Compare military bases / Fort Meade → Fort Campbell
Meade → Campbell
Compare Fort Meade and Fort Campbell
Will my BAH (Basic Allowance for Housing) go up or down if I move from Fort Meade to Fort Campbell?
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 Meade
- $2,436
- Fort Campbell
- $1,593
- Lower BAH at Fort Campbell
BAH minus HUD 2-bedroom rent for the ZIP nearest each base.
- Fort Meade
- −$94/mo
- Fort Campbell
- −$17/mo
Housing just outside the gate: Fort Meade vs Clarksville
Rents shown on table are the 40th-percentile for 2 and 3 bedroom figures for the residential ZIP code nearest the base.
| Fort Meade Fort Meade 20755 | Fort Campbell Clarksville 42223 | |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (city) | $-666,666,666 | $263,600 |
| Median gross rent (city) | $2,435/mo | $1,307 |
| HUD ZIP 2-BR rent | $2,530/mo | $1,610 |
| HUD ZIP 3-BR rent | $3,210/mo | $2,240 |
| HUD metro 2-BR rent (wider area) | $1,857/mo | $1,346 |
| E-5 without dependents minus 2-BR | −$94/mo | −$17/mo |
| E-5 with dependents minus 3-BR | −$309/mo | −$425/mo |
E-5 without dependents vs a HUD 2-bedroom is −$94/mo at Fort Meade vs −$17/mo at Fort Campbell. E-5 with dependents vs a 3-bedroom is −$309/mo vs −$425/mo.
Host-state comparison: Maryland vs. Kentucky
| Maryland | Kentucky | |
|---|---|---|
| Sales tax | 6.00% | 6.00% |
| Property tax | 0.92% | 0.74% |
| Personal property tax | No | Yes — 1.44% effective |
| Top state income tax | 6.5% | 3.5% |
| Median home value | $434,258 | $235,735 |
| Branch | Army | Army |
| HUD 2-BR FMR | $1,857 | $1,346 |
| Climate high/low | 67° / 46°F | 70° / 48°F |
| Annual precip | 45.0 in | 50.1 in |
| Nearby city | Fort Meade | Clarksville |
| Host state | Maryland | Kentucky |
Click here for the full state comparison: Maryland → Kentucky
PCS checklist for Fort Campbell
- Update DEERS. BAH at Fort Campbell uses MHA KY106 (ZIP 42223).
- Look up your exact rate on the DTMO BAH lookup.
- HUD 2-bedroom FMR near Fort Campbell is $1,346/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 Campbell.
Biggest differences
- E-5 with-dependents BAH is lower at Fort Campbell ($1,815 vs $2,901).
- Median owner-occupied home value in the off-base city is $263,600 in Clarksville vs $-666,666,666 in Fort Meade (Census ACS 5-year, 2020–2024).
- HUD ZIP 2-bedroom rent just outside the gate is $1,610 in 42223 vs $2,530 in 20755.
- Host-state wage tax is Top listed rate 6.5% in Maryland vs Top listed rate 3.5% in Kentucky (military pay usually follows legal residence, not the duty station).
Common questions
Can I PCS from Fort Meade to Fort Campbell?
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 Meade to Fort Campbell?
DTMO CY2026 with- and without-dependents rates for every pay grade are in the BAH table on this page. E-5 with dependents: $2,901 vs $1,815; without dependents: $2,436 vs $1,593.
What is local rent like near Fort Campbell?
HUD FY2026 Small Area FMR for ZIP 42223 (Clarksville) is $1,610/mo for a 2-bedroom and $2,240/mo for a 3-bedroom. The wider metro 2-BR FMR is $1,346/mo.
What do homes cost in Fort Meade vs Clarksville?
Census ACS 5-year (2020–2024) median value of owner-occupied homes is $-666,666,666 in Fort Meade CDP, Maryland vs $263,600 in Clarksville city, Kentucky. Median gross rent in those cities is $2,435 vs $1,307. These are city medians (owners’ reported values), not last month’s sale prices.
Will BAH cover off-base rent if I PCS from Fort Meade to Fort Campbell?
E-5 without dependents minus a HUD 2-bedroom is −$94/mo at Fort Meade vs −$17/mo at Fort Campbell. E-5 with dependents minus a 3-bedroom is −$309/mo vs −$425/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 Meade to Fort Campbell?
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. Maryland: Top listed rate 6.5%. Kentucky: Top listed rate 3.5%. 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 Meade (MD133); Fort Campbell (KY106). Confirm current rates on the DTMO BAH lookup.
- 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent. HUD FY2026 FMR — Anne Arundel County $1,857; Christian County $1,346.
- Off-base ZIP rent (HUD Small Area FMR). FY2026 ZIP 2- and 3-bedroom 40th-percentile rents from the HUD Small Area FMR tables: 20755 (Fort Meade) $2,530 / $3,210; 42223 (Clarksville) $1,610 / $2,240.
- Off-base city home value and rent. U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year 2020–2024 tables B25077 (median value of owner-occupied homes) and B25064 (median gross rent) for Fort Meade CDP, Maryland ($-666,666,666, $2,435/mo) and Clarksville city, Kentucky ($263,600, $1,307/mo). Owner-reported values, not transaction prices.
- Climate normals (1991–2020). NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals — Baltimore-Washington Intl (NWS) (USW00093721); Bowling Green (NWS) (USW00093808).
- Host-state wage tax. Statewide listed rates for Maryland 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 Maryland 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 Maryland and Kentucky. On-base housing is not in this figure.
- Vehicle title tax and new-resident clocks. Maryland motor-vehicle agency (license 60 days, title 60 days; title tax 6.00%); 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 Maryland 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 Maryland and Kentucky. Backdrop for off-base purchase prices; on-base housing and BAH are separate.