Compare military bases / Fairchild Air Force Base → Laughlin Air Force Base
Fairchild → Laughlin
Compare Fairchild Air Force Base and Laughlin Air Force Base
Will my BAH (Basic Allowance for Housing) go up or down if I move from Fairchild Air Force Base to Laughlin 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
- Laughlin Air Force Base
- $1,209
- Lower BAH at Laughlin Air Force Base
BAH minus HUD 2-bedroom rent for the ZIP nearest each base.
- Fairchild Air Force Base
- +$65/mo
- Laughlin Air Force Base
- +$149/mo
Housing just outside the gate: Spokane vs Del Rio
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 | Laughlin Air Force Base Del Rio 78841 | |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (city) | $363,500 | $160,400 |
| Median gross rent (city) | $1,215/mo | $895 |
| HUD ZIP 2-BR rent | $1,600/mo | $1,060 |
| HUD ZIP 3-BR rent | $2,180/mo | $1,440 |
| HUD metro 2-BR rent (wider area) | $1,531/mo | $1,064 |
| E-5 without dependents minus 2-BR | +$65/mo | +$149/mo |
| E-5 with dependents minus 3-BR | +$4/mo | +$30/mo |
E-5 without dependents vs a HUD 2-bedroom is +$65/mo at Fairchild Air Force Base vs +$149/mo at Laughlin Air Force Base. E-5 with dependents vs a 3-bedroom is +$4/mo vs +$30/mo.
Host-state comparison: Washington vs. Texas
| Washington | Texas | |
|---|---|---|
| Sales tax | 9.51% | 8.20% |
| Property tax | 0.75% | 1.40% |
| Personal property tax | No | No |
| Top state income tax | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Median home value | $609,756 | $304,099 |
| Branch | Air Force | Air Force |
| HUD 2-BR FMR | $1,531 | $1,064 |
| Climate high/low | 58° / 39°F | 85° / 63°F |
| Annual precip | 16.4 in | 19.8 in |
| Nearby city | Spokane | Del Rio |
| Host state | Washington | Texas |
Click here for the full state comparison: Washington → Texas
PCS checklist for Laughlin Air Force Base
- Update DEERS. BAH at Laughlin Air Force Base uses MHA TX278 (ZIP 78843).
- Look up your exact rate on the DTMO BAH lookup.
- HUD 2-bedroom FMR near Laughlin Air Force Base is $1,064/mo. On-base housing is separate.
- New Texas residents typically have 90 days for a license and 30 days to title a car.
- Reporting: Laughlin Air Force Base.
Biggest differences
- E-5 with-dependents BAH is lower at Laughlin Air Force Base ($1,470 vs $2,184).
- Median owner-occupied home value in the off-base city is $160,400 in Del Rio vs $363,500 in Spokane (Census ACS 5-year, 2020–2024).
- HUD ZIP 2-bedroom rent just outside the gate is $1,060 in 78841 vs $1,600 in 99224.
- Combined sales tax averages 8.2% in Texas vs 9.51% in Washington.
Common questions
Can I PCS from Fairchild Air Force Base to Laughlin 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 Fairchild Air Force Base to Laughlin 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 $1,470; without dependents: $1,665 vs $1,209.
What is local rent like near Laughlin Air Force Base?
HUD FY2026 Small Area FMR for ZIP 78841 (Del Rio) is $1,060/mo for a 2-bedroom and $1,440/mo for a 3-bedroom. The wider metro 2-BR FMR is $1,064/mo.
What do homes cost in Spokane vs Del Rio?
Census ACS 5-year (2020–2024) median value of owner-occupied homes is $363,500 in Spokane city, Washington vs $160,400 in Del Rio city, Texas. Median gross rent in those cities is $1,215 vs $895. These are city medians (owners’ reported values), not last month’s sale prices.
Will BAH cover off-base rent if I PCS from Fairchild Air Force Base to Laughlin Air Force Base?
E-5 without dependents minus a HUD 2-bedroom is +$65/mo at Fairchild Air Force Base vs +$149/mo at Laughlin Air Force Base. E-5 with dependents minus a 3-bedroom is +$4/mo vs +$30/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 Fairchild Air Force Base to Laughlin 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. Washington: No wage income tax; 7% capital gains over threshold. Texas: No personal income tax. 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 Fairchild Air Force Base (WA310); Laughlin Air Force Base (TX278). Confirm current rates on the DTMO BAH lookup.
- 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent. HUD FY2026 FMR — Spokane County $1,531; Val Verde County $1,064.
- 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; 78841 (Del Rio) $1,060 / $1,440.
- 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 Del Rio city, Texas ($160,400, $895/mo). Owner-reported values, not transaction prices.
- Climate normals (1991–2020). NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals — Spokane Intl (NWS) (USW00024157); Del Rio Intl (NWS) (USW00022010).
- Host-state wage tax. Statewide listed rates for Washington and Texas 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 Texas. 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 Texas. 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%); Texas motor-vehicle agency (license 90 days, title 30 days; title tax 6.25%). 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 Texas. 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 Texas. Backdrop for off-base purchase prices; on-base housing and BAH are separate.