Compare military bases / Davis-Monthan Air Force Base → Shaw Air Force Base
Davis-Monthan → Shaw
Compare Davis-Monthan Air Force Base and Shaw Air Force Base
Will my BAH (Basic Allowance for Housing) go up or down if I move from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base to Shaw 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.
- Davis-Monthan Air Force Base
- $1,428
- Shaw Air Force Base
- $1,290
- Lower BAH at Shaw Air Force Base
BAH minus HUD 2-bedroom rent for the ZIP nearest each base.
- Davis-Monthan Air Force Base
- −$472/mo
- Shaw Air Force Base
- −$20/mo
Housing just outside the gate: Tucson vs Sumter
Rents shown on table are the 40th-percentile for 2 and 3 bedroom figures for the residential ZIP code nearest the base.
| Davis-Monthan Air Force Base Tucson 85708 | Shaw Air Force Base Sumter 29150 | |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (city) | $266,200 | $199,100 |
| Median gross rent (city) | $1,145/mo | $1,076 |
| HUD ZIP 2-BR rent | $1,900/mo | $1,310 |
| HUD ZIP 3-BR rent | $2,640/mo | $1,570 |
| HUD metro 2-BR rent (wider area) | $1,402/mo | $1,276 |
| E-5 without dependents minus 2-BR | −$472/mo | −$20/mo |
| E-5 with dependents minus 3-BR | −$735/mo | −$67/mo |
E-5 without dependents vs a HUD 2-bedroom is −$472/mo at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base vs −$20/mo at Shaw Air Force Base. E-5 with dependents vs a 3-bedroom is −$735/mo vs −$67/mo.
Host-state comparison: Arizona vs. South Carolina
| Arizona | South Carolina | |
|---|---|---|
| Sales tax | 8.52% | 7.49% |
| Property tax | 0.48% | 0.49% |
| Personal property tax | Yes — 1.68% effective | Yes — 2.33% effective |
| Top state income tax | 2.5% | 6.0% |
| Median home value | $425,807 | $307,843 |
| Branch | Air Force | Air Force |
| HUD 2-BR FMR | $1,402 | $1,276 |
| Climate high/low | 84° / 57°F | 76° / 53°F |
| Annual precip | 10.6 in | 45.2 in |
| Nearby city | Tucson | Sumter |
| Host state | Arizona | South Carolina |
Click here for the full state comparison: Arizona → South Carolina
PCS checklist for Shaw Air Force Base
- Update DEERS. BAH at Shaw Air Force Base uses MHA SC263 (ZIP 29152).
- Look up your exact rate on the DTMO BAH lookup.
- HUD 2-bedroom FMR near Shaw Air Force Base is $1,276/mo. On-base housing is separate.
- New South Carolina residents typically have 90 days for a license and 45 days to title a car.
- Reporting: Shaw Air Force Base.
Biggest differences
- E-5 with-dependents BAH is lower at Shaw Air Force Base ($1,503 vs $1,905).
- Median owner-occupied home value in the off-base city is $199,100 in Sumter vs $266,200 in Tucson (Census ACS 5-year, 2020–2024).
- HUD ZIP 2-bedroom rent just outside the gate is $1,310 in 29150 vs $1,900 in 85708.
- Host-state wage tax is Flat 2.5% in Arizona vs Top listed rate 6.0% in South Carolina (military pay usually follows legal residence, not the duty station).
- Combined sales tax averages 7.49% in South Carolina vs 8.52% in Arizona.
Common questions
Can I PCS from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base to Shaw Air Force Base?
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 does BAH change from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base to Shaw 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: $1,905 vs $1,503; without dependents: $1,428 vs $1,290.
What is local rent like near Shaw Air Force Base?
HUD FY2026 Small Area FMR for ZIP 29150 (Sumter) is $1,310/mo for a 2-bedroom and $1,570/mo for a 3-bedroom. The wider metro 2-BR FMR is $1,276/mo.
What do homes cost in Tucson vs Sumter?
Census ACS 5-year (2020–2024) median value of owner-occupied homes is $266,200 in Tucson city, Arizona vs $199,100 in Sumter city, South Carolina. Median gross rent in those cities is $1,145 vs $1,076. These are city medians (owners’ reported values), not last month’s sale prices.
Will BAH cover off-base rent if I PCS from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base to Shaw Air Force Base?
E-5 without dependents minus a HUD 2-bedroom is −$472/mo at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base vs −$20/mo at Shaw Air Force Base. E-5 with dependents minus a 3-bedroom is −$735/mo vs −$67/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 Davis-Monthan Air Force Base to Shaw 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. Arizona: Flat 2.5%. South Carolina: Top listed rate 6.0%. BAH is not taxed. Sales tax and titling a car follow the state you live in.
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 in the snapshot above BAH 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 Davis-Monthan Air Force Base (AZ015); Shaw Air Force Base (SC263). Confirm current rates on the DTMO BAH lookup.
- 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent. HUD FY2026 FMR — Pima County $1,402; Sumter County $1,276.
- Off-base ZIP rent (HUD Small Area FMR). FY2026 ZIP 2- and 3-bedroom 40th-percentile rents from the HUD Small Area FMR tables: 85708 (Tucson) $1,900 / $2,640; 29150 (Sumter) $1,310 / $1,570.
- 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 Tucson city, Arizona ($266,200, $1,145/mo) and Sumter city, South Carolina ($199,100, $1,076/mo). Owner-reported values, not transaction prices.
- Climate normals (1991–2020). NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals — Tucson Intl (NWS) (USW00023160); Columbia Metro (NWS) (USW00013883).
- Host-state wage tax. Statewide listed rates for Arizona and South 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 Arizona and South 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 Arizona and South Carolina. On-base housing is not in this figure.
- Vehicle title tax and new-resident clocks. Arizona motor-vehicle agency (license 10 days, title 15 days; title tax 5.60%); South Carolina motor-vehicle agency (license 90 days, title 45 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 Arizona and South 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 Arizona and South Carolina. Backdrop for off-base purchase prices; on-base housing and BAH are separate.