Compare military bases / Joint Base Lewis-McChord → Redstone Arsenal
JBLM → Redstone
Compare Joint Base Lewis-McChord and Redstone Arsenal
Will my BAH (Basic Allowance for Housing) go up or down if I move from Joint Base Lewis-McChord to Redstone Arsenal?
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 Lewis-McChord
- $2,121
- Redstone Arsenal
- $1,443
- Lower BAH at Redstone Arsenal
BAH minus HUD 2-bedroom rent for the ZIP nearest each base.
- Joint Base Lewis-McChord
- +$261/mo
- Redstone Arsenal
- +$103/mo
Housing just outside the gate: Tacoma vs Huntsville
Rents shown on table are the 40th-percentile for 2 and 3 bedroom figures for the residential ZIP code nearest the base.
| Joint Base Lewis-McChord Tacoma 98444 | Redstone Arsenal Huntsville 35807 | |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (city) | $479,600 | $293,600 |
| Median gross rent (city) | $1,676/mo | $1,171 |
| HUD ZIP 2-BR rent | $1,860/mo | $1,340 |
| HUD ZIP 3-BR rent | $2,600/mo | $1,730 |
| HUD metro 2-BR rent (wider area) | $1,971/mo | $1,310 |
| E-5 without dependents minus 2-BR | +$261/mo | +$103/mo |
| E-5 with dependents minus 3-BR | −$44/mo | +$67/mo |
E-5 without dependents vs a HUD 2-bedroom is +$261/mo at Joint Base Lewis-McChord vs +$103/mo at Redstone Arsenal. E-5 with dependents vs a 3-bedroom is −$44/mo vs +$67/mo.
Host-state comparison: Washington vs. Alabama
| Washington | Alabama | |
|---|---|---|
| Sales tax | 9.51% | 9.46% |
| Property tax | 0.75% | 0.37% |
| Personal property tax | No | Yes — 0.70% effective |
| Top state income tax | 0.0% | 5.0% |
| Median home value | $609,756 | $238,703 |
| Branch | Joint | Army |
| HUD 2-BR FMR | $1,971 | $1,310 |
| Climate high/low | 64° / 46°F | 73° / 54°F |
| Annual precip | 36.9 in | 50.4 in |
| Nearby city | Tacoma | Huntsville |
| Host state | Washington | Alabama |
Click here for the full state comparison: Washington → Alabama
PCS checklist for Redstone Arsenal
- Update DEERS. BAH at Redstone Arsenal uses MHA AL003 (ZIP 35898).
- Look up your exact rate on the DTMO BAH lookup.
- HUD 2-bedroom FMR near Redstone Arsenal is $1,310/mo. On-base housing is separate.
- New Alabama residents typically have 30 days for a license and 20 days to title a car.
- Reporting: Redstone Arsenal.
Biggest differences
- E-5 with-dependents BAH is lower at Redstone Arsenal ($1,797 vs $2,556).
- Median owner-occupied home value in the off-base city is $293,600 in Huntsville vs $479,600 in Tacoma (Census ACS 5-year, 2020–2024).
- HUD ZIP 2-bedroom rent just outside the gate is $1,340 in 35807 vs $1,860 in 98444.
- Joint Base Lewis-McChord is labeled Joint; Redstone Arsenal is Army. The pair is valid because of shared tenants.
- Host-state wage tax is No wage income tax; 7% capital gains over threshold in Washington vs Top listed rate 5.0% in Alabama (military pay usually follows legal residence, not the duty station).
- Combined sales tax averages 9.46% in Alabama vs 9.51% in Washington.
Common questions
Can I PCS from Joint Base Lewis-McChord to Redstone Arsenal?
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 Joint Base Lewis-McChord to Redstone Arsenal?
DTMO CY2026 with- and without-dependents rates for every pay grade are in the BAH table on this page. E-5 with dependents: $2,556 vs $1,797; without dependents: $2,121 vs $1,443.
What is local rent like near Redstone Arsenal?
HUD FY2026 Small Area FMR for ZIP 35807 (Huntsville) is $1,340/mo for a 2-bedroom and $1,730/mo for a 3-bedroom. The wider metro 2-BR FMR is $1,310/mo.
What do homes cost in Tacoma vs Huntsville?
Census ACS 5-year (2020–2024) median value of owner-occupied homes is $479,600 in Tacoma city, Washington vs $293,600 in Huntsville city, Alabama. Median gross rent in those cities is $1,676 vs $1,171. 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 Lewis-McChord to Redstone Arsenal?
E-5 without dependents minus a HUD 2-bedroom is +$261/mo at Joint Base Lewis-McChord vs +$103/mo at Redstone Arsenal. E-5 with dependents minus a 3-bedroom is −$44/mo vs +$67/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 Lewis-McChord to Redstone Arsenal?
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. Washington: No wage income tax; 7% capital gains over threshold. Alabama: Top listed rate 5.0%. BAH is not taxed. Sales tax and titling a car follow the state you live in.
Related PCS
Redstone Arsenal → Joint Base Lewis-McChord · Joint Base Lewis-McChord → Fort Carson · Fort Bragg → Joint Base Lewis-McChord
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 Lewis-McChord (WA311); Redstone Arsenal (AL003). Confirm current rates on the DTMO BAH lookup.
- 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent. HUD FY2026 FMR — Pierce County $1,971; Madison County $1,310.
- Off-base ZIP rent (HUD Small Area FMR). FY2026 ZIP 2- and 3-bedroom 40th-percentile rents from the HUD Small Area FMR tables: 98444 (Tacoma) $1,860 / $2,600; 35807 (Huntsville) $1,340 / $1,730.
- 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 Tacoma city, Washington ($479,600, $1,676/mo) and Huntsville city, Alabama ($293,600, $1,171/mo). Owner-reported values, not transaction prices.
- Climate normals (1991–2020). NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals — McChord Field (NWS) (USW00024229); Huntsville Intl (NWS) (USW00013874).
- Host-state wage tax. Statewide listed rates for Washington and Alabama 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 Washington and Alabama. 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 Washington and Alabama. On-base housing is not in this figure.
- Vehicle title tax and new-resident clocks. Washington motor-vehicle agency (license 30 days, title 30 days; title tax 6.50%); Alabama motor-vehicle agency (license 30 days, title 20 days; title tax 4.00%). 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 Washington and Alabama. 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 Washington and Alabama. Backdrop for off-base purchase prices; on-base housing and BAH are separate.