Compare military bases / Columbus Air Force Base → Grand Forks Air Force Base
Columbus AFB → Grand Forks
Compare Columbus Air Force Base and Grand Forks Air Force Base
Will my BAH (Basic Allowance for Housing) go up or down if I move from Columbus Air Force Base to Grand Forks Air Force Base?
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.
- Columbus Air Force Base
- $1,158
- Grand Forks Air Force Base
- $1,299
- Higher BAH at Grand Forks Air Force Base
BAH vs typical 2-bedroom rent nearby.
- Columbus Air Force Base
- $128/mo left over
- Grand Forks Air Force Base
- $171/mo short
Housing just outside the gate: Columbus vs Grand Forks
Rents shown on table are the 40th-percentile for 2 and 3 bedroom figures for the residential ZIP code nearest the base.
| Columbus Air Force Base Columbus 39705 | Grand Forks Air Force Base Grand Forks 58202 | |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (city) | $125,700 | $249,900 |
| Median gross rent (city) | $897/mo | $980 |
| HUD ZIP 2-BR rent | $1,030/mo | $1,470 |
| HUD ZIP 3-BR rent | $1,410/mo | $2,040 |
| HUD metro 2-BR rent (wider area) | $872/mo | $1,089 |
| E-5 without dependents minus 2-BR | +$128/mo | −$171/mo |
| E-5 with dependents minus 3-BR | −$12/mo | −$309/mo |
E-5 without dependents vs a HUD 2-bedroom is +$128/mo at Columbus Air Force Base vs −$171/mo at Grand Forks Air Force Base. E-5 with dependents vs a 3-bedroom is −$12/mo vs −$309/mo.
Host-state comparison: Mississippi vs. North Dakota
| Mississippi | North Dakota | |
|---|---|---|
| Sales tax | 7.06% | 7.09% |
| Property tax | 0.58% | 0.92% |
| Personal property tax | Yes — 3.42% effective | No |
| Top state income tax | 4.0% | 2.5% |
| Median home value | $196,428 | $289,692 |
| Branch | Air Force | Air Force |
| HUD 2-BR FMR | $872 | $1,089 |
| Climate high/low | 76° / 54°F | 51° / 29°F |
| Annual precip | 57.4 in | 21.7 in |
| Nearby city | Columbus | Grand Forks |
| Host state | Mississippi | North Dakota |
Click here for the full state comparison: Mississippi → North Dakota
PCS checklist for Grand Forks Air Force Base
- Update DEERS. BAH at Grand Forks Air Force Base uses MHA ND190 (ZIP 58204).
- Look up your exact rate on the DTMO BAH lookup.
- HUD 2-bedroom FMR near Grand Forks Air Force Base is $1,089/mo. On-base housing is separate.
- New North Dakota residents typically have 60 days for a license and 30 days to title a car.
- Reporting: Grand Forks Air Force Base.
Biggest differences
- E-5 with-dependents BAH is higher at Grand Forks Air Force Base ($1,731 vs $1,398).
- Median owner-occupied home value in the off-base city is $249,900 in Grand Forks vs $125,700 in Columbus (Census ACS 5-year, 2020–2024).
- HUD ZIP 2-bedroom rent just outside the gate is $1,470 in 58202 vs $1,030 in 39705.
- Host-state wage tax is Top listed rate 4.0% in Mississippi vs Top listed rate 2.5% in North Dakota (military pay usually follows legal residence, not the duty station).
- Combined sales tax averages 7.09% in North Dakota vs 7.06% in Mississippi.
Common questions
Does BAH go up from Columbus Air Force Base to Grand Forks Air Force Base?
DTMO CY2026 with- and without-dependents rates for every pay grade are in the BAH table on this page. E-5 with dependents: $1,398 vs $1,731; without dependents: $1,158 vs $1,299.
What is local rent like near Grand Forks Air Force Base?
HUD FY2026 Small Area FMR for ZIP 58202 (Grand Forks) is $1,470/mo for a 2-bedroom and $2,040/mo for a 3-bedroom. The wider metro 2-BR FMR is $1,089/mo.
Will BAH cover off-base rent if I PCS from Columbus Air Force Base to Grand Forks Air Force Base?
E-5 without dependents minus a HUD 2-bedroom is +$128/mo at Columbus Air Force Base vs −$171/mo at Grand Forks Air Force Base. E-5 with dependents minus a 3-bedroom is −$12/mo vs −$309/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 Columbus Air Force Base to Grand Forks Air Force Base?
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. Mississippi: Top listed rate 4.0%. North Dakota: Top listed rate 2.5%. BAH is not taxed. Sales tax and titling a car follow the state you live in.
What do homes cost in Columbus vs Grand Forks?
Census ACS 5-year (2020–2024) median value of owner-occupied homes is $125,700 in Columbus city, Mississippi vs $249,900 in Grand Forks city, North Dakota. Median gross rent in those cities is $897 vs $980. These are city medians (owners’ reported values), not last month’s sale prices.
How different is the climate from Columbus Air Force Base to Grand Forks Air Force Base?
Annual normals at Jackson Intl (NWS) are 76° / 54°F and 57.4 in of precipitation vs 51° / 29°F and 21.7 in at Grand Forks Intl (NWS) (NOAA 1991–2020).
How long do I have for a license and car title if I PCS to Grand Forks Air Force Base?
New North Dakota residents typically have 60 days for a license and 30 days to title a car (30 and 30 days in Mississippi).
Related PCS
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 Columbus Air Force Base (MS169); Grand Forks Air Force Base (ND190). Confirm current rates on the DTMO BAH lookup.
- 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent. HUD FY2026 FMR — Lowndes County $872; Grand Forks County $1,089.
- Off-base ZIP rent (HUD Small Area FMR). FY2026 ZIP 2- and 3-bedroom 40th-percentile rents from the HUD Small Area FMR tables: 39705 (Columbus) $1,030 / $1,410; 58202 (Grand Forks) $1,470 / $2,040.
- 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 Columbus city, Mississippi ($125,700, $897/mo) and Grand Forks city, North Dakota ($249,900, $980/mo). Owner-reported values, not transaction prices.
- Climate normals (1991–2020). NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals — Jackson Intl (NWS) (USW00003940); Grand Forks Intl (NWS) (USW00014916).
- Host-state wage tax. Statewide listed rates for Mississippi and North Dakota 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 Mississippi and North Dakota. 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 Mississippi and North Dakota. On-base housing is not in this figure.
- Vehicle title tax and new-resident clocks. Mississippi motor-vehicle agency (license 30 days, title 30 days; title tax 7.00%); North Dakota motor-vehicle agency (license 60 days, title 30 days; title tax 5.00%). 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 Mississippi and North Dakota. 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 Mississippi and North Dakota. Backdrop for off-base purchase prices; on-base housing and BAH are separate.