Compare military bases / Eglin Air Force Base → MacDill Air Force Base
PCS · FL → FL
Compare Eglin Air Force Base and MacDill Air Force Base
E-5 BAH with dependents is $2,709 a month at MacDill Air Force Base and $2,433 at Eglin Air Force Base (2026 DTMO rates), $276 apart. Measured against HUD's 3-bedroom rent for the ZIP outside each gate ($2,240 in 32580, $2,940 in 33616), that leaves $193/mo to spare at Eglin Air Force Base and $231/mo short at MacDill Air Force Base. Buying off-base, the Census median home value is $394,700 in Valparaiso and $420,400 in Tampa. Both are in Florida, so host-state taxes and DMV deadlines do not change with this move.
Moving the other way (MacDill Air Force Base to Eglin Air Force Base)? The same numbers apply—swap the columns.
Deadlines and checklists on this page are for arriving in MacDill Air Force Base; for Eglin Air Force Base, see the Eglin Air Force Base page.
Data: Eglin Air Force Base: DTMO 2026 BAH for MHA FL056, HUD rents for ZIP 32580, Census ACS for Valparaiso city, NOAA normals at Niceville, FL; MacDill Air Force Base: DTMO 2026 BAH for MHA FL066, HUD rents for ZIP 33616, Census ACS for Tampa city, NOAA normals at Tampa International Airport, FL. Jump to sources · Methodology
Will my BAH (Basic Allowance for Housing) go up or down if I move from Eglin Air Force Base to MacDill 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.
- Eglin Air Force Base
- $2,157
- MacDill Air Force Base
- $2,187
- Higher BAH at MacDill Air Force Base
BAH vs typical 2-bedroom rent nearby.
- Eglin Air Force Base
- $527/mo left over
- MacDill Air Force Base
- $113/mo short
Housing just outside the gate: Valparaiso vs Tampa
Rents shown on table are the 40th-percentile for 2 and 3 bedroom figures for the residential ZIP code nearest the base.
| Eglin Air Force Base Valparaiso 32580 | MacDill Air Force Base Tampa 33616 | |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (city) | $394,700 | $420,400 |
| Median gross rent (city) | $1,366/mo | $1,701 |
| HUD ZIP 2-BR rent | $1,630/mo | $2,300 |
| HUD ZIP 3-BR rent | $2,240/mo | $2,940 |
| HUD metro 2-BR rent (wider area) | $1,785/mo | $1,977 |
| E-5 without dependents minus 2-BR | +$527/mo | −$113/mo |
| E-5 with dependents minus 3-BR | +$193/mo | −$231/mo |
E-5 without dependents vs a HUD 2-bedroom is +$527/mo at Eglin Air Force Base vs −$113/mo at MacDill Air Force Base. E-5 with dependents vs a 3-bedroom is +$193/mo vs −$231/mo.
PCS checklist for MacDill Air Force Base
- Update DEERS. BAH at MacDill Air Force Base uses MHA FL066 (ZIP 33621).
- Look up your exact rate on the DTMO BAH lookup.
- HUD 2-bedroom FMR near MacDill Air Force Base is $1,977/mo. On-base housing is separate.
- New Florida residents typically have 30 days for a license and 30 days to title a car.
- Reporting: MacDill Air Force Base.
Biggest differences
- E-5 with-dependents BAH is higher at MacDill Air Force Base ($2,709 vs $2,433).
- Median owner-occupied home value in the off-base city is $420,400 in Tampa vs $394,700 in Valparaiso (Census ACS 5-year, 2020–2024).
- HUD ZIP 2-bedroom rent just outside the gate is $2,300 in 33616 vs $1,630 in 32580.
Common questions
Does BAH go up from Eglin Air Force Base to MacDill 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: $2,433 vs $2,709; without dependents: $2,157 vs $2,187.
What is local rent like near MacDill Air Force Base?
HUD FY2026 Small Area FMR for ZIP 33616 (Tampa) is $2,300/mo for a 2-bedroom and $2,940/mo for a 3-bedroom. The wider metro 2-BR FMR is $1,977/mo.
Will BAH cover off-base rent if I PCS from Eglin Air Force Base to MacDill Air Force Base?
E-5 without dependents minus a HUD 2-bedroom is +$527/mo at Eglin Air Force Base vs −$113/mo at MacDill Air Force Base. E-5 with dependents minus a 3-bedroom is +$193/mo vs −$231/mo. Use the calculator for other pay grades. Actual listings vary; BAH is untaxed housing pay, not a rent cap.
How different is the climate from Eglin Air Force Base to MacDill Air Force Base?
Annual normals at Niceville, FL are 77° / 55°F and 73.4 in of precipitation vs 83° / 66°F and 49.5 in at Tampa International Airport, FL (NOAA 1991–2020).
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 Eglin Air Force Base (FL056); MacDill Air Force Base (FL066). Confirm current rates on the DTMO BAH lookup.
- 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent. HUD FY2026 FMR — Okaloosa County $1,785; Hillsborough County $1,977.
- Off-base ZIP rent (HUD Small Area FMR). FY2026 ZIP 2- and 3-bedroom 40th-percentile rents from the HUD Small Area FMR tables: 32580 (Valparaiso) $1,630 / $2,240; 33616 (Tampa) $2,300 / $2,940.
- 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 Valparaiso city, Florida ($394,700, $1,366/mo) and Tampa city, Florida ($420,400, $1,701/mo). Owner-reported values, not transaction prices.
- Climate normals (1991–2020). NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals — Niceville, FL (USC00086240); Tampa International Airport, FL (USW00012842).
- Host-state wage tax. Statewide listed rates for Florida 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 Florida. 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 Florida. On-base housing is not in this figure.
- Vehicle title tax and new-resident clocks. Florida motor-vehicle agency (license 30 days, title 30 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 Florida. 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 Florida. Backdrop for off-base purchase prices; on-base housing and BAH are separate.
Data last updated: September 2026. How the data is compiled