Compare military bases / Laughlin Air Force Base → Malmstrom Air Force Base
Laughlin → Malmstrom
Compare Laughlin Air Force Base and Malmstrom Air Force Base
Will my BAH (Basic Allowance for Housing) go up or down if I move from Laughlin Air Force Base to Malmstrom 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.
- Laughlin Air Force Base
- $1,209
- Malmstrom Air Force Base
- $1,392
- Higher BAH at Malmstrom Air Force Base
BAH minus HUD 2-bedroom rent for the ZIP nearest each base.
- Laughlin Air Force Base
- +$149/mo
- Malmstrom Air Force Base
- +$112/mo
Housing just outside the gate: Del Rio vs Great Falls
Rents shown on table are the 40th-percentile for 2 and 3 bedroom figures for the residential ZIP code nearest the base.
| Laughlin Air Force Base Del Rio 78841 | Malmstrom Air Force Base Great Falls 59403 | |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (city) | $160,400 | $257,000 |
| Median gross rent (city) | $895/mo | $900 |
| HUD ZIP 2-BR rent | $1,060/mo | $1,280 |
| HUD ZIP 3-BR rent | $1,440/mo | $1,780 |
| HUD metro 2-BR rent (wider area) | $1,064/mo | $1,284 |
| E-5 without dependents minus 2-BR | +$149/mo | +$112/mo |
| E-5 with dependents minus 3-BR | +$30/mo | −$172/mo |
E-5 without dependents vs a HUD 2-bedroom is +$149/mo at Laughlin Air Force Base vs +$112/mo at Malmstrom Air Force Base. E-5 with dependents vs a 3-bedroom is +$30/mo vs −$172/mo.
Host-state comparison: Texas vs. Montana
| Texas | Montana | |
|---|---|---|
| Sales tax | 8.20% | 0.00% |
| Property tax | 1.40% | 0.61% |
| Personal property tax | No | Yes — 1.13% effective |
| Top state income tax | 0.0% | 5.65% |
| Median home value | $304,099 | $472,698 |
| Branch | Air Force | Air Force |
| HUD 2-BR FMR | $1,064 | $1,284 |
| Climate high/low | 85° / 63°F | 57° / 32°F |
| Annual precip | 19.8 in | 14.8 in |
| Nearby city | Del Rio | Great Falls |
| Host state | Texas | Montana |
PCS checklist for Malmstrom Air Force Base
- Update DEERS. BAH at Malmstrom Air Force Base uses MHA MT175 (ZIP 59402).
- Look up your exact rate on the DTMO BAH lookup.
- HUD 2-bedroom FMR near Malmstrom Air Force Base is $1,284/mo. On-base housing is separate.
- New Montana residents typically have 60 days for a license and 60 days to title a car.
- Reporting: Malmstrom Air Force Base.
Biggest differences
- E-5 with-dependents BAH is higher at Malmstrom Air Force Base ($1,608 vs $1,470).
- Median owner-occupied home value in the off-base city is $257,000 in Great Falls vs $160,400 in Del Rio (Census ACS 5-year, 2020–2024).
- HUD ZIP 2-bedroom rent just outside the gate is $1,280 in 59403 vs $1,060 in 78841.
- Host-state wage tax is No personal income tax in Texas vs Top listed rate 5.65% in Montana (military pay usually follows legal residence, not the duty station).
- Combined sales tax averages 0% in Montana vs 8.2% in Texas.
Common questions
Can I PCS from Laughlin Air Force Base to Malmstrom 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 Laughlin Air Force Base to Malmstrom 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: $1,470 vs $1,608; without dependents: $1,209 vs $1,392.
What is local rent like near Malmstrom Air Force Base?
HUD FY2026 Small Area FMR for ZIP 59403 (Great Falls) is $1,280/mo for a 2-bedroom and $1,780/mo for a 3-bedroom. The wider metro 2-BR FMR is $1,284/mo.
What do homes cost in Del Rio vs Great Falls?
Census ACS 5-year (2020–2024) median value of owner-occupied homes is $160,400 in Del Rio city, Texas vs $257,000 in Great Falls city, Montana. Median gross rent in those cities is $895 vs $900. These are city medians (owners’ reported values), not last month’s sale prices.
Will BAH cover off-base rent if I PCS from Laughlin Air Force Base to Malmstrom Air Force Base?
E-5 without dependents minus a HUD 2-bedroom is +$149/mo at Laughlin Air Force Base vs +$112/mo at Malmstrom Air Force Base. E-5 with dependents minus a 3-bedroom is +$30/mo vs −$172/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 Laughlin Air Force Base to Malmstrom 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. Texas: No personal income tax. Montana: Top listed rate 5.65%. 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 Laughlin Air Force Base (TX278); Malmstrom Air Force Base (MT175). Confirm current rates on the DTMO BAH lookup.
- 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent. HUD FY2026 FMR — Val Verde County $1,064; Cascade County $1,284.
- Off-base ZIP rent (HUD Small Area FMR). FY2026 ZIP 2- and 3-bedroom 40th-percentile rents from the HUD Small Area FMR tables: 78841 (Del Rio) $1,060 / $1,440; 59403 (Great Falls) $1,280 / $1,780.
- 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 Del Rio city, Texas ($160,400, $895/mo) and Great Falls city, Montana ($257,000, $900/mo). Owner-reported values, not transaction prices.
- Climate normals (1991–2020). NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals — Del Rio Intl (NWS) (USW00022010); Great Falls Intl (NWS) (USW00024143).
- Host-state wage tax. Statewide listed rates for Texas and Montana 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 Texas and Montana. 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 Texas and Montana. On-base housing is not in this figure.
- Vehicle title tax and new-resident clocks. Texas motor-vehicle agency (license 90 days, title 30 days; title tax 6.25%); Montana motor-vehicle agency (license 60 days, title 60 days; title tax 0.00%). 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 Texas and Montana. 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 Texas and Montana. Backdrop for off-base purchase prices; on-base housing and BAH are separate.