Compare military bases / Fort Jackson → Fort Wainwright
Jackson → Wainwright
Compare Fort Jackson and Fort Wainwright
Will my BAH (Basic Allowance for Housing) go up or down if I move from Fort Jackson to Fort Wainwright?
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 Jackson
- $1,647
- Fort Wainwright
- $1,827
- Higher BAH at Fort Wainwright
BAH vs typical 2-bedroom rent nearby.
- Fort Jackson
- $157/mo left over
- Fort Wainwright
- $317/mo left over
Housing just outside the gate: Columbia vs Fairbanks
Rents shown on table are the 40th-percentile for 2 and 3 bedroom figures for the residential ZIP code nearest the base.
| Fort Jackson Columbia 29206 | Fort Wainwright Fairbanks 99701 | |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (city) | $264,300 | $268,400 |
| Median gross rent (city) | $1,204/mo | $1,496 |
| HUD ZIP 2-BR rent | $1,490/mo | $1,510 |
| HUD ZIP 3-BR rent | $1,900/mo | $2,110 |
| HUD metro 2-BR rent (wider area) | $1,276/mo | $1,676 |
| E-5 without dependents minus 2-BR | +$157/mo | +$317/mo |
| E-5 with dependents minus 3-BR | −$22/mo | +$326/mo |
E-5 without dependents vs a HUD 2-bedroom is +$157/mo at Fort Jackson vs +$317/mo at Fort Wainwright. E-5 with dependents vs a 3-bedroom is −$22/mo vs +$326/mo.
Host-state comparison: South Carolina vs. Alaska
| South Carolina | Alaska | |
|---|---|---|
| Sales tax | 7.49% | 1.82% |
| Property tax | 0.49% | 0.94% |
| Personal property tax | Yes — 2.33% effective | No |
| Top state income tax | 6.0% | 0.0% |
| Median home value | $307,843 | $391,973 |
| Branch | Army | Army |
| HUD 2-BR FMR | $1,276 | $1,676 |
| Climate high/low | 76° / 53°F | 38° / 18°F |
| Annual precip | 45.2 in | 11.7 in |
| Nearby city | Columbia | Fairbanks |
| Host state | South Carolina | Alaska |
Click here for the full state comparison: South Carolina → Alaska
PCS checklist for Fort Wainwright
- Update DEERS. BAH at Fort Wainwright uses MHA AK405 (ZIP 99703).
- Look up your exact rate on the DTMO BAH lookup.
- HUD 2-bedroom FMR near Fort Wainwright is $1,676/mo. On-base housing is separate.
- New Alaska residents typically have 90 days for a license and 10 days to title a car.
- Reporting: Fort Wainwright.
Biggest differences
- E-5 with-dependents BAH is higher at Fort Wainwright ($2,436 vs $1,878).
- Median owner-occupied home value in the off-base city is $268,400 in Fairbanks vs $264,300 in Columbia (Census ACS 5-year, 2020–2024).
- HUD ZIP 2-bedroom rent just outside the gate is $1,510 in 99701 vs $1,490 in 29206.
- Host-state wage tax is Top listed rate 6.0% in South Carolina vs No personal income tax in Alaska (military pay usually follows legal residence, not the duty station).
- Combined sales tax averages 1.82% in Alaska vs 7.49% in South Carolina.
Common questions
Does BAH go up from Fort Jackson to Fort Wainwright?
DTMO CY2026 with- and without-dependents rates for every pay grade are in the BAH table on this page. E-5 with dependents: $1,878 vs $2,436; without dependents: $1,647 vs $1,827.
How does sales tax near Fort Wainwright compare with Fort Jackson?
Combined sales tax averages 1.82% in Alaska vs 7.49% in South Carolina. This follows where you live, not legal residence for military pay.
What is local rent like near Fort Wainwright?
HUD FY2026 Small Area FMR for ZIP 99701 (Fairbanks) is $1,510/mo for a 2-bedroom and $2,110/mo for a 3-bedroom. The wider metro 2-BR FMR is $1,676/mo.
Will BAH cover off-base rent if I PCS from Fort Jackson to Fort Wainwright?
E-5 without dependents minus a HUD 2-bedroom is +$157/mo at Fort Jackson vs +$317/mo at Fort Wainwright. E-5 with dependents minus a 3-bedroom is −$22/mo vs +$326/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 Jackson to Fort Wainwright?
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. South Carolina: Top listed rate 6.0%. Alaska: No personal income tax. BAH is not taxed. Sales tax and titling a car follow the state you live in.
How different is the climate from Fort Jackson to Fort Wainwright?
Annual normals at Columbia Metro (NWS) are 76° / 53°F and 45.2 in of precipitation vs 38° / 18°F and 11.7 in at Fairbanks Intl (NWS) (NOAA 1991–2020).
How long do I have for a license and car title if I PCS to Fort Wainwright?
New Alaska residents typically have 90 days for a license and 10 days to title a car (90 and 45 days in South Carolina).
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 Jackson (SC260); Fort Wainwright (AK405). Confirm current rates on the DTMO BAH lookup.
- 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent. HUD FY2026 FMR — Richland County $1,276; Fairbanks North Star Borough $1,676.
- Off-base ZIP rent (HUD Small Area FMR). FY2026 ZIP 2- and 3-bedroom 40th-percentile rents from the HUD Small Area FMR tables: 29206 (Columbia) $1,490 / $1,900; 99701 (Fairbanks) $1,510 / $2,110.
- 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 Columbia city, South Carolina ($264,300, $1,204/mo) and Fairbanks city, Alaska ($268,400, $1,496/mo). Owner-reported values, not transaction prices.
- Climate normals (1991–2020). NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals — Columbia Metro (NWS) (USW00013883); Fairbanks Intl (NWS) (USW00026411).
- Host-state wage tax. Statewide listed rates for South Carolina and Alaska 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 South Carolina and Alaska. 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 South Carolina and Alaska. On-base housing is not in this figure.
- Vehicle title tax and new-resident clocks. South Carolina motor-vehicle agency (license 90 days, title 45 days; title tax 6.00%); Alaska motor-vehicle agency (license 90 days, title 10 days; title tax 0.00%). 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 South Carolina and Alaska. 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 South Carolina and Alaska. Backdrop for off-base purchase prices; on-base housing and BAH are separate.