Compare military bases / MCAGCC Twentynine Palms → MCAS Beaufort
29 Palms → MCAS Beaufort
Compare MCAGCC Twentynine Palms and MCAS Beaufort
Will my BAH (Basic Allowance for Housing) go up or down if I move from MCAGCC Twentynine Palms to MCAS Beaufort?
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.
- MCAGCC Twentynine Palms
- $1,782
- MCAS Beaufort
- $2,103
- Higher BAH at MCAS Beaufort
BAH vs typical 2-bedroom rent nearby.
- MCAGCC Twentynine Palms
- $298/mo short
- MCAS Beaufort
- $463/mo left over
Housing just outside the gate: Twentynine Palms vs Beaufort
Rents shown on table are the 40th-percentile for 2 and 3 bedroom figures for the residential ZIP code nearest the base.
| MCAGCC Twentynine Palms Twentynine Palms 92277 | MCAS Beaufort Beaufort 29902 | |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (city) | $268,200 | $345,400 |
| Median gross rent (city) | $1,352/mo | $1,212 |
| HUD ZIP 2-BR rent | $2,080/mo | $1,640 |
| HUD ZIP 3-BR rent | $2,780/mo | $1,980 |
| HUD metro 2-BR rent (wider area) | $2,201/mo | $1,816 |
| E-5 without dependents minus 2-BR | −$298/mo | +$463/mo |
| E-5 with dependents minus 3-BR | −$800/mo | +$423/mo |
E-5 without dependents vs a HUD 2-bedroom is −$298/mo at MCAGCC Twentynine Palms vs +$463/mo at MCAS Beaufort. E-5 with dependents vs a 3-bedroom is −$800/mo vs +$423/mo.
Host-state comparison: California vs. South Carolina
| California | South Carolina | |
|---|---|---|
| Sales tax | 8.99% | 7.49% |
| Property tax | 0.70% | 0.49% |
| Personal property tax | Yes — 0.65% effective | Yes — 2.33% effective |
| Top state income tax | 13.3% | 6.0% |
| Median home value | $778,217 | $307,843 |
| Branch | Marine Corps | Marine Corps |
| HUD 2-BR FMR | $2,201 | $1,816 |
| Climate high/low | 80° / 60°F | 72° / 51°F |
| Annual precip | 4.2 in | 43.6 in |
| Nearby city | Twentynine Palms | Beaufort |
| Host state | California | South Carolina |
Click here for the full state comparison: California → South Carolina
PCS checklist for MCAS Beaufort
- Update DEERS. BAH at MCAS Beaufort uses MHA SC258 (ZIP 29904).
- Look up your exact rate on the DTMO BAH lookup.
- HUD 2-bedroom FMR near MCAS Beaufort is $1,816/mo. On-base housing is separate.
- New South Carolina residents typically have 90 days for a license and 45 days to title a car.
- Reporting: MCAS Beaufort.
Biggest differences
- E-5 with-dependents BAH is higher at MCAS Beaufort ($2,403 vs $1,980).
- Median owner-occupied home value in the off-base city is $345,400 in Beaufort vs $268,200 in Twentynine Palms (Census ACS 5-year, 2020–2024).
- HUD ZIP 2-bedroom rent just outside the gate is $1,640 in 29902 vs $2,080 in 92277.
- Host-state wage tax is 1%–12.3%, plus 1% over $1M (13.3% top) in California vs Top listed rate 6.0% in South Carolina (military pay usually follows legal residence, not the duty station).
- Combined sales tax averages 7.49% in South Carolina vs 8.99% in California.
Common questions
Does BAH go up from MCAGCC Twentynine Palms to MCAS Beaufort?
DTMO CY2026 with- and without-dependents rates for every pay grade are in the BAH table on this page. E-5 with dependents: $1,980 vs $2,403; without dependents: $1,782 vs $2,103.
What is local rent like near MCAS Beaufort?
HUD FY2026 Small Area FMR for ZIP 29902 (Beaufort) is $1,640/mo for a 2-bedroom and $1,980/mo for a 3-bedroom. The wider metro 2-BR FMR is $1,816/mo.
Will BAH cover off-base rent if I PCS from MCAGCC Twentynine Palms to MCAS Beaufort?
E-5 without dependents minus a HUD 2-bedroom is −$298/mo at MCAGCC Twentynine Palms vs +$463/mo at MCAS Beaufort. E-5 with dependents minus a 3-bedroom is −$800/mo vs +$423/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 MCAGCC Twentynine Palms to MCAS Beaufort?
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. California: 1%–12.3%, plus 1% over $1M (13.3% top). South Carolina: Top listed rate 6.0%. 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 MCAS Beaufort?
New South Carolina residents typically have 90 days for a license and 45 days to title a car (10 and 20 days in California).
How does sales tax near MCAS Beaufort compare with MCAGCC Twentynine Palms?
Combined sales tax averages 7.49% in South Carolina vs 8.99% in California. This follows where you live, not legal residence for military pay.
How different is the climate from MCAGCC Twentynine Palms to MCAS Beaufort?
Annual normals at Las Vegas McCarran (NWS) are 80° / 60°F and 4.2 in of precipitation vs 72° / 51°F and 43.6 in at Charleston Intl (NWS) (NOAA 1991–2020).
Related PCS
MCAS Beaufort → MCAGCC Twentynine Palms · Camp Pendleton → MCAGCC Twentynine Palms
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 MCAGCC Twentynine Palms (CA032); MCAS Beaufort (SC258). Confirm current rates on the DTMO BAH lookup.
- 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent. HUD FY2026 FMR — San Bernardino County $2,201; Beaufort County $1,816.
- Off-base ZIP rent (HUD Small Area FMR). FY2026 ZIP 2- and 3-bedroom 40th-percentile rents from the HUD Small Area FMR tables: 92277 (Twentynine Palms) $2,080 / $2,780; 29902 (Beaufort) $1,640 / $1,980.
- 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 Twentynine Palms city, California ($268,200, $1,352/mo) and Beaufort city, South Carolina ($345,400, $1,212/mo). Owner-reported values, not transaction prices.
- Climate normals (1991–2020). NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals — Las Vegas McCarran (NWS) (USW00023169); Charleston Intl (NWS) (USW00013881).
- Host-state wage tax. Statewide listed rates for California and South Carolina 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 California and South Carolina. 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 California and South Carolina. On-base housing is not in this figure.
- Vehicle title tax and new-resident clocks. California motor-vehicle agency (license 10 days, title 20 days; title tax 7.25%); South Carolina motor-vehicle agency (license 90 days, title 45 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 California and South Carolina. 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 California and South Carolina. Backdrop for off-base purchase prices; on-base housing and BAH are separate.