Compare military bases / Maxwell Air Force Base → Joint Base Andrews
Maxwell → Andrews
Compare Maxwell Air Force Base and Joint Base Andrews
Will my BAH (Basic Allowance for Housing) go up or down if I move from Maxwell Air Force Base to Joint Base Andrews?
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.
- Maxwell Air Force Base
- $1,431
- Joint Base Andrews
- $2,832
- Higher BAH at Joint Base Andrews
BAH vs typical 2-bedroom rent nearby.
- Maxwell Air Force Base
- $531/mo left over
- Joint Base Andrews
- $238/mo short
Housing just outside the gate: Montgomery vs Camp Springs
Rents shown on table are the 40th-percentile for 2 and 3 bedroom figures for the residential ZIP code nearest the base.
| Maxwell Air Force Base Montgomery 36104 | Joint Base Andrews Camp Springs 20762 | |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (city) | $161,900 | $415,000 |
| Median gross rent (city) | $1,089/mo | $2,231 |
| HUD ZIP 2-BR rent | $900/mo | $3,070 |
| HUD ZIP 3-BR rent | $1,130/mo | $3,870 |
| HUD metro 2-BR rent (wider area) | $1,016/mo | $2,246 |
| E-5 without dependents minus 2-BR | +$531/mo | −$238/mo |
| E-5 with dependents minus 3-BR | +$553/mo | −$738/mo |
E-5 without dependents vs a HUD 2-bedroom is +$531/mo at Maxwell Air Force Base vs −$238/mo at Joint Base Andrews. E-5 with dependents vs a 3-bedroom is +$553/mo vs −$738/mo.
Host-state comparison: Alabama vs. Maryland
| Alabama | Maryland | |
|---|---|---|
| Sales tax | 9.46% | 6.00% |
| Property tax | 0.37% | 0.92% |
| Personal property tax | Yes — 0.70% effective | No |
| Top state income tax | 5.0% | 6.5% |
| Median home value | $238,703 | $434,258 |
| Branch | Air Force | Joint |
| HUD 2-BR FMR | $1,016 | $2,246 |
| Climate high/low | 78° / 54°F | 67° / 46°F |
| Annual precip | 51.2 in | 45.0 in |
| Nearby city | Montgomery | Camp Springs |
| Host state | Alabama | Maryland |
Click here for the full state comparison: Alabama → Maryland
PCS checklist for Joint Base Andrews
- Update DEERS. BAH at Joint Base Andrews uses MHA DC053 (ZIP 20762).
- Look up your exact rate on the DTMO BAH lookup.
- HUD 2-bedroom FMR near Joint Base Andrews is $2,246/mo. On-base housing is separate.
- New Maryland residents typically have 60 days for a license and 60 days to title a car.
- Reporting: Joint Base Andrews.
Biggest differences
- E-5 with-dependents BAH is higher at Joint Base Andrews ($3,132 vs $1,683).
- Median owner-occupied home value in the off-base city is $415,000 in Camp Springs vs $161,900 in Montgomery (Census ACS 5-year, 2020–2024).
- HUD ZIP 2-bedroom rent just outside the gate is $3,070 in 20762 vs $900 in 36104.
- Maxwell Air Force Base is labeled Air Force; Joint Base Andrews is Joint. The pair is valid because of shared tenants.
- Host-state wage tax is Top listed rate 5.0% in Alabama vs Top listed rate 6.5% in Maryland (military pay usually follows legal residence, not the duty station).
- Combined sales tax averages 6% in Maryland vs 9.46% in Alabama.
Common questions
Does BAH go up from Maxwell Air Force Base to Joint Base Andrews?
DTMO CY2026 with- and without-dependents rates for every pay grade are in the BAH table on this page. E-5 with dependents: $1,683 vs $3,132; without dependents: $1,431 vs $2,832.
What is local rent like near Joint Base Andrews?
HUD FY2026 Small Area FMR for ZIP 20762 (Camp Springs) is $3,070/mo for a 2-bedroom and $3,870/mo for a 3-bedroom. The wider metro 2-BR FMR is $2,246/mo.
Will BAH cover off-base rent if I PCS from Maxwell Air Force Base to Joint Base Andrews?
E-5 without dependents minus a HUD 2-bedroom is +$531/mo at Maxwell Air Force Base vs −$238/mo at Joint Base Andrews. E-5 with dependents minus a 3-bedroom is +$553/mo vs −$738/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 Maxwell Air Force Base to Joint Base Andrews?
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. Alabama: Top listed rate 5.0%. Maryland: Top listed rate 6.5%. BAH is not taxed. Sales tax and titling a car follow the state you live in.
What do homes cost in Montgomery vs Camp Springs?
Census ACS 5-year (2020–2024) median value of owner-occupied homes is $161,900 in Montgomery city, Alabama vs $415,000 in Camp Springs CDP, Maryland. Median gross rent in those cities is $1,089 vs $2,231. These are city medians (owners’ reported values), not last month’s sale prices.
How does sales tax near Joint Base Andrews compare with Maxwell Air Force Base?
Combined sales tax averages 6% in Maryland vs 9.46% in Alabama. This follows where you live, not legal residence for military pay.
Can I PCS from Maxwell Air Force Base to Joint Base Andrews?
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.
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 Maxwell Air Force Base (AL005); Joint Base Andrews (DC053). Confirm current rates on the DTMO BAH lookup.
- 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent. HUD FY2026 FMR — Montgomery County $1,016; Prince George's County $2,246.
- Off-base ZIP rent (HUD Small Area FMR). FY2026 ZIP 2- and 3-bedroom 40th-percentile rents from the HUD Small Area FMR tables: 36104 (Montgomery) $900 / $1,130; 20762 (Camp Springs) $3,070 / $3,870.
- 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 Montgomery city, Alabama ($161,900, $1,089/mo) and Camp Springs CDP, Maryland ($415,000, $2,231/mo). Owner-reported values, not transaction prices.
- Climate normals (1991–2020). NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals — Montgomery Regional (NWS) (USW00013895); Baltimore-Washington Intl (NWS) (USW00093721).
- Host-state wage tax. Statewide listed rates for Alabama and Maryland 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 Alabama and Maryland. 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 Alabama and Maryland. On-base housing is not in this figure.
- Vehicle title tax and new-resident clocks. Alabama motor-vehicle agency (license 30 days, title 20 days; title tax 4.00%); Maryland motor-vehicle agency (license 60 days, title 60 days; title tax 6.00%). 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 Alabama and Maryland. 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 Alabama and Maryland. Backdrop for off-base purchase prices; on-base housing and BAH are separate.