Compare military bases / Hanscom Air Force Base → Joint Base San Antonio
Hanscom → JBSA
Compare Hanscom Air Force Base and Joint Base San Antonio
Will my BAH (Basic Allowance for Housing) go up or down if I move from Hanscom Air Force Base to Joint Base San Antonio?
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 San Antonio
- $1,500
- Lower BAH at Joint Base San Antonio
BAH minus HUD 2-bedroom rent for the ZIP nearest each base.
- Hanscom Air Force Base
- +$186/mo
- Joint Base San Antonio
- +$90/mo
Housing just outside the gate: Lexington vs San Antonio
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 San Antonio San Antonio 78288 | |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (city) | $1,203,100 | $235,700 |
| Median gross rent (city) | $2,891/mo | $1,324 |
| HUD ZIP 2-BR rent | $3,330/mo | $1,410 |
| HUD ZIP 3-BR rent | $3,990/mo | $1,810 |
| HUD metro 2-BR rent (wider area) | $2,941/mo | $1,426 |
| E-5 without dependents minus 2-BR | +$186/mo | +$90/mo |
| E-5 with dependents minus 3-BR | +$198/mo | +$59/mo |
E-5 without dependents vs a HUD 2-bedroom is +$186/mo at Hanscom Air Force Base vs +$90/mo at Joint Base San Antonio. E-5 with dependents vs a 3-bedroom is +$198/mo vs +$59/mo.
Host-state comparison: Massachusetts vs. Texas
| Massachusetts | Texas | |
|---|---|---|
| Sales tax | 6.25% | 8.20% |
| Property tax | 1.00% | 1.40% |
| Personal property tax | Yes — 2.25% effective | No |
| Top state income tax | 9.0% | 0.0% |
| Median home value | $667,829 | $304,099 |
| Branch | Air Force | Joint |
| HUD 2-BR FMR | $2,941 | $1,426 |
| Climate high/low | 59° / 44°F | 80° / 59°F |
| Annual precip | 43.6 in | 36.2 in |
| Nearby city | Bedford | San Antonio |
| Host state | Massachusetts | Texas |
Click here for the full state comparison: Massachusetts → Texas
PCS checklist for Joint Base San Antonio
- Update DEERS. BAH at Joint Base San Antonio uses MHA TX285 (ZIP 78234).
- Look up your exact rate on the DTMO BAH lookup.
- HUD 2-bedroom FMR near Joint Base San Antonio is $1,426/mo. On-base housing is separate.
- New Texas residents typically have 90 days for a license and 30 days to title a car.
- Reporting: Joint Base San Antonio.
Biggest differences
- E-5 with-dependents BAH is lower at Joint Base San Antonio ($1,869 vs $4,188).
- Median owner-occupied home value in the off-base city is $235,700 in San Antonio vs $1,203,100 in Lexington (Census ACS 5-year, 2020–2024).
- HUD ZIP 2-bedroom rent just outside the gate is $1,410 in 78288 vs $3,330 in 01730.
- Hanscom Air Force Base is labeled Air Force; Joint Base San Antonio 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 No personal income tax in Texas (military pay usually follows legal residence, not the duty station).
- Combined sales tax averages 8.2% in Texas vs 6.25% in Massachusetts.
Common questions
Can I PCS from Hanscom Air Force Base to Joint Base San Antonio?
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.
How does BAH change from Hanscom Air Force Base to Joint Base San Antonio?
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 $1,869; without dependents: $3,516 vs $1,500.
What is local rent like near Joint Base San Antonio?
HUD FY2026 Small Area FMR for ZIP 78288 (San Antonio) is $1,410/mo for a 2-bedroom and $1,810/mo for a 3-bedroom. The wider metro 2-BR FMR is $1,426/mo.
What do homes cost in Lexington vs San Antonio?
Census ACS 5-year (2020–2024) median value of owner-occupied homes is $1,203,100 in Lexington CDP, Massachusetts vs $235,700 in San Antonio city, Texas. Median gross rent in those cities is $2,891 vs $1,324. These are city medians (owners’ reported values), not last month’s sale prices.
Will BAH cover off-base rent if I PCS from Hanscom Air Force Base to Joint Base San Antonio?
E-5 without dependents minus a HUD 2-bedroom is +$186/mo at Hanscom Air Force Base vs +$90/mo at Joint Base San Antonio. E-5 with dependents minus a 3-bedroom is +$198/mo vs +$59/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 San Antonio?
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. Texas: No personal income tax. BAH is not taxed. Sales tax and titling a car follow the state you live in.
Related PCS
Joint Base San Antonio → Hanscom Air Force Base · Joint Base San Antonio → Fort Hood
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 Hanscom Air Force Base (MA377); Joint Base San Antonio (TX285). Confirm current rates on the DTMO BAH lookup.
- 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent. HUD FY2026 FMR — Middlesex County $2,941; Bexar County $1,426.
- 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; 78288 (San Antonio) $1,410 / $1,810.
- 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 San Antonio city, Texas ($235,700, $1,324/mo). Owner-reported values, not transaction prices.
- Climate normals (1991–2020). NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals — Boston Logan (NWS) (USW00014739); San Antonio Intl (NWS) (USW00013958).
- Host-state wage tax. Statewide listed rates for Massachusetts and Texas 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 Texas. 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 Texas. 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%); Texas motor-vehicle agency (license 90 days, title 30 days; title tax 6.25%). 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 Texas. 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 Texas. Backdrop for off-base purchase prices; on-base housing and BAH are separate.