Compare military bases / Fort Bliss → Carlisle Barracks
Bliss → Carlisle
Compare Fort Bliss and Carlisle Barracks
Will my BAH (Basic Allowance for Housing) go up or down if I move from Fort Bliss to Carlisle Barracks?
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.
- Fort Bliss
- $1,437
- Carlisle Barracks
- $1,617
- Higher BAH at Carlisle Barracks
BAH minus HUD 2-bedroom rent for the ZIP nearest each base.
- Fort Bliss
- −$263/mo
- Carlisle Barracks
- +$127/mo
Housing just outside the gate: El Paso vs Carlisle
Rents shown on table are the 40th-percentile for 2 and 3 bedroom figures for the residential ZIP code nearest the base.
| Fort Bliss El Paso 79906 | Carlisle Barracks Carlisle 17015 | |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (city) | $184,500 | $224,100 |
| Median gross rent (city) | $1,073/mo | $1,094 |
| HUD ZIP 2-BR rent | $1,700/mo | $1,490 |
| HUD ZIP 3-BR rent | $2,330/mo | $1,920 |
| HUD metro 2-BR rent (wider area) | $1,191/mo | $1,493 |
| E-5 without dependents minus 2-BR | −$263/mo | +$127/mo |
| E-5 with dependents minus 3-BR | −$521/mo | +$156/mo |
E-5 without dependents vs a HUD 2-bedroom is −$263/mo at Fort Bliss vs +$127/mo at Carlisle Barracks. E-5 with dependents vs a 3-bedroom is −$521/mo vs +$156/mo.
Host-state comparison: Texas vs. Pennsylvania
| Texas | Pennsylvania | |
|---|---|---|
| Sales tax | 8.20% | 6.34% |
| Property tax | 1.40% | 1.26% |
| Personal property tax | No | No |
| Top state income tax | 0.0% | 3.07% |
| Median home value | $304,099 | $288,697 |
| Branch | Army | Army |
| HUD 2-BR FMR | $1,191 | $1,493 |
| Climate high/low | 79° / 54°F | 64° / 45°F |
| Annual precip | 8.8 in | 44.2 in |
| Nearby city | El Paso | Carlisle |
| Host state | Texas | Pennsylvania |
Click here for the full state comparison: Texas → Pennsylvania
PCS checklist for Carlisle Barracks
- Update DEERS. BAH at Carlisle Barracks uses MHA PA247 (ZIP 17013).
- Look up your exact rate on the DTMO BAH lookup.
- HUD 2-bedroom FMR near Carlisle Barracks is $1,493/mo. On-base housing is separate.
- New Pennsylvania residents typically have 60 days for a license and 20 days to title a car.
- Reporting: Carlisle Barracks.
Biggest differences
- E-5 with-dependents BAH is higher at Carlisle Barracks ($2,076 vs $1,809).
- Median owner-occupied home value in the off-base city is $224,100 in Carlisle vs $184,500 in El Paso (Census ACS 5-year, 2020–2024).
- HUD ZIP 2-bedroom rent just outside the gate is $1,490 in 17015 vs $1,700 in 79906.
- Host-state wage tax is No personal income tax in Texas vs Flat 3.07% (local earned-income tax extra) in Pennsylvania (military pay usually follows legal residence, not the duty station).
- Combined sales tax averages 6.34% in Pennsylvania vs 8.2% in Texas.
Common questions
Can I PCS from Fort Bliss to Carlisle Barracks?
This pair is listed because the installations share a tenant service (Army). Your actual orders depend on your MOS/AFSC/rating and the gaining unit.
How does BAH change from Fort Bliss to Carlisle Barracks?
DTMO CY2026 with- and without-dependents rates for every pay grade are in the BAH table on this page. E-5 with dependents: $1,809 vs $2,076; without dependents: $1,437 vs $1,617.
What is local rent like near Carlisle Barracks?
HUD FY2026 Small Area FMR for ZIP 17015 (Carlisle) is $1,490/mo for a 2-bedroom and $1,920/mo for a 3-bedroom. The wider metro 2-BR FMR is $1,493/mo.
What do homes cost in El Paso vs Carlisle?
Census ACS 5-year (2020–2024) median value of owner-occupied homes is $184,500 in El Paso city, Texas vs $224,100 in Carlisle borough, Pennsylvania. Median gross rent in those cities is $1,073 vs $1,094. These are city medians (owners’ reported values), not last month’s sale prices.
Will BAH cover off-base rent if I PCS from Fort Bliss to Carlisle Barracks?
E-5 without dependents minus a HUD 2-bedroom is −$263/mo at Fort Bliss vs +$127/mo at Carlisle Barracks. E-5 with dependents minus a 3-bedroom is −$521/mo vs +$156/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 Fort Bliss to Carlisle Barracks?
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. Texas: No personal income tax. Pennsylvania: Flat 3.07% (local earned-income tax extra). 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 Fort Bliss (TX279); Carlisle Barracks (PA247). Confirm current rates on the DTMO BAH lookup.
- 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent. HUD FY2026 FMR — El Paso County $1,191; Cumberland County $1,493.
- Off-base ZIP rent (HUD Small Area FMR). FY2026 ZIP 2- and 3-bedroom 40th-percentile rents from the HUD Small Area FMR tables: 79906 (El Paso) $1,700 / $2,330; 17015 (Carlisle) $1,490 / $1,920.
- 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 El Paso city, Texas ($184,500, $1,073/mo) and Carlisle borough, Pennsylvania ($224,100, $1,094/mo). Owner-reported values, not transaction prices.
- Climate normals (1991–2020). NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals — El Paso Intl (NWS) (USW00023044); Harrisburg Intl (NWS) (USW00014711).
- Host-state wage tax. Statewide listed rates for Texas and Pennsylvania 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 Texas and Pennsylvania. 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 Texas and Pennsylvania. On-base housing is not in this figure.
- Vehicle title tax and new-resident clocks. Texas motor-vehicle agency (license 90 days, title 30 days; title tax 6.25%); Pennsylvania motor-vehicle agency (license 60 days, title 20 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 Texas and Pennsylvania. 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 Texas and Pennsylvania. Backdrop for off-base purchase prices; on-base housing and BAH are separate.