Compare military bases / Malmstrom Air Force Base → Ellsworth Air Force Base
Malmstrom → Ellsworth
Compare Malmstrom Air Force Base and Ellsworth Air Force Base
Will my BAH (Basic Allowance for Housing) go up or down if I move from Malmstrom Air Force Base 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.
- Malmstrom Air Force Base
- $1,392
- Ellsworth Air Force Base
- $1,545
- Higher BAH at Ellsworth Air Force Base
BAH vs typical 2-bedroom rent nearby.
- Malmstrom Air Force Base
- $112/mo left over
- Ellsworth Air Force Base
- $145/mo left over
Housing just outside the gate: Great Falls 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.
| Malmstrom Air Force Base Great Falls 59403 | Ellsworth Air Force Base Rapid City 57719 | |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (city) | $257,000 | $299,400 |
| Median gross rent (city) | $900/mo | $1,109 |
| HUD ZIP 2-BR rent | $1,280/mo | $1,400 |
| HUD ZIP 3-BR rent | $1,780/mo | $1,860 |
| HUD metro 2-BR rent (wider area) | $1,284/mo | $1,273 |
| E-5 without dependents minus 2-BR | +$112/mo | +$145/mo |
| E-5 with dependents minus 3-BR | −$172/mo | +$126/mo |
E-5 without dependents vs a HUD 2-bedroom is +$112/mo at Malmstrom Air Force Base vs +$145/mo at Ellsworth Air Force Base. E-5 with dependents vs a 3-bedroom is −$172/mo vs +$126/mo.
Host-state comparison: Montana vs. South Dakota
| Montana | South Dakota | |
|---|---|---|
| Sales tax | 0.00% | 6.11% |
| Property tax | 0.61% | 1.00% |
| Personal property tax | Yes — 1.13% effective | No |
| Top state income tax | 5.65% | 0.0% |
| Median home value | $472,698 | $322,999 |
| Branch | Air Force | Air Force |
| HUD 2-BR FMR | $1,284 | $1,273 |
| Climate high/low | 57° / 32°F | 60° / 34°F |
| Annual precip | 14.8 in | 17.4 in |
| Nearby city | Great Falls | Rapid City |
| Host state | Montana | South Dakota |
Click here for the full state comparison: Montana → 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 higher at Ellsworth Air Force Base ($1,986 vs $1,608).
- Median owner-occupied home value in the off-base city is $299,400 in Rapid City vs $257,000 in Great Falls (Census ACS 5-year, 2020–2024).
- HUD ZIP 2-bedroom rent just outside the gate is $1,400 in 57719 vs $1,280 in 59403.
- Host-state wage tax is Top listed rate 5.65% in Montana 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 0% in Montana.
Common questions
Does BAH go up from Malmstrom Air Force Base 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: $1,608 vs $1,986; without dependents: $1,392 vs $1,545.
How does sales tax near Ellsworth Air Force Base compare with Malmstrom Air Force Base?
Combined sales tax averages 6.11% in South Dakota vs 0% in Montana. This follows where you live, not legal residence for military pay.
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.
Will BAH cover off-base rent if I PCS from Malmstrom Air Force Base to Ellsworth Air Force Base?
E-5 without dependents minus a HUD 2-bedroom is +$112/mo at Malmstrom Air Force Base vs +$145/mo at Ellsworth Air Force Base. E-5 with dependents minus a 3-bedroom is −$172/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 Malmstrom Air Force Base 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. Montana: Top listed rate 5.65%. South Dakota: No personal income tax. BAH is not taxed. Sales tax and titling a car follow the state you live in.
How long do I have for a license and car title if I PCS to Ellsworth Air Force Base?
New South Dakota residents typically have 90 days for a license and 90 days to title a car (60 and 60 days in Montana).
What do homes cost in Great Falls vs Rapid City?
Census ACS 5-year (2020–2024) median value of owner-occupied homes is $257,000 in Great Falls city, Montana vs $299,400 in Rapid City city, South Dakota. Median gross rent in those cities is $900 vs $1,109. These are city medians (owners’ reported values), not last month’s sale prices.
Related PCS
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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 Malmstrom Air Force Base (MT175); Ellsworth Air Force Base (SD264). Confirm current rates on the DTMO BAH lookup.
- 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent. HUD FY2026 FMR — Cascade County $1,284; 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: 59403 (Great Falls) $1,280 / $1,780; 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 Great Falls city, Montana ($257,000, $900/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 — Great Falls Intl (NWS) (USW00024143); Rapid City Regional (NWS) (USW00024090).
- Host-state wage tax. Statewide listed rates for Montana 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 Montana 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 Montana and South Dakota. On-base housing is not in this figure.
- Vehicle title tax and new-resident clocks. Montana motor-vehicle agency (license 60 days, title 60 days; title tax 0.00%); 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 Montana 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 Montana and South Dakota. Backdrop for off-base purchase prices; on-base housing and BAH are separate.