Compare military bases / Columbus Air Force Base → Minot Air Force Base
Columbus AFB → Minot
Compare Columbus Air Force Base and Minot Air Force Base
Will my BAH (Basic Allowance for Housing) go up or down if I move from Columbus Air Force Base to Minot 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
- Minot Air Force Base
- $1,260
- Higher BAH at Minot Air Force Base
BAH vs typical 2-bedroom rent nearby.
- Columbus Air Force Base
- $128/mo left over
- Minot Air Force Base
- $100/mo left over
Housing just outside the gate: Columbus vs Minot
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 | Minot Air Force Base Minot 58703 | |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (city) | $125,700 | $257,100 |
| Median gross rent (city) | $897/mo | $973 |
| HUD ZIP 2-BR rent | $1,030/mo | $1,160 |
| HUD ZIP 3-BR rent | $1,410/mo | $1,610 |
| HUD metro 2-BR rent (wider area) | $872/mo | $1,165 |
| E-5 without dependents minus 2-BR | +$128/mo | +$100/mo |
| E-5 with dependents minus 3-BR | −$12/mo | −$62/mo |
E-5 without dependents vs a HUD 2-bedroom is +$128/mo at Columbus Air Force Base vs +$100/mo at Minot Air Force Base. E-5 with dependents vs a 3-bedroom is −$12/mo vs −$62/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 | $1,165 |
| Climate high/low | 76° / 54°F | 55° / 32°F |
| Annual precip | 57.4 in | 16.7 in |
| Nearby city | Columbus | Minot |
| Host state | Mississippi | North Dakota |
Click here for the full state comparison: Mississippi → North Dakota
PCS checklist for Minot Air Force Base
- Update DEERS. BAH at Minot Air Force Base uses MHA ND191 (ZIP 58705).
- Look up your exact rate on the DTMO BAH lookup.
- HUD 2-bedroom FMR near Minot Air Force Base is $1,165/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: Minot Air Force Base.
Biggest differences
- E-5 with-dependents BAH is higher at Minot Air Force Base ($1,548 vs $1,398).
- Median owner-occupied home value in the off-base city is $257,100 in Minot vs $125,700 in Columbus (Census ACS 5-year, 2020–2024).
- HUD ZIP 2-bedroom rent just outside the gate is $1,160 in 58703 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 Minot 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 $1,548; without dependents: $1,158 vs $1,260.
What is local rent like near Minot Air Force Base?
HUD FY2026 Small Area FMR for ZIP 58703 (Minot) is $1,160/mo for a 2-bedroom and $1,610/mo for a 3-bedroom. The wider metro 2-BR FMR is $1,165/mo.
Will BAH cover off-base rent if I PCS from Columbus Air Force Base to Minot Air Force Base?
E-5 without dependents minus a HUD 2-bedroom is +$128/mo at Columbus Air Force Base vs +$100/mo at Minot Air Force Base. E-5 with dependents minus a 3-bedroom is −$12/mo vs −$62/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 Minot 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 Minot?
Census ACS 5-year (2020–2024) median value of owner-occupied homes is $125,700 in Columbus city, Mississippi vs $257,100 in Minot city, North Dakota. Median gross rent in those cities is $897 vs $973. These are city medians (owners’ reported values), not last month’s sale prices.
How different is the climate from Columbus Air Force Base to Minot Air Force Base?
Annual normals at Jackson Intl (NWS) are 76° / 54°F and 57.4 in of precipitation vs 55° / 32°F and 16.7 in at Minot Intl (NWS) (NOAA 1991–2020).
How long do I have for a license and car title if I PCS to Minot 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); Minot Air Force Base (ND191). Confirm current rates on the DTMO BAH lookup.
- 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent. HUD FY2026 FMR — Lowndes County $872; Ward County $1,165.
- 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; 58703 (Minot) $1,160 / $1,610.
- 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 Minot city, North Dakota ($257,100, $973/mo). Owner-reported values, not transaction prices.
- Climate normals (1991–2020). NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals — Jackson Intl (NWS) (USW00003940); Minot Intl (NWS) (USW00024013).
- 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.