County $1,173; Craven County $1,184.
- Off-base ZIP rent (HUD Small Area FMR). FY2026 ZIP 2- and 3-bedroom 40th-percentile rents from the HUD Small Area FMR tables: 28541 (Jacksonville) $1,170 / $1,630; 28532 (Havelock) $1,340 / $1,800.
- Off-base city home value and rent. U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year 2020–2024 tables B25077 (median value of owner-occupied homes) and B25064 (median gross rent) for Jacksonville city, North Carolina ($210,100, $1,321/mo) and Havelock city, North Carolina ($207,700, $1,280/mo). Owner-reported values, not transaction prices.
- Climate normals (1991–2020). NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals — New River MCAF, NC (USW00093727); Cherry Point MCAS, NC (USW00013754).
- Host-state wage tax. Statewide listed rates for North Carolina from the Tax Foundation 2026 individual income-tax tables. On this page they describe the host state, not automatically the tax on a military LES (legal residence can stay put). BAH is untaxed.
- Combined sales tax near the installation. Tax Foundation January 2026 state-and-local sales-tax averages for North Carolina. Used as an off-base shopping stand-in; city and county add-ons vary.
- Effective property tax if you buy off-base. Tax Foundation 2026 property taxes by state for North Carolina. On-base housing is not in this figure.
- Vehicle title tax and new-resident clocks. North Carolina motor-vehicle agency (license 60 days, title 60 days; title tax 3.00%). These are host-state motor-vehicle rules, not BAH.
- Vehicle personal-property tax on the host-state snapshot. WalletHub 2026 vehicle property-tax table for North Carolina. This is a statewide car-tax flag, not real-estate tax and not BAH.
- Statewide median home value on the host-state snapshot. Experian / Zillow March 2026 state medians for North Carolina. Backdrop for off-base purchase prices; on-base housing and BAH are separate.
Data last updated: September 2026. How the data is compiled