Compare military bases / Fort Bragg → Joint Base Lewis-McChord
PCS · NC → WA
Compare Fort Bragg and Joint Base Lewis-McChord
Joint Base Lewis-McChord pays far more housing allowance: E-5 BAH with dependents is $2,556 a month there against $1,806 at Fort Bragg (2026 DTMO rates), a $750 gap. Measured against HUD's 3-bedroom rent for the ZIP outside each gate ($1,670 in 28309, $2,600 in 98444), that leaves $136/mo to spare at Fort Bragg and $44/mo short at Joint Base Lewis-McChord. Buying off-base, the Census median home value is $188,000 in Fayetteville and $479,600 in Tacoma. North Carolina lists a top income-tax rate of 3.99% and Washington has no state income tax on wages, though tax on military pay follows legal residence, not the duty station. Fort Bragg is the warmer post, with normal daily highs averaging 74°F over the year against 60°F (NOAA 1991–2020).
Moving the other way (Joint Base Lewis-McChord to Fort Bragg)? The same numbers apply—swap the columns.
Deadlines and checklists on this page are for arriving in Joint Base Lewis-McChord; for Fort Bragg, see the Fort Bragg page.
Data: Fort Bragg: DTMO 2026 BAH for MHA NC182, HUD rents for ZIP 28309, Census ACS for Fayetteville city, NOAA normals at Fayetteville Regional Airport, NC; Joint Base Lewis-McChord: DTMO 2026 BAH for MHA WA311, HUD rents for ZIP 98444, Census ACS for Tacoma city, NOAA normals at Tacoma Narrows Airport, WA. Jump to sources · Methodology
Will my BAH (Basic Allowance for Housing) go up or down if I move from Fort Bragg to Joint Base Lewis-McChord?
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 Bragg
- $1,527
- Joint Base Lewis-McChord
- $2,121
- Higher BAH at Joint Base Lewis-McChord
BAH vs typical 2-bedroom rent nearby.
- Fort Bragg
- $277/mo left over
- Joint Base Lewis-McChord
- $261/mo left over
Housing just outside the gate: Fayetteville vs Tacoma
Rents shown on table are the 40th-percentile for 2 and 3 bedroom figures for the residential ZIP code nearest the base.
| Fort Bragg Fayetteville 28309 | Joint Base Lewis-McChord Tacoma 98444 | |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (city) | $188,000 | $479,600 |
| Median gross rent (city) | $1,250/mo | $1,676 |
| HUD ZIP 2-BR rent | $1,250/mo | $1,860 |
| HUD ZIP 3-BR rent | $1,670/mo | $2,600 |
| HUD metro 2-BR rent (wider area) | $1,251/mo | $1,971 |
| E-5 without dependents minus 2-BR | +$277/mo | +$261/mo |
| E-5 with dependents minus 3-BR | +$136/mo | −$44/mo |
E-5 without dependents vs a HUD 2-bedroom is +$277/mo at Fort Bragg vs +$261/mo at Joint Base Lewis-McChord. E-5 with dependents vs a 3-bedroom is +$136/mo vs −$44/mo.
Host-state comparison: North Carolina vs. Washington
| North Carolina | Washington | |
|---|---|---|
| Sales tax | 7.00% | 9.51% |
| Property tax | 0.66% | 0.75% |
| Personal property tax | Yes — 1.10% effective | No |
| Top state income tax | 3.99% | 0.0% |
| Median home value | $339,594 | $609,756 |
| Branch | Army | Joint |
| HUD 2-BR FMR | $1,251 | $1,971 |
| Climate high/low | 74° / 52°F | 60° / 44°F |
| Annual precip | 44.6 in | 42.0 in |
| Nearby city | Fayetteville | Tacoma |
| Host state | North Carolina | Washington |
PCS checklist for Joint Base Lewis-McChord
- Update DEERS. BAH at Joint Base Lewis-McChord uses MHA WA311 (ZIP 98433).
- Look up your exact rate on the DTMO BAH lookup.
- HUD 2-bedroom FMR near Joint Base Lewis-McChord is $1,971/mo. On-base housing is separate.
- New Washington residents typically have 30 days for a license and 30 days to title a car.
- Reporting: Joint Base Lewis-McChord.
Biggest differences
- E-5 with-dependents BAH is higher at Joint Base Lewis-McChord ($2,556 vs $1,806).
- Median owner-occupied home value in the off-base city is $479,600 in Tacoma vs $188,000 in Fayetteville (Census ACS 5-year, 2020–2024).
- HUD ZIP 2-bedroom rent just outside the gate is $1,860 in 98444 vs $1,250 in 28309.
- Fort Bragg is labeled Army; Joint Base Lewis-McChord is Joint. The pair is valid because of shared tenants.
- Host-state wage tax is Flat 3.99% in North Carolina vs No wage income tax; 7% capital gains over threshold in Washington (military pay usually follows legal residence, not the duty station).
- Combined sales tax averages 9.51% in Washington vs 7% in North Carolina.
Common questions
Does BAH go up from Fort Bragg to Joint Base Lewis-McChord?
DTMO CY2026 with- and without-dependents rates for every pay grade are in the BAH table on this page. E-5 with dependents: $1,806 vs $2,556; without dependents: $1,527 vs $2,121.
What is local rent like near Joint Base Lewis-McChord?
HUD FY2026 Small Area FMR for ZIP 98444 (Tacoma) is $1,860/mo for a 2-bedroom and $2,600/mo for a 3-bedroom. The wider metro 2-BR FMR is $1,971/mo.
Will BAH cover off-base rent if I PCS from Fort Bragg to Joint Base Lewis-McChord?
E-5 without dependents minus a HUD 2-bedroom is +$277/mo at Fort Bragg vs +$261/mo at Joint Base Lewis-McChord. E-5 with dependents minus a 3-bedroom is +$136/mo vs −$44/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 Bragg to Joint Base Lewis-McChord?
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. North Carolina: Flat 3.99%. Washington: No wage income tax; 7% capital gains over threshold. BAH is not taxed. Sales tax and titling a car follow the state you live in.
What do homes cost in Fayetteville vs Tacoma?
Census ACS 5-year (2020–2024) median value of owner-occupied homes is $188,000 in Fayetteville, North Carolina vs $479,600 in Tacoma, Washington. Median gross rent in those cities is $1,250 vs $1,676. These are city medians (owners’ reported values), not last month’s sale prices.
How does sales tax near Joint Base Lewis-McChord compare with Fort Bragg?
Combined sales tax averages 9.51% in Washington vs 7% in North Carolina. This follows where you live, not legal residence for military pay.
Can I PCS from Fort Bragg to Joint Base Lewis-McChord?
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.
Related PCS
Fort Bragg · Joint Base Lewis-McChord · Fort Bragg → Fort Hood · Joint Base Lewis-McChord → Fort Carson · Fort Campbell → Fort Bragg
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 Fort Bragg (NC182); Joint Base Lewis-McChord (WA311). Confirm current rates on the DTMO BAH lookup.
- 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent. HUD FY2026 FMR — Cumberland County $1,251; Pierce County $1,971.
- Off-base ZIP rent (HUD Small Area FMR). FY2026 ZIP 2- and 3-bedroom 40th-percentile rents from the HUD Small Area FMR tables: 28309 (Fayetteville) $1,250 / $1,670; 98444 (Tacoma) $1,860 / $2,600.
- 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 Fayetteville city, North Carolina ($188,000, $1,250/mo) and Tacoma city, Washington ($479,600, $1,676/mo). Owner-reported values, not transaction prices.
- Climate normals (1991–2020). NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals — Fayetteville Regional Airport, NC (USW00093740); Tacoma Narrows Airport, WA (USW00094274).
- Host-state wage tax. Statewide listed rates for North Carolina and Washington 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 North Carolina and Washington. 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 North Carolina and Washington. On-base housing is not in this figure.
- Vehicle title tax and new-resident clocks. North Carolina motor-vehicle agency (license 60 days, title 60 days; title tax 3.00%); Washington motor-vehicle agency (license 30 days, title 30 days; title tax 6.50%). 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 North Carolina and Washington. 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 North Carolina and Washington. Backdrop for off-base purchase prices; on-base housing and BAH are separate.
Data last updated: September 2026. How the data is compiled