Compare military bases / Fort Lee → USMA West Point
Lee → West Point
Compare Fort Lee and USMA West Point
Will my BAH (Basic Allowance for Housing) go up or down if I move from Fort Lee to USMA West Point?
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 Lee
- $1,866
- USMA West Point
- $2,859
- Higher BAH at USMA West Point
BAH vs typical 2-bedroom rent nearby.
- Fort Lee
- $326/mo left over
- USMA West Point
- $111/mo short
Housing just outside the gate: Petersburg vs West Point
Rents shown on table are the 40th-percentile for 2 and 3 bedroom figures for the residential ZIP code nearest the base.
| Fort Lee Petersburg 23804 | USMA West Point West Point 10996 | |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (city) | $189,000 | $-666,666,666 |
| Median gross rent (city) | $1,174/mo | $3,501 |
| HUD ZIP 2-BR rent | $1,540/mo | $2,970 |
| HUD ZIP 3-BR rent | $1,950/mo | $3,770 |
| HUD metro 2-BR rent (wider area) | $1,655/mo | $1,979 |
| E-5 without dependents minus 2-BR | +$326/mo | −$111/mo |
| E-5 with dependents minus 3-BR | +$408/mo | −$302/mo |
E-5 without dependents vs a HUD 2-bedroom is +$326/mo at Fort Lee vs −$111/mo at USMA West Point. E-5 with dependents vs a 3-bedroom is +$408/mo vs −$302/mo.
Host-state comparison: Virginia vs. New York
| Virginia | New York | |
|---|---|---|
| Sales tax | 5.77% | 8.54% |
| Property tax | 0.78% | 1.30% |
| Personal property tax | Yes — 3.97% effective | No |
| Top state income tax | 5.75% | 10.9% |
| Median home value | $416,963 | $513,450 |
| Branch | Army | Army |
| HUD 2-BR FMR | $1,655 | $1,979 |
| Climate high/low | 68° / 48°F | 55° / 38°F |
| Annual precip | 42.8 in | 42.0 in |
| Nearby city | Petersburg | West Point |
| Host state | Virginia | New York |
Click here for the full state comparison: Virginia → New York
PCS checklist for USMA West Point
- Update DEERS. BAH at USMA West Point uses MHA NY217 (ZIP 10996).
- Look up your exact rate on the DTMO BAH lookup.
- HUD 2-bedroom FMR near USMA West Point is $1,979/mo. On-base housing is separate.
- New New York residents typically have 30 days for a license and 30 days to title a car.
- Reporting: USMA West Point.
Biggest differences
- E-5 with-dependents BAH is higher at USMA West Point ($3,468 vs $2,358).
- Median owner-occupied home value in the off-base city is $-666,666,666 in West Point vs $189,000 in Petersburg (Census ACS 5-year, 2020–2024).
- HUD ZIP 2-bedroom rent just outside the gate is $2,970 in 10996 vs $1,540 in 23804.
- Host-state wage tax is Top listed rate 5.75% in Virginia vs 4%–10.9% state; NYC adds local tax in New York (military pay usually follows legal residence, not the duty station).
- Combined sales tax averages 8.54% in New York vs 5.77% in Virginia.
Common questions
Does BAH go up from Fort Lee to USMA West Point?
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 $3,468; without dependents: $1,866 vs $2,859.
What do homes cost in Petersburg vs West Point?
Census ACS 5-year (2020–2024) median value of owner-occupied homes is $189,000 in Petersburg city, Virginia vs $-666,666,666 in West Point CDP, New York. Median gross rent in those cities is $1,174 vs $3,501. These are city medians (owners’ reported values), not last month’s sale prices.
What is local rent like near USMA West Point?
HUD FY2026 Small Area FMR for ZIP 10996 (West Point) is $2,970/mo for a 2-bedroom and $3,770/mo for a 3-bedroom. The wider metro 2-BR FMR is $1,979/mo.
Will BAH cover off-base rent if I PCS from Fort Lee to USMA West Point?
E-5 without dependents minus a HUD 2-bedroom is +$326/mo at Fort Lee vs −$111/mo at USMA West Point. E-5 with dependents minus a 3-bedroom is +$408/mo vs −$302/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 Lee to USMA West Point?
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. Virginia: Top listed rate 5.75%. New York: 4%–10.9% state; NYC adds local tax. BAH is not taxed. Sales tax and titling a car follow the state you live in.
How does sales tax near USMA West Point compare with Fort Lee?
Combined sales tax averages 8.54% in New York vs 5.77% in Virginia. This follows where you live, not legal residence for military pay.
How long do I have for a license and car title if I PCS to USMA West Point?
New New York residents typically have 30 days for a license and 30 days to title a car (60 and 30 days in Virginia).
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 Lee (VA301); USMA West Point (NY217). Confirm current rates on the DTMO BAH lookup.
- 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent. HUD FY2026 FMR — Prince George County $1,655; Orange County $1,979.
- Off-base ZIP rent (HUD Small Area FMR). FY2026 ZIP 2- and 3-bedroom 40th-percentile rents from the HUD Small Area FMR tables: 23804 (Petersburg) $1,540 / $1,950; 10996 (West Point) $2,970 / $3,770.
- 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 Petersburg city, Virginia ($189,000, $1,174/mo) and West Point CDP, New York ($-666,666,666, $3,501/mo). Owner-reported values, not transaction prices.
- Climate normals (1991–2020). NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals — Richmond Intl (NWS) (USW00013741); Poughkeepsie (NWS) (USW00004725).
- Host-state wage tax. Statewide listed rates for Virginia and New York 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 Virginia and New York. 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 Virginia and New York. On-base housing is not in this figure.
- Vehicle title tax and new-resident clocks. Virginia motor-vehicle agency (license 60 days, title 30 days; title tax 5.30%); New York motor-vehicle agency (license 30 days, title 30 days; title tax 8.00%). 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 Virginia and New York. 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 Virginia and New York. Backdrop for off-base purchase prices; on-base housing and BAH are separate.