Compare military bases / Joint Base Andrews → Ellsworth Air Force Base
Andrews → Ellsworth
Compare Joint Base Andrews and Ellsworth Air Force Base
Will my BAH (Basic Allowance for Housing) go up or down if I move from Joint Base Andrews to Ellsworth Air Force Base?
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.
- Joint Base Andrews
- $2,832
- Ellsworth Air Force Base
- $1,545
- Lower BAH at Ellsworth Air Force Base
BAH minus HUD 2-bedroom rent for the ZIP nearest each base.
- Joint Base Andrews
- −$238/mo
- Ellsworth Air Force Base
- +$145/mo
Housing just outside the gate: Camp Springs vs Rapid City
Rents shown on table are the 40th-percentile for 2 and 3 bedroom figures for the residential ZIP code nearest the base.
| Joint Base Andrews Camp Springs 20762 | Ellsworth Air Force Base Rapid City 57719 | |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (city) | $415,000 | $299,400 |
| Median gross rent (city) | $2,231/mo | $1,109 |
| HUD ZIP 2-BR rent | $3,070/mo | $1,400 |
| HUD ZIP 3-BR rent | $3,870/mo | $1,860 |
| HUD metro 2-BR rent (wider area) | $2,246/mo | $1,273 |
| E-5 without dependents minus 2-BR | −$238/mo | +$145/mo |
| E-5 with dependents minus 3-BR | −$738/mo | +$126/mo |
E-5 without dependents vs a HUD 2-bedroom is −$238/mo at Joint Base Andrews vs +$145/mo at Ellsworth Air Force Base. E-5 with dependents vs a 3-bedroom is −$738/mo vs +$126/mo.
Host-state comparison: Maryland vs. South Dakota
| Maryland | South Dakota | |
|---|---|---|
| Sales tax | 6.00% | 6.11% |
| Property tax | 0.92% | 1.00% |
| Personal property tax | No | No |
| Top state income tax | 6.5% | 0.0% |
| Median home value | $434,258 | $322,999 |
| Branch | Joint | Air Force |
| HUD 2-BR FMR | $2,246 | $1,273 |
| Climate high/low | 67° / 46°F | 60° / 34°F |
| Annual precip | 45.0 in | 17.4 in |
| Nearby city | Camp Springs | Rapid City |
| Host state | Maryland | South Dakota |
Click here for the full state comparison: Maryland → South Dakota
PCS checklist for Ellsworth Air Force Base
- Update DEERS. BAH at Ellsworth Air Force Base uses MHA SD264 (ZIP 57706).
- Look up your exact rate on the DTMO BAH lookup.
- HUD 2-bedroom FMR near Ellsworth Air Force Base is $1,273/mo. On-base housing is separate.
- New South Dakota residents typically have 90 days for a license and 90 days to title a car.
- Reporting: Ellsworth Air Force Base.
Biggest differences
- E-5 with-dependents BAH is lower at Ellsworth Air Force Base ($1,986 vs $3,132).
- Median owner-occupied home value in the off-base city is $299,400 in Rapid City vs $415,000 in Camp Springs (Census ACS 5-year, 2020–2024).
- HUD ZIP 2-bedroom rent just outside the gate is $1,400 in 57719 vs $3,070 in 20762.
- Joint Base Andrews is labeled Joint; Ellsworth Air Force Base is Air Force. The pair is valid because of shared tenants.
- Host-state wage tax is Top listed rate 6.5% in Maryland vs No personal income tax in South Dakota (military pay usually follows legal residence, not the duty station).
- Combined sales tax averages 6.11% in South Dakota vs 6% in Maryland.
Common questions
Can I PCS from Joint Base Andrews to Ellsworth Air Force Base?
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 Joint Base Andrews to Ellsworth Air Force Base?
DTMO CY2026 with- and without-dependents rates for every pay grade are in the BAH table on this page. E-5 with dependents: $3,132 vs $1,986; without dependents: $2,832 vs $1,545.
What is local rent like near Ellsworth Air Force Base?
HUD FY2026 Small Area FMR for ZIP 57719 (Rapid City) is $1,400/mo for a 2-bedroom and $1,860/mo for a 3-bedroom. The wider metro 2-BR FMR is $1,273/mo.
What do homes cost in Camp Springs vs Rapid City?
Census ACS 5-year (2020–2024) median value of owner-occupied homes is $415,000 in Camp Springs CDP, Maryland vs $299,400 in Rapid City city, South Dakota. Median gross rent in those cities is $2,231 vs $1,109. These are city medians (owners’ reported values), not last month’s sale prices.
Will BAH cover off-base rent if I PCS from Joint Base Andrews to Ellsworth Air Force Base?
E-5 without dependents minus a HUD 2-bedroom is −$238/mo at Joint Base Andrews vs +$145/mo at Ellsworth Air Force Base. E-5 with dependents minus a 3-bedroom is −$738/mo vs +$126/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 Joint Base Andrews to Ellsworth Air Force Base?
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%. South Dakota: No personal income tax. 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 Joint Base Andrews (DC053); Ellsworth Air Force Base (SD264). Confirm current rates on the DTMO BAH lookup.
- 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent. HUD FY2026 FMR — Prince George's County $2,246; Meade County $1,273.
- Off-base ZIP rent (HUD Small Area FMR). FY2026 ZIP 2- and 3-bedroom 40th-percentile rents from the HUD Small Area FMR tables: 20762 (Camp Springs) $3,070 / $3,870; 57719 (Rapid City) $1,400 / $1,860.
- 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 Camp Springs CDP, Maryland ($415,000, $2,231/mo) and Rapid City city, South Dakota ($299,400, $1,109/mo). Owner-reported values, not transaction prices.
- Climate normals (1991–2020). NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals — Baltimore-Washington Intl (NWS) (USW00093721); Rapid City Regional (NWS) (USW00024090).
- Host-state wage tax. Statewide listed rates for Maryland and South Dakota 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 South Dakota. 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 South Dakota. 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%); South Dakota motor-vehicle agency (license 90 days, title 90 days; title tax 4.20%). 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 South Dakota. 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 South Dakota. Backdrop for off-base purchase prices; on-base housing and BAH are separate.