Compare military bases / Fort Huachuca → Fort Knox
Huachuca → Knox
Compare Fort Huachuca and Fort Knox
Will my BAH (Basic Allowance for Housing) go up or down if I move from Fort Huachuca to Fort Knox?
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 Huachuca
- $1,347
- Fort Knox
- $1,443
- Higher BAH at Fort Knox
BAH vs typical 2-bedroom rent nearby.
- Fort Huachuca
- $67/mo left over
- Fort Knox
- $383/mo left over
Housing just outside the gate: Sierra Vista vs Fort Knox
Rents shown on table are the 40th-percentile for 2 and 3 bedroom figures for the residential ZIP code nearest the base.
| Fort Huachuca Sierra Vista 85635 | Fort Knox Fort Knox 40122 | |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (city) | $254,200 | $-666,666,666 |
| Median gross rent (city) | $1,150/mo | $1,502 |
| HUD ZIP 2-BR rent | $1,280/mo | $1,060 |
| HUD ZIP 3-BR rent | $1,780/mo | $1,470 |
| HUD metro 2-BR rent (wider area) | $1,257/mo | $1,056 |
| E-5 without dependents minus 2-BR | +$67/mo | +$383/mo |
| E-5 with dependents minus 3-BR | −$61/mo | +$177/mo |
E-5 without dependents vs a HUD 2-bedroom is +$67/mo at Fort Huachuca vs +$383/mo at Fort Knox. E-5 with dependents vs a 3-bedroom is −$61/mo vs +$177/mo.
Host-state comparison: Arizona vs. Kentucky
| Arizona | Kentucky | |
|---|---|---|
| Sales tax | 8.52% | 6.00% |
| Property tax | 0.48% | 0.74% |
| Personal property tax | Yes — 1.68% effective | Yes — 1.44% effective |
| Top state income tax | 2.5% | 3.5% |
| Median home value | $425,807 | $235,735 |
| Branch | Army | Army |
| HUD 2-BR FMR | $1,257 | $1,056 |
| Climate high/low | 84° / 57°F | 70° / 48°F |
| Annual precip | 10.6 in | 50.1 in |
| Nearby city | Sierra Vista | Fort Knox |
| Host state | Arizona | Kentucky |
Click here for the full state comparison: Arizona → Kentucky
PCS checklist for Fort Knox
- Update DEERS. BAH at Fort Knox uses MHA KY110 (ZIP 40121).
- Look up your exact rate on the DTMO BAH lookup.
- HUD 2-bedroom FMR near Fort Knox is $1,056/mo. On-base housing is separate.
- New Kentucky residents typically have 30 days for a license and 15 days to title a car.
- Reporting: Fort Knox.
Biggest differences
- E-5 with-dependents BAH is lower at Fort Knox ($1,647 vs $1,719).
- Median owner-occupied home value in the off-base city is $-666,666,666 in Fort Knox vs $254,200 in Sierra Vista (Census ACS 5-year, 2020–2024).
- HUD ZIP 2-bedroom rent just outside the gate is $1,060 in 40122 vs $1,280 in 85635.
- Host-state wage tax is Flat 2.5% in Arizona vs Top listed rate 3.5% in Kentucky (military pay usually follows legal residence, not the duty station).
- Combined sales tax averages 6% in Kentucky vs 8.52% in Arizona.
Common questions
Does BAH go down from Fort Huachuca to Fort Knox?
DTMO CY2026 with- and without-dependents rates for every pay grade are in the BAH table on this page. E-5 with dependents: $1,719 vs $1,647; without dependents: $1,347 vs $1,443.
What do homes cost in Sierra Vista vs Fort Knox?
Census ACS 5-year (2020–2024) median value of owner-occupied homes is $254,200 in Sierra Vista city, Arizona vs $-666,666,666 in Fort Knox CDP, Kentucky. Median gross rent in those cities is $1,150 vs $1,502. These are city medians (owners’ reported values), not last month’s sale prices.
What is local rent like near Fort Knox?
HUD FY2026 Small Area FMR for ZIP 40122 (Fort Knox) is $1,060/mo for a 2-bedroom and $1,470/mo for a 3-bedroom. The wider metro 2-BR FMR is $1,056/mo.
Will BAH cover off-base rent if I PCS from Fort Huachuca to Fort Knox?
E-5 without dependents minus a HUD 2-bedroom is +$67/mo at Fort Huachuca vs +$383/mo at Fort Knox. E-5 with dependents minus a 3-bedroom is −$61/mo vs +$177/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 Huachuca to Fort Knox?
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. Arizona: Flat 2.5%. Kentucky: Top listed rate 3.5%. BAH is not taxed. Sales tax and titling a car follow the state you live in.
How does sales tax near Fort Knox compare with Fort Huachuca?
Combined sales tax averages 6% in Kentucky vs 8.52% in Arizona. This follows where you live, not legal residence for military pay.
How different is the climate from Fort Huachuca to Fort Knox?
Annual normals at Tucson Intl (NWS) are 84° / 57°F and 10.6 in of precipitation vs 70° / 48°F and 50.1 in at Bowling Green (NWS) (NOAA 1991–2020).
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 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 Huachuca (AZ014); Fort Knox (KY110). Confirm current rates on the DTMO BAH lookup.
- 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent. HUD FY2026 FMR — Cochise County $1,257; Hardin County $1,056.
- Off-base ZIP rent (HUD Small Area FMR). FY2026 ZIP 2- and 3-bedroom 40th-percentile rents from the HUD Small Area FMR tables: 85635 (Sierra Vista) $1,280 / $1,780; 40122 (Fort Knox) $1,060 / $1,470.
- 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 Sierra Vista city, Arizona ($254,200, $1,150/mo) and Fort Knox CDP, Kentucky ($-666,666,666, $1,502/mo). Owner-reported values, not transaction prices.
- Climate normals (1991–2020). NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals — Tucson Intl (NWS) (USW00023160); Bowling Green (NWS) (USW00093808).
- Host-state wage tax. Statewide listed rates for Arizona and Kentucky 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 Arizona and Kentucky. 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 Arizona and Kentucky. On-base housing is not in this figure.
- Vehicle title tax and new-resident clocks. Arizona motor-vehicle agency (license 10 days, title 15 days; title tax 5.60%); Kentucky motor-vehicle agency (license 30 days, title 15 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 Arizona and Kentucky. 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 Arizona and Kentucky. Backdrop for off-base purchase prices; on-base housing and BAH are separate.