Compare military bases / Kirtland Air Force Base → Columbus Air Force Base
Kirtland → Columbus AFB
Compare Kirtland Air Force Base and Columbus Air Force Base
Will my BAH (Basic Allowance for Housing) go up or down if I move from Kirtland Air Force Base to Columbus 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.
- Kirtland Air Force Base
- $1,689
- Columbus Air Force Base
- $1,158
- Lower BAH at Columbus Air Force Base
BAH vs typical 2-bedroom rent nearby.
- Kirtland Air Force Base
- $249/mo left over
- Columbus Air Force Base
- $128/mo left over
Housing just outside the gate: Albuquerque vs Columbus
Rents shown on table are the 40th-percentile for 2 and 3 bedroom figures for the residential ZIP code nearest the base.
| Kirtland Air Force Base Albuquerque 87115 | Columbus Air Force Base Columbus 39705 | |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (city) | $291,500 | $125,700 |
| Median gross rent (city) | $1,145/mo | $897 |
| HUD ZIP 2-BR rent | $1,440/mo | $1,030 |
| HUD ZIP 3-BR rent | $2,000/mo | $1,410 |
| HUD metro 2-BR rent (wider area) | $1,464/mo | $872 |
| E-5 without dependents minus 2-BR | +$249/mo | +$128/mo |
| E-5 with dependents minus 3-BR | +$211/mo | −$12/mo |
E-5 without dependents vs a HUD 2-bedroom is +$249/mo at Kirtland Air Force Base vs +$128/mo at Columbus Air Force Base. E-5 with dependents vs a 3-bedroom is +$211/mo vs −$12/mo.
Host-state comparison: New Mexico vs. Mississippi
| New Mexico | Mississippi | |
|---|---|---|
| Sales tax | 7.67% | 7.06% |
| Property tax | 0.63% | 0.58% |
| Personal property tax | No | Yes — 3.42% effective |
| Top state income tax | 5.9% | 4.0% |
| Median home value | $319,165 | $196,428 |
| Branch | Air Force | Air Force |
| HUD 2-BR FMR | $1,464 | $872 |
| Climate high/low | 70° / 46°F | 76° / 54°F |
| Annual precip | 8.8 in | 57.4 in |
| Nearby city | Albuquerque | Columbus |
| Host state | New Mexico | Mississippi |
Click here for the full state comparison: New Mexico → Mississippi
PCS checklist for Columbus Air Force Base
- Update DEERS. BAH at Columbus Air Force Base uses MHA MS169 (ZIP 39710).
- Look up your exact rate on the DTMO BAH lookup.
- HUD 2-bedroom FMR near Columbus Air Force Base is $872/mo. On-base housing is separate.
- New Mississippi residents typically have 30 days for a license and 30 days to title a car.
- Reporting: Columbus Air Force Base.
Biggest differences
- E-5 with-dependents BAH is lower at Columbus Air Force Base ($1,398 vs $2,211).
- Median owner-occupied home value in the off-base city is $125,700 in Columbus vs $291,500 in Albuquerque (Census ACS 5-year, 2020–2024).
- HUD ZIP 2-bedroom rent just outside the gate is $1,030 in 39705 vs $1,440 in 87115.
- Host-state wage tax is Top listed rate 5.9% in New Mexico vs Top listed rate 4.0% in Mississippi (military pay usually follows legal residence, not the duty station).
- Combined sales tax averages 7.06% in Mississippi vs 7.67% in New Mexico.
Common questions
Does BAH go down from Kirtland Air Force Base to Columbus 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: $2,211 vs $1,398; without dependents: $1,689 vs $1,158.
What is local rent like near Columbus Air Force Base?
HUD FY2026 Small Area FMR for ZIP 39705 (Columbus) is $1,030/mo for a 2-bedroom and $1,410/mo for a 3-bedroom. The wider metro 2-BR FMR is $872/mo.
Will BAH cover off-base rent if I PCS from Kirtland Air Force Base to Columbus Air Force Base?
E-5 without dependents minus a HUD 2-bedroom is +$249/mo at Kirtland Air Force Base vs +$128/mo at Columbus Air Force Base. E-5 with dependents minus a 3-bedroom is +$211/mo vs −$12/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 Kirtland Air Force Base to Columbus 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. New Mexico: Top listed rate 5.9%. Mississippi: Top listed rate 4.0%. BAH is not taxed. Sales tax and titling a car follow the state you live in.
How different is the climate from Kirtland Air Force Base to Columbus Air Force Base?
Annual normals at Albuquerque Intl (NWS) are 70° / 46°F and 8.8 in of precipitation vs 76° / 54°F and 57.4 in at Jackson Intl (NWS) (NOAA 1991–2020).
What do homes cost in Albuquerque vs Columbus?
Census ACS 5-year (2020–2024) median value of owner-occupied homes is $291,500 in Albuquerque city, New Mexico vs $125,700 in Columbus city, Mississippi. Median gross rent in those cities is $1,145 vs $897. These are city medians (owners’ reported values), not last month’s sale prices.
How does sales tax near Columbus Air Force Base compare with Kirtland Air Force Base?
Combined sales tax averages 7.06% in Mississippi vs 7.67% in New Mexico. This follows where you live, not legal residence for military pay.
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 Kirtland Air Force Base (NM206); Columbus Air Force Base (MS169). Confirm current rates on the DTMO BAH lookup.
- 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent. HUD FY2026 FMR — Bernalillo County $1,464; Lowndes County $872.
- Off-base ZIP rent (HUD Small Area FMR). FY2026 ZIP 2- and 3-bedroom 40th-percentile rents from the HUD Small Area FMR tables: 87115 (Albuquerque) $1,440 / $2,000; 39705 (Columbus) $1,030 / $1,410.
- 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 Albuquerque city, New Mexico ($291,500, $1,145/mo) and Columbus city, Mississippi ($125,700, $897/mo). Owner-reported values, not transaction prices.
- Climate normals (1991–2020). NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals — Albuquerque Intl (NWS) (USW00023050); Jackson Intl (NWS) (USW00003940).
- Host-state wage tax. Statewide listed rates for New Mexico and Mississippi 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 New Mexico and Mississippi. 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 New Mexico and Mississippi. On-base housing is not in this figure.
- Vehicle title tax and new-resident clocks. New Mexico motor-vehicle agency (license 30 days, title 30 days; title tax 4.88%); Mississippi motor-vehicle agency (license 30 days, title 30 days; title tax 7.00%). 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 New Mexico and Mississippi. 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 New Mexico and Mississippi. Backdrop for off-base purchase prices; on-base housing and BAH are separate.