Compare military bases / Hanscom Air Force Base → Joint Base Langley-Eustis
Hanscom → JBLE
Compare Hanscom Air Force Base and Joint Base Langley-Eustis
Will my BAH (Basic Allowance for Housing) go up or down if I move from Hanscom Air Force Base to Joint Base Langley-Eustis?
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.
- Hanscom Air Force Base
- $3,516
- Joint Base Langley-Eustis
- $1,779
- Lower BAH at Joint Base Langley-Eustis
BAH vs typical 2-bedroom rent nearby.
- Hanscom Air Force Base
- $186/mo left over
- Joint Base Langley-Eustis
- $179/mo left over
Housing just outside the gate: Lexington vs Hampton
Rents shown on table are the 40th-percentile for 2 and 3 bedroom figures for the residential ZIP code nearest the base.
| Hanscom Air Force Base Lexington 01730 | Joint Base Langley-Eustis Hampton 23670 | |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (city) | $1,203,100 | $245,700 |
| Median gross rent (city) | $2,891/mo | $1,427 |
| HUD ZIP 2-BR rent | $3,330/mo | $1,600 |
| HUD ZIP 3-BR rent | $3,990/mo | $2,220 |
| HUD metro 2-BR rent (wider area) | $2,941/mo | $1,713 |
| E-5 without dependents minus 2-BR | +$186/mo | +$179/mo |
| E-5 with dependents minus 3-BR | +$198/mo | +$54/mo |
E-5 without dependents vs a HUD 2-bedroom is +$186/mo at Hanscom Air Force Base vs +$179/mo at Joint Base Langley-Eustis. E-5 with dependents vs a 3-bedroom is +$198/mo vs +$54/mo.
Host-state comparison: Massachusetts vs. Virginia
| Massachusetts | Virginia | |
|---|---|---|
| Sales tax | 6.25% | 5.77% |
| Property tax | 1.00% | 0.78% |
| Personal property tax | Yes — 2.25% effective | Yes — 3.97% effective |
| Top state income tax | 9.0% | 5.75% |
| Median home value | $667,829 | $416,963 |
| Branch | Air Force | Joint |
| HUD 2-BR FMR | $2,941 | $1,713 |
| Climate high/low | 59° / 44°F | 70° / 53°F |
| Annual precip | 43.6 in | 49.2 in |
| Nearby city | Bedford | Hampton |
| Host state | Massachusetts | Virginia |
Click here for the full state comparison: Massachusetts → Virginia
PCS checklist for Joint Base Langley-Eustis
- Update DEERS. BAH at Joint Base Langley-Eustis uses MHA VA297 (ZIP 23665).
- Look up your exact rate on the DTMO BAH lookup.
- HUD 2-bedroom FMR near Joint Base Langley-Eustis is $1,713/mo. On-base housing is separate.
- New Virginia residents typically have 60 days for a license and 30 days to title a car.
- Reporting: Joint Base Langley-Eustis.
Biggest differences
- E-5 with-dependents BAH is lower at Joint Base Langley-Eustis ($2,274 vs $4,188).
- Median owner-occupied home value in the off-base city is $245,700 in Hampton vs $1,203,100 in Lexington (Census ACS 5-year, 2020–2024).
- HUD ZIP 2-bedroom rent just outside the gate is $1,600 in 23670 vs $3,330 in 01730.
- Hanscom Air Force Base is labeled Air Force; Joint Base Langley-Eustis is Joint. The pair is valid because of shared tenants.
- Host-state wage tax is 5% plus 4% surtax on income over $1M in Massachusetts vs Top listed rate 5.75% in Virginia (military pay usually follows legal residence, not the duty station).
- Combined sales tax averages 5.77% in Virginia vs 6.25% in Massachusetts.
Common questions
Does BAH go down from Hanscom Air Force Base to Joint Base Langley-Eustis?
DTMO CY2026 with- and without-dependents rates for every pay grade are in the BAH table on this page. E-5 with dependents: $4,188 vs $2,274; without dependents: $3,516 vs $1,779.
What is local rent like near Joint Base Langley-Eustis?
HUD FY2026 Small Area FMR for ZIP 23670 (Hampton) is $1,600/mo for a 2-bedroom and $2,220/mo for a 3-bedroom. The wider metro 2-BR FMR is $1,713/mo.
Will BAH cover off-base rent if I PCS from Hanscom Air Force Base to Joint Base Langley-Eustis?
E-5 without dependents minus a HUD 2-bedroom is +$186/mo at Hanscom Air Force Base vs +$179/mo at Joint Base Langley-Eustis. E-5 with dependents minus a 3-bedroom is +$198/mo vs +$54/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 Hanscom Air Force Base to Joint Base Langley-Eustis?
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. Massachusetts: 5% plus 4% surtax on income over $1M. Virginia: Top listed rate 5.75%. BAH is not taxed. Sales tax and titling a car follow the state you live in.
Can I PCS from Hanscom Air Force Base to Joint Base Langley-Eustis?
This pair is listed because the installations share a tenant service (Air Force). Your actual orders depend on your MOS/AFSC/rating and the gaining unit.
What do homes cost in Lexington vs Hampton?
Census ACS 5-year (2020–2024) median value of owner-occupied homes is $1,203,100 in Lexington CDP, Massachusetts vs $245,700 in Hampton city, Virginia. Median gross rent in those cities is $2,891 vs $1,427. These are city medians (owners’ reported values), not last month’s sale prices.
How long do I have for a license and car title if I PCS to Joint Base Langley-Eustis?
New Virginia residents typically have 60 days for a license and 30 days to title a car (30 and 30 days in Massachusetts).
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 Hanscom Air Force Base (MA377); Joint Base Langley-Eustis (VA297). Confirm current rates on the DTMO BAH lookup.
- 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent. HUD FY2026 FMR — Middlesex County $2,941; Hampton city $1,713.
- Off-base ZIP rent (HUD Small Area FMR). FY2026 ZIP 2- and 3-bedroom 40th-percentile rents from the HUD Small Area FMR tables: 01730 (Lexington) $3,330 / $3,990; 23670 (Hampton) $1,600 / $2,220.
- 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 Lexington CDP, Massachusetts ($1,203,100, $2,891/mo) and Hampton city, Virginia ($245,700, $1,427/mo). Owner-reported values, not transaction prices.
- Climate normals (1991–2020). NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals — Boston Logan (NWS) (USW00014739); Norfolk Intl (NWS) (USW00013737).
- Host-state wage tax. Statewide listed rates for Massachusetts and Virginia 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 Massachusetts and Virginia. 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 Massachusetts and Virginia. On-base housing is not in this figure.
- Vehicle title tax and new-resident clocks. Massachusetts motor-vehicle agency (license 30 days, title 30 days; title tax 6.25%); Virginia motor-vehicle agency (license 60 days, title 30 days; title tax 5.30%). 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 Massachusetts and Virginia. 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 Massachusetts and Virginia. Backdrop for off-base purchase prices; on-base housing and BAH are separate.