Compare military bases / Fort Irwin → Fort Jackson
Irwin → Jackson
Compare Fort Irwin and Fort Jackson
Will my BAH (Basic Allowance for Housing) go up or down if I move from Fort Irwin to Fort Jackson?
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 Irwin
- $1,695
- Fort Jackson
- $1,647
- Lower BAH at Fort Jackson
BAH minus HUD 2-bedroom rent for the ZIP nearest each base.
- Fort Irwin
- −$435/mo
- Fort Jackson
- +$157/mo
Housing just outside the gate: Barstow vs Columbia
Rents shown on table are the 40th-percentile for 2 and 3 bedroom figures for the residential ZIP code nearest the base.
| Fort Irwin Barstow 92312 | Fort Jackson Columbia 29206 | |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (city) | $245,000 | $264,300 |
| Median gross rent (city) | $1,091/mo | $1,204 |
| HUD ZIP 2-BR rent | $2,130/mo | $1,490 |
| HUD ZIP 3-BR rent | $2,820/mo | $1,900 |
| HUD metro 2-BR rent (wider area) | $2,201/mo | $1,276 |
| E-5 without dependents minus 2-BR | −$435/mo | +$157/mo |
| E-5 with dependents minus 3-BR | −$819/mo | −$22/mo |
E-5 without dependents vs a HUD 2-bedroom is −$435/mo at Fort Irwin vs +$157/mo at Fort Jackson. E-5 with dependents vs a 3-bedroom is −$819/mo vs −$22/mo.
Host-state comparison: California vs. South Carolina
| California | South Carolina | |
|---|---|---|
| Sales tax | 8.99% | 7.49% |
| Property tax | 0.70% | 0.49% |
| Personal property tax | Yes — 0.65% effective | Yes — 2.33% effective |
| Top state income tax | 13.3% | 6.0% |
| Median home value | $778,217 | $307,843 |
| Branch | Army | Army |
| HUD 2-BR FMR | $2,201 | $1,276 |
| Climate high/low | 80° / 60°F | 76° / 53°F |
| Annual precip | 4.2 in | 45.2 in |
| Nearby city | Barstow | Columbia |
| Host state | California | South Carolina |
Click here for the full state comparison: California → South Carolina
PCS checklist for Fort Jackson
- Update DEERS. BAH at Fort Jackson uses MHA SC260 (ZIP 29207).
- Look up your exact rate on the DTMO BAH lookup.
- HUD 2-bedroom FMR near Fort Jackson is $1,276/mo. On-base housing is separate.
- New South Carolina residents typically have 90 days for a license and 45 days to title a car.
- Reporting: Fort Jackson.
Biggest differences
- E-5 with-dependents BAH is lower at Fort Jackson ($1,878 vs $2,001).
- Median owner-occupied home value in the off-base city is $264,300 in Columbia vs $245,000 in Barstow (Census ACS 5-year, 2020–2024).
- HUD ZIP 2-bedroom rent just outside the gate is $1,490 in 29206 vs $2,130 in 92312.
- Host-state wage tax is 1%–12.3%, plus 1% over $1M (13.3% top) in California vs Top listed rate 6.0% in South Carolina (military pay usually follows legal residence, not the duty station).
- Combined sales tax averages 7.49% in South Carolina vs 8.99% in California.
Common questions
Can I PCS from Fort Irwin to Fort Jackson?
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 Irwin to Fort Jackson?
DTMO CY2026 with- and without-dependents rates for every pay grade are in the BAH table on this page. E-5 with dependents: $2,001 vs $1,878; without dependents: $1,695 vs $1,647.
What is local rent like near Fort Jackson?
HUD FY2026 Small Area FMR for ZIP 29206 (Columbia) is $1,490/mo for a 2-bedroom and $1,900/mo for a 3-bedroom. The wider metro 2-BR FMR is $1,276/mo.
What do homes cost in Barstow vs Columbia?
Census ACS 5-year (2020–2024) median value of owner-occupied homes is $245,000 in Barstow city, California vs $264,300 in Columbia city, South Carolina. Median gross rent in those cities is $1,091 vs $1,204. These are city medians (owners’ reported values), not last month’s sale prices.
Will BAH cover off-base rent if I PCS from Fort Irwin to Fort Jackson?
E-5 without dependents minus a HUD 2-bedroom is −$435/mo at Fort Irwin vs +$157/mo at Fort Jackson. E-5 with dependents minus a 3-bedroom is −$819/mo vs −$22/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 Irwin to Fort Jackson?
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. California: 1%–12.3%, plus 1% over $1M (13.3% top). South Carolina: Top listed rate 6.0%. 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 Irwin (CA028); Fort Jackson (SC260). Confirm current rates on the DTMO BAH lookup.
- 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent. HUD FY2026 FMR — San Bernardino County $2,201; Richland County $1,276.
- Off-base ZIP rent (HUD Small Area FMR). FY2026 ZIP 2- and 3-bedroom 40th-percentile rents from the HUD Small Area FMR tables: 92312 (Barstow) $2,130 / $2,820; 29206 (Columbia) $1,490 / $1,900.
- 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 Barstow city, California ($245,000, $1,091/mo) and Columbia city, South Carolina ($264,300, $1,204/mo). Owner-reported values, not transaction prices.
- Climate normals (1991–2020). NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals — Las Vegas McCarran (NWS) (USW00023169); Columbia Metro (NWS) (USW00013883).
- Host-state wage tax. Statewide listed rates for California and South Carolina 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 California and South Carolina. 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 California and South Carolina. On-base housing is not in this figure.
- Vehicle title tax and new-resident clocks. California motor-vehicle agency (license 10 days, title 20 days; title tax 7.25%); South Carolina motor-vehicle agency (license 90 days, title 45 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 California and South Carolina. 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 California and South Carolina. Backdrop for off-base purchase prices; on-base housing and BAH are separate.