Compare military bases / Columbus Air Force Base → Joint Base Andrews
Columbus AFB → Andrews
Compare Columbus Air Force Base and Joint Base Andrews
Will my BAH (Basic Allowance for Housing) go up or down if I move from Columbus Air Force Base to Joint Base Andrews?
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
- Joint Base Andrews
- $2,832
- Higher BAH at Joint Base Andrews
BAH vs typical 2-bedroom rent nearby.
- Columbus Air Force Base
- $128/mo left over
- Joint Base Andrews
- $238/mo short
Housing just outside the gate: Columbus vs Camp Springs
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 | Joint Base Andrews Camp Springs 20762 | |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (city) | $125,700 | $415,000 |
| Median gross rent (city) | $897/mo | $2,231 |
| HUD ZIP 2-BR rent | $1,030/mo | $3,070 |
| HUD ZIP 3-BR rent | $1,410/mo | $3,870 |
| HUD metro 2-BR rent (wider area) | $872/mo | $2,246 |
| E-5 without dependents minus 2-BR | +$128/mo | −$238/mo |
| E-5 with dependents minus 3-BR | −$12/mo | −$738/mo |
E-5 without dependents vs a HUD 2-bedroom is +$128/mo at Columbus Air Force Base vs −$238/mo at Joint Base Andrews. E-5 with dependents vs a 3-bedroom is −$12/mo vs −$738/mo.
Host-state comparison: Mississippi vs. Maryland
| Mississippi | Maryland | |
|---|---|---|
| Sales tax | 7.06% | 6.00% |
| Property tax | 0.58% | 0.92% |
| Personal property tax | Yes — 3.42% effective | No |
| Top state income tax | 4.0% | 6.5% |
| Median home value | $196,428 | $434,258 |
| Branch | Air Force | Joint |
| HUD 2-BR FMR | $872 | $2,246 |
| Climate high/low | 76° / 54°F | 67° / 46°F |
| Annual precip | 57.4 in | 45.0 in |
| Nearby city | Columbus | Camp Springs |
| Host state | Mississippi | Maryland |
Click here for the full state comparison: Mississippi → Maryland
PCS checklist for Joint Base Andrews
- Update DEERS. BAH at Joint Base Andrews uses MHA DC053 (ZIP 20762).
- Look up your exact rate on the DTMO BAH lookup.
- HUD 2-bedroom FMR near Joint Base Andrews is $2,246/mo. On-base housing is separate.
- New Maryland residents typically have 60 days for a license and 60 days to title a car.
- Reporting: Joint Base Andrews.
Biggest differences
- E-5 with-dependents BAH is higher at Joint Base Andrews ($3,132 vs $1,398).
- Median owner-occupied home value in the off-base city is $415,000 in Camp Springs vs $125,700 in Columbus (Census ACS 5-year, 2020–2024).
- HUD ZIP 2-bedroom rent just outside the gate is $3,070 in 20762 vs $1,030 in 39705.
- Columbus Air Force Base is labeled Air Force; Joint Base Andrews is Joint. The pair is valid because of shared tenants.
- Host-state wage tax is Top listed rate 4.0% in Mississippi vs Top listed rate 6.5% in Maryland (military pay usually follows legal residence, not the duty station).
- Combined sales tax averages 6% in Maryland vs 7.06% in Mississippi.
Common questions
Does BAH go up from Columbus Air Force Base to Joint Base Andrews?
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 $3,132; without dependents: $1,158 vs $2,832.
What do homes cost in Columbus vs Camp Springs?
Census ACS 5-year (2020–2024) median value of owner-occupied homes is $125,700 in Columbus city, Mississippi vs $415,000 in Camp Springs CDP, Maryland. Median gross rent in those cities is $897 vs $2,231. These are city medians (owners’ reported values), not last month’s sale prices.
What is local rent like near Joint Base Andrews?
HUD FY2026 Small Area FMR for ZIP 20762 (Camp Springs) is $3,070/mo for a 2-bedroom and $3,870/mo for a 3-bedroom. The wider metro 2-BR FMR is $2,246/mo.
Will BAH cover off-base rent if I PCS from Columbus Air Force Base to Joint Base Andrews?
E-5 without dependents minus a HUD 2-bedroom is +$128/mo at Columbus Air Force Base vs −$238/mo at Joint Base Andrews. E-5 with dependents minus a 3-bedroom is −$12/mo vs −$738/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 Joint Base Andrews?
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%. Maryland: Top listed rate 6.5%. BAH is not taxed. Sales tax and titling a car follow the state you live in.
Can I PCS from Columbus Air Force Base to Joint Base Andrews?
This pair is listed because the installations share a tenant service (Air Force). Your actual orders depend on your MOS/AFSC/rating and the gaining unit.
How long do I have for a license and car title if I PCS to Joint Base Andrews?
New Maryland residents typically have 60 days for a license and 60 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); Joint Base Andrews (DC053). Confirm current rates on the DTMO BAH lookup.
- 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent. HUD FY2026 FMR — Lowndes County $872; Prince George's County $2,246.
- 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; 20762 (Camp Springs) $3,070 / $3,870.
- 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 Camp Springs CDP, Maryland ($415,000, $2,231/mo). Owner-reported values, not transaction prices.
- Climate normals (1991–2020). NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals — Jackson Intl (NWS) (USW00003940); Baltimore-Washington Intl (NWS) (USW00093721).
- Host-state wage tax. Statewide listed rates for Mississippi and Maryland 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 Maryland. 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 Maryland. 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%); Maryland motor-vehicle agency (license 60 days, title 60 days; title tax 6.00%). 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 Maryland. 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 Maryland. Backdrop for off-base purchase prices; on-base housing and BAH are separate.