Compare military bases / Keesler Air Force Base → Maxwell Air Force Base
Keesler → Maxwell
Compare Keesler Air Force Base and Maxwell Air Force Base
Will my BAH (Basic Allowance for Housing) go up or down if I move from Keesler Air Force Base to Maxwell 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.
- Keesler Air Force Base
- $1,365
- Maxwell Air Force Base
- $1,431
- Higher BAH at Maxwell Air Force Base
BAH vs typical 2-bedroom rent nearby.
- Keesler Air Force Base
- $355/mo left over
- Maxwell Air Force Base
- $531/mo left over
Housing just outside the gate: Biloxi vs Montgomery
Rents shown on table are the 40th-percentile for 2 and 3 bedroom figures for the residential ZIP code nearest the base.
| Keesler Air Force Base Biloxi 39530 | Maxwell Air Force Base Montgomery 36104 | |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (city) | $225,100 | $161,900 |
| Median gross rent (city) | $1,089/mo | $1,089 |
| HUD ZIP 2-BR rent | $1,010/mo | $900 |
| HUD ZIP 3-BR rent | $1,310/mo | $1,130 |
| HUD metro 2-BR rent (wider area) | $1,140/mo | $1,016 |
| E-5 without dependents minus 2-BR | +$355/mo | +$531/mo |
| E-5 with dependents minus 3-BR | +$292/mo | +$553/mo |
E-5 without dependents vs a HUD 2-bedroom is +$355/mo at Keesler Air Force Base vs +$531/mo at Maxwell Air Force Base. E-5 with dependents vs a 3-bedroom is +$292/mo vs +$553/mo.
Host-state comparison: Mississippi vs. Alabama
| Mississippi | Alabama | |
|---|---|---|
| Sales tax | 7.06% | 9.46% |
| Property tax | 0.58% | 0.37% |
| Personal property tax | Yes — 3.42% effective | Yes — 0.70% effective |
| Top state income tax | 4.0% | 5.0% |
| Median home value | $196,428 | $238,703 |
| Branch | Air Force | Air Force |
| HUD 2-BR FMR | $1,140 | $1,016 |
| Climate high/low | 79° / 60°F | 78° / 54°F |
| Annual precip | 68.3 in | 51.2 in |
| Nearby city | Biloxi | Montgomery |
| Host state | Mississippi | Alabama |
Click here for the full state comparison: Mississippi → Alabama
PCS checklist for Maxwell Air Force Base
- Update DEERS. BAH at Maxwell Air Force Base uses MHA AL005 (ZIP 36112).
- Look up your exact rate on the DTMO BAH lookup.
- HUD 2-bedroom FMR near Maxwell Air Force Base is $1,016/mo. On-base housing is separate.
- New Alabama residents typically have 30 days for a license and 20 days to title a car.
- Reporting: Maxwell Air Force Base.
Biggest differences
- E-5 with-dependents BAH is higher at Maxwell Air Force Base ($1,683 vs $1,602).
- Median owner-occupied home value in the off-base city is $161,900 in Montgomery vs $225,100 in Biloxi (Census ACS 5-year, 2020–2024).
- HUD ZIP 2-bedroom rent just outside the gate is $900 in 36104 vs $1,010 in 39530.
- Host-state wage tax is Top listed rate 4.0% in Mississippi 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 7.06% in Mississippi.
Common questions
Does BAH go up from Keesler Air Force Base to Maxwell 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: $1,602 vs $1,683; without dependents: $1,365 vs $1,431.
What is local rent like near Maxwell Air Force Base?
HUD FY2026 Small Area FMR for ZIP 36104 (Montgomery) is $900/mo for a 2-bedroom and $1,130/mo for a 3-bedroom. The wider metro 2-BR FMR is $1,016/mo.
Will BAH cover off-base rent if I PCS from Keesler Air Force Base to Maxwell Air Force Base?
E-5 without dependents minus a HUD 2-bedroom is +$355/mo at Keesler Air Force Base vs +$531/mo at Maxwell Air Force Base. E-5 with dependents minus a 3-bedroom is +$292/mo vs +$553/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 Keesler Air Force Base to Maxwell 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. Mississippi: Top listed rate 4.0%. Alabama: Top listed rate 5.0%. BAH is not taxed. Sales tax and titling a car follow the state you live in.
How does sales tax near Maxwell Air Force Base compare with Keesler Air Force Base?
Combined sales tax averages 9.46% in Alabama vs 7.06% in Mississippi. This follows where you live, not legal residence for military pay.
What do homes cost in Biloxi vs Montgomery?
Census ACS 5-year (2020–2024) median value of owner-occupied homes is $225,100 in Biloxi city, Mississippi vs $161,900 in Montgomery city, Alabama. Median gross rent in those cities is $1,089 vs $1,089. 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 Maxwell Air Force Base?
New Alabama residents typically have 30 days for a license and 20 days to title a car (30 and 30 days in Mississippi).
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 Keesler Air Force Base (MS168); Maxwell Air Force Base (AL005). Confirm current rates on the DTMO BAH lookup.
- 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent. HUD FY2026 FMR — Harrison County $1,140; Montgomery County $1,016.
- Off-base ZIP rent (HUD Small Area FMR). FY2026 ZIP 2- and 3-bedroom 40th-percentile rents from the HUD Small Area FMR tables: 39530 (Biloxi) $1,010 / $1,310; 36104 (Montgomery) $900 / $1,130.
- 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 Biloxi city, Mississippi ($225,100, $1,089/mo) and Montgomery city, Alabama ($161,900, $1,089/mo). Owner-reported values, not transaction prices.
- Climate normals (1991–2020). NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals — Mobile Regional (NWS) (USW00013899); Montgomery Regional (NWS) (USW00013895).
- Host-state wage tax. Statewide listed rates for Mississippi 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 Mississippi 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 Mississippi and Alabama. On-base housing is not in this figure.
- Vehicle title tax and new-resident clocks. Mississippi motor-vehicle agency (license 30 days, title 30 days; title tax 7.00%); 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 Mississippi 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 Mississippi and Alabama. Backdrop for off-base purchase prices; on-base housing and BAH are separate.