Compare military bases / Fairchild Air Force Base → Ellsworth Air Force Base
Fairchild → Ellsworth
Compare Fairchild Air Force Base and Ellsworth Air Force Base
Will my BAH (Basic Allowance for Housing) go up or down if I move from Fairchild Air Force Base to Ellsworth 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.
- Fairchild Air Force Base
- $1,665
- Ellsworth Air Force Base
- $1,545
- Lower BAH at Ellsworth Air Force Base
BAH vs typical 2-bedroom rent nearby.
- Fairchild Air Force Base
- $65/mo left over
- Ellsworth Air Force Base
- $145/mo left over
Housing just outside the gate: Spokane vs Rapid City
Rents shown on table are the 40th-percentile for 2 and 3 bedroom figures for the residential ZIP code nearest the base.
| Fairchild Air Force Base Spokane 99224 | Ellsworth Air Force Base Rapid City 57719 | |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (city) | $363,500 | $299,400 |
| Median gross rent (city) | $1,215/mo | $1,109 |
| HUD ZIP 2-BR rent | $1,600/mo | $1,400 |
| HUD ZIP 3-BR rent | $2,180/mo | $1,860 |
| HUD metro 2-BR rent (wider area) | $1,531/mo | $1,273 |
| E-5 without dependents minus 2-BR | +$65/mo | +$145/mo |
| E-5 with dependents minus 3-BR | +$4/mo | +$126/mo |
E-5 without dependents vs a HUD 2-bedroom is +$65/mo at Fairchild Air Force Base vs +$145/mo at Ellsworth Air Force Base. E-5 with dependents vs a 3-bedroom is +$4/mo vs +$126/mo.
Host-state comparison: Washington vs. South Dakota
| Washington | South Dakota | |
|---|---|---|
| Sales tax | 9.51% | 6.11% |
| Property tax | 0.75% | 1.00% |
| Personal property tax | No | No |
| Top state income tax | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Median home value | $609,756 | $322,999 |
| Branch | Air Force | Air Force |
| HUD 2-BR FMR | $1,531 | $1,273 |
| Climate high/low | 58° / 39°F | 60° / 34°F |
| Annual precip | 16.4 in | 17.4 in |
| Nearby city | Spokane | Rapid City |
| Host state | Washington | South Dakota |
Click here for the full state comparison: Washington → South Dakota
PCS checklist for Ellsworth Air Force Base
- Update DEERS. BAH at Ellsworth Air Force Base uses MHA SD264 (ZIP 57706).
- Look up your exact rate on the DTMO BAH lookup.
- HUD 2-bedroom FMR near Ellsworth Air Force Base is $1,273/mo. On-base housing is separate.
- New South Dakota residents typically have 90 days for a license and 90 days to title a car.
- Reporting: Ellsworth Air Force Base.
Biggest differences
- E-5 with-dependents BAH is lower at Ellsworth Air Force Base ($1,986 vs $2,184).
- Median owner-occupied home value in the off-base city is $299,400 in Rapid City vs $363,500 in Spokane (Census ACS 5-year, 2020–2024).
- HUD ZIP 2-bedroom rent just outside the gate is $1,400 in 57719 vs $1,600 in 99224.
- Combined sales tax averages 6.11% in South Dakota vs 9.51% in Washington.
Common questions
Does BAH go down from Fairchild Air Force Base to Ellsworth 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: $2,184 vs $1,986; without dependents: $1,665 vs $1,545.
What is local rent like near Ellsworth Air Force Base?
HUD FY2026 Small Area FMR for ZIP 57719 (Rapid City) is $1,400/mo for a 2-bedroom and $1,860/mo for a 3-bedroom. The wider metro 2-BR FMR is $1,273/mo.
Will BAH cover off-base rent if I PCS from Fairchild Air Force Base to Ellsworth Air Force Base?
E-5 without dependents minus a HUD 2-bedroom is +$65/mo at Fairchild Air Force Base vs +$145/mo at Ellsworth Air Force Base. E-5 with dependents minus a 3-bedroom is +$4/mo vs +$126/mo. Use the calculator for other pay grades. Actual listings vary; BAH is untaxed housing pay, not a rent cap.
How does sales tax near Ellsworth Air Force Base compare with Fairchild Air Force Base?
Combined sales tax averages 6.11% in South Dakota vs 9.51% in Washington. This follows where you live, not legal residence for military pay.
How long do I have for a license and car title if I PCS to Ellsworth Air Force Base?
New South Dakota residents typically have 90 days for a license and 90 days to title a car (30 and 30 days in Washington).
What do homes cost in Spokane vs Rapid City?
Census ACS 5-year (2020–2024) median value of owner-occupied homes is $363,500 in Spokane city, Washington vs $299,400 in Rapid City city, South Dakota. Median gross rent in those cities is $1,215 vs $1,109. These are city medians (owners’ reported values), not last month’s sale prices.
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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 Fairchild Air Force Base (WA310); Ellsworth Air Force Base (SD264). Confirm current rates on the DTMO BAH lookup.
- 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent. HUD FY2026 FMR — Spokane County $1,531; Meade County $1,273.
- Off-base ZIP rent (HUD Small Area FMR). FY2026 ZIP 2- and 3-bedroom 40th-percentile rents from the HUD Small Area FMR tables: 99224 (Spokane) $1,600 / $2,180; 57719 (Rapid City) $1,400 / $1,860.
- 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 Spokane city, Washington ($363,500, $1,215/mo) and Rapid City city, South Dakota ($299,400, $1,109/mo). Owner-reported values, not transaction prices.
- Climate normals (1991–2020). NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals — Spokane Intl (NWS) (USW00024157); Rapid City Regional (NWS) (USW00024090).
- Host-state wage tax. Statewide listed rates for Washington and South 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 Washington and South 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 Washington and South Dakota. On-base housing is not in this figure.
- Vehicle title tax and new-resident clocks. Washington motor-vehicle agency (license 30 days, title 30 days; title tax 6.50%); South Dakota motor-vehicle agency (license 90 days, title 90 days; title tax 4.20%). 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 Washington and South 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 Washington and South Dakota. Backdrop for off-base purchase prices; on-base housing and BAH are separate.