Compare military bases / Camp Pendleton → Camp Lejeune
PCS · CA → NC
Compare Camp Pendleton and Camp Lejeune
Camp Pendleton pays far more housing allowance: E-5 BAH with dependents is $3,963 a month there against $1,584 at Camp Lejeune (2026 DTMO rates), a $2,379 gap. Measured against HUD's 3-bedroom rent for the ZIP outside each gate ($3,780 in 92054, $1,630 in 28541), that leaves $183/mo to spare at Camp Pendleton and $46/mo short at Camp Lejeune. Buying off-base, the Census median home value is $770,300 in Oceanside and $210,100 in Jacksonville. Host-state top income-tax rates are 13.3% in California and 3.99% in North Carolina, though tax on military pay follows legal residence, not the duty station.
Moving the other way (Camp Lejeune to Camp Pendleton)? The same numbers apply—swap the columns.
Deadlines and checklists on this page are for arriving in Camp Lejeune; for Camp Pendleton, see the Camp Pendleton page.
Data: Camp Pendleton: DTMO 2026 BAH for MHA CA024, HUD rents for ZIP 92054, Census ACS for Oceanside city, NOAA normals at Oceanside Municipal Airport, CA; 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. Jump to sources · Methodology
Will my BAH (Basic Allowance for Housing) go up or down if I move from Camp Pendleton to Camp Lejeune?
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 Pendleton
- $3,093
- Camp Lejeune
- $1,476
- Lower BAH at Camp Lejeune
BAH vs typical 2-bedroom rent nearby.
- Camp Pendleton
- $253/mo left over
- Camp Lejeune
- $306/mo left over
Housing just outside the gate: Oceanside vs Jacksonville
Rents shown on table are the 40th-percentile for 2 and 3 bedroom figures for the residential ZIP code nearest the base.
| Camp Pendleton Oceanside 92054 | Camp Lejeune Jacksonville 28541 | |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (city) | $770,300 | $210,100 |
| Median gross rent (city) | $2,303/mo | $1,321 |
| HUD ZIP 2-BR rent | $2,840/mo | $1,170 |
| HUD ZIP 3-BR rent | $3,780/mo | $1,630 |
| HUD metro 2-BR rent (wider area) | $3,001/mo | $1,173 |
| E-5 without dependents minus 2-BR | +$253/mo | +$306/mo |
| E-5 with dependents minus 3-BR | +$183/mo | −$46/mo |
E-5 without dependents vs a HUD 2-bedroom is +$253/mo at Camp Pendleton vs +$306/mo at Camp Lejeune. E-5 with dependents vs a 3-bedroom is +$183/mo vs −$46/mo.
Host-state comparison: California vs. North Carolina
| California | North Carolina | |
|---|---|---|
| Sales tax | 8.99% | 7.00% |
| Property tax | 0.70% | 0.66% |
| Personal property tax | Yes — 0.65% effective | Yes — 1.10% effective |
| Top state income tax | 13.3% | 3.99% |
| Median home value | $778,217 | $339,594 |
| Branch | Marine Corps | Marine Corps |
| HUD 2-BR FMR | $3,001 | $1,173 |
| Climate high/low | 71° / 51°F | 74° / 54°F |
| Annual precip | 11.9 in | 56.5 in |
| Nearby city | Oceanside | Jacksonville |
| Host state | California | North Carolina |
PCS checklist for Camp Lejeune
- Update DEERS. BAH at Camp Lejeune uses MHA NC178 (ZIP 28542).
- Look up your exact rate on the DTMO BAH lookup.
- HUD 2-bedroom FMR near Camp Lejeune is $1,173/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: Camp Lejeune.
Biggest differences
- E-5 with-dependents BAH is lower at Camp Lejeune ($1,584 vs $3,963).
- Median owner-occupied home value in the off-base city is $210,100 in Jacksonville vs $770,300 in Oceanside (Census ACS 5-year, 2020–2024).
- HUD ZIP 2-bedroom rent just outside the gate is $1,170 in 28541 vs $2,840 in 92054.
- Host-state wage tax is 1%–12.3%, plus 1% over $1M (13.3% top) in California vs Flat 3.99% in North Carolina (military pay usually follows legal residence, not the duty station).
- Combined sales tax averages 7% in North Carolina vs 8.99% in California.
Common questions
Does BAH go down from Camp Pendleton to Camp Lejeune?
DTMO CY2026 with- and without-dependents rates for every pay grade are in the BAH table on this page. E-5 with dependents: $3,963 vs $1,584; without dependents: $3,093 vs $1,476.
What is local rent like near Camp Lejeune?
HUD FY2026 Small Area FMR for ZIP 28541 (Jacksonville) is $1,170/mo for a 2-bedroom and $1,630/mo for a 3-bedroom. The wider metro 2-BR FMR is $1,173/mo.
Will BAH cover off-base rent if I PCS from Camp Pendleton to Camp Lejeune?
E-5 without dependents minus a HUD 2-bedroom is +$253/mo at Camp Pendleton vs +$306/mo at Camp Lejeune. E-5 with dependents minus a 3-bedroom is +$183/mo vs −$46/mo. Use the calculator for other pay grades. Actual listings vary; BAH is untaxed housing pay, not a rent cap.
Does my state income tax change if I PCS from Camp Pendleton to Camp Lejeune?
Usually not just because the duty station changes. Military pay generally follows legal residence under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act; spouses may have similar protection. California: 1%–12.3%, plus 1% over $1M (13.3% top). North Carolina: Flat 3.99%. BAH is not taxed. Sales tax and titling a car follow the state you live in.
How long do I have for a license and car title if I PCS to Camp Lejeune?
New North Carolina residents typically have 60 days for a license and 60 days to title a car (10 and 20 days in California).
How does sales tax near Camp Lejeune compare with Camp Pendleton?
Combined sales tax averages 7% in North Carolina vs 8.99% in California. This follows where you live, not legal residence for military pay.
What do homes cost in Oceanside vs Jacksonville?
Census ACS 5-year (2020–2024) median value of owner-occupied homes is $770,300 in Oceanside, California vs $210,100 in Jacksonville, North Carolina. Median gross rent in those cities is $2,303 vs $1,321. These are city medians (owners’ reported values), not last month’s sale prices.
Related PCS
Camp Pendleton · Camp Lejeune · Camp Pendleton → MCAGCC Twentynine Palms · Camp Lejeune → MCAS Cherry Point
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 Pendleton (CA024); Camp Lejeune (NC178). Confirm current rates on the DTMO BAH lookup.
- 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent. HUD FY2026 FMR — San Diego County $3,001; Onslow County $1,173.
- Off-base ZIP rent (HUD Small Area FMR). FY2026 ZIP 2- and 3-bedroom 40th-percentile rents from the HUD Small Area FMR tables: 92054 (Oceanside) $2,840 / $3,780; 28541 (Jacksonville) $1,170 / $1,630.
- 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 Oceanside city, California ($770,300, $2,303/mo) and Jacksonville city, North Carolina ($210,100, $1,321/mo). Owner-reported values, not transaction prices.
- Climate normals (1991–2020). NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals — Oceanside Municipal Airport, CA (USW00053121); New River MCAF, NC (USW00093727).
- Host-state wage tax. Statewide listed rates for California and 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 California and 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 California and North Carolina. On-base housing is not in this figure.
- Vehicle title tax and new-resident clocks. California motor-vehicle agency (license 10 days, title 20 days; title tax 7.25%); 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 California and 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 California and 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