Compare military bases / Fort Carson → Fort Polk
Carson → Polk
Compare Fort Carson and Fort Polk
Will my BAH (Basic Allowance for Housing) go up or down if I move from Fort Carson to Fort Polk?
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 Carson
- $1,860
- Fort Polk
- $1,128
- Lower BAH at Fort Polk
BAH vs typical 2-bedroom rent nearby.
- Fort Carson
- $50/mo left over
- Fort Polk
- $78/mo left over
Housing just outside the gate: Colorado Springs vs Leesville
Rents shown on table are the 40th-percentile for 2 and 3 bedroom figures for the residential ZIP code nearest the base.
| Fort Carson Colorado Springs 80911 | Fort Polk Leesville 71446 | |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (city) | $452,600 | $118,600 |
| Median gross rent (city) | $1,648/mo | $894 |
| HUD ZIP 2-BR rent | $1,810/mo | $1,050 |
| HUD ZIP 3-BR rent | $2,520/mo | $1,340 |
| HUD metro 2-BR rent (wider area) | $1,735/mo | $1,041 |
| E-5 without dependents minus 2-BR | +$50/mo | +$78/mo |
| E-5 with dependents minus 3-BR | −$162/mo | −$122/mo |
E-5 without dependents vs a HUD 2-bedroom is +$50/mo at Fort Carson vs +$78/mo at Fort Polk. E-5 with dependents vs a 3-bedroom is −$162/mo vs −$122/mo.
Host-state comparison: Colorado vs. Louisiana
| Colorado | Louisiana | |
|---|---|---|
| Sales tax | 7.89% | 10.11% |
| Property tax | 0.50% | 0.55% |
| Personal property tax | Yes — 1.79% effective | Yes — 0.10% effective |
| Top state income tax | 4.4% | 3.0% |
| Median home value | $548,480 | $215,842 |
| Branch | Army | Army |
| HUD 2-BR FMR | $1,735 | $1,041 |
| Climate high/low | 67° / 40°F | 78° / 62°F |
| Annual precip | 9.1 in | 63.4 in |
| Nearby city | Colorado Springs | Leesville |
| Host state | Colorado | Louisiana |
Click here for the full state comparison: Colorado → Louisiana
PCS checklist for Fort Polk
- Update DEERS. BAH at Fort Polk uses MHA LA115 (ZIP 71459).
- Look up your exact rate on the DTMO BAH lookup.
- HUD 2-bedroom FMR near Fort Polk is $1,041/mo. On-base housing is separate.
- New Louisiana residents typically have 30 days for a license and 30 days to title a car.
- Reporting: Fort Polk.
Biggest differences
- E-5 with-dependents BAH is lower at Fort Polk ($1,218 vs $2,358).
- Median owner-occupied home value in the off-base city is $118,600 in Leesville vs $452,600 in Colorado Springs (Census ACS 5-year, 2020–2024).
- HUD ZIP 2-bedroom rent just outside the gate is $1,050 in 71446 vs $1,810 in 80911.
- Host-state wage tax is Flat 4.4% in Colorado vs Top listed rate 3.0% in Louisiana (military pay usually follows legal residence, not the duty station).
- Combined sales tax averages 10.11% in Louisiana vs 7.89% in Colorado.
Common questions
Does BAH go down from Fort Carson to Fort Polk?
DTMO CY2026 with- and without-dependents rates for every pay grade are in the BAH table on this page. E-5 with dependents: $2,358 vs $1,218; without dependents: $1,860 vs $1,128.
What is local rent like near Fort Polk?
HUD FY2026 Small Area FMR for ZIP 71446 (Leesville) is $1,050/mo for a 2-bedroom and $1,340/mo for a 3-bedroom. The wider metro 2-BR FMR is $1,041/mo.
Will BAH cover off-base rent if I PCS from Fort Carson to Fort Polk?
E-5 without dependents minus a HUD 2-bedroom is +$50/mo at Fort Carson vs +$78/mo at Fort Polk. E-5 with dependents minus a 3-bedroom is −$162/mo vs −$122/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 Carson to Fort Polk?
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. Colorado: Flat 4.4%. Louisiana: Top listed rate 3.0%. BAH is not taxed. Sales tax and titling a car follow the state you live in.
How does sales tax near Fort Polk compare with Fort Carson?
Combined sales tax averages 10.11% in Louisiana vs 7.89% in Colorado. This follows where you live, not legal residence for military pay.
How different is the climate from Fort Carson to Fort Polk?
Annual normals at Colorado Springs Muni (NWS) are 67° / 40°F and 9.1 in of precipitation vs 78° / 62°F and 63.4 in at Lake Charles Regional (NWS) (NOAA 1991–2020).
What do homes cost in Colorado Springs vs Leesville?
Census ACS 5-year (2020–2024) median value of owner-occupied homes is $452,600 in Colorado Springs city, Colorado vs $118,600 in Leesville city, Louisiana. Median gross rent in those cities is $1,648 vs $894. These are city medians (owners’ reported values), not last month’s sale prices.
Related PCS
Fort Polk → Fort Carson · Joint Base Lewis-McChord → Fort Carson
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 Carson (CO046); Fort Polk (LA115). Confirm current rates on the DTMO BAH lookup.
- 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent. HUD FY2026 FMR — El Paso County $1,735; Vernon Parish $1,041.
- Off-base ZIP rent (HUD Small Area FMR). FY2026 ZIP 2- and 3-bedroom 40th-percentile rents from the HUD Small Area FMR tables: 80911 (Colorado Springs) $1,810 / $2,520; 71446 (Leesville) $1,050 / $1,340.
- 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 Colorado Springs city, Colorado ($452,600, $1,648/mo) and Leesville city, Louisiana ($118,600, $894/mo). Owner-reported values, not transaction prices.
- Climate normals (1991–2020). NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals — Colorado Springs Muni (NWS) (USW00023066); Lake Charles Regional (NWS) (USW00012916).
- Host-state wage tax. Statewide listed rates for Colorado and Louisiana 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 Colorado and Louisiana. 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 Colorado and Louisiana. On-base housing is not in this figure.
- Vehicle title tax and new-resident clocks. Colorado motor-vehicle agency (license 30 days, title 90 days; title tax 2.90%); Louisiana motor-vehicle agency (license 30 days, title 30 days; title tax 4.45%). 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 Colorado and Louisiana. 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 Colorado and Louisiana. Backdrop for off-base purchase prices; on-base housing and BAH are separate.