Compare military bases / MCAS Cherry Point → MCRD San Diego
Cherry Point → MCRD San Diego
Compare MCAS Cherry Point and MCRD San Diego
Will my BAH (Basic Allowance for Housing) go up or down if I move from MCAS Cherry Point to MCRD San Diego?
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.
- MCAS Cherry Point
- $1,722
- MCRD San Diego
- $3,147
- Higher BAH at MCRD San Diego
BAH vs typical 2-bedroom rent nearby.
- MCAS Cherry Point
- $382/mo left over
- MCRD San Diego
- $303/mo short
Housing just outside the gate: Havelock vs San Diego
Rents shown on table are the 40th-percentile for 2 and 3 bedroom figures for the residential ZIP code nearest the base.
| MCAS Cherry Point Havelock 28532 | MCRD San Diego San Diego 92110 | |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (city) | $207,700 | $906,700 |
| Median gross rent (city) | $1,280/mo | $2,313 |
| HUD ZIP 2-BR rent | $1,340/mo | $3,450 |
| HUD ZIP 3-BR rent | $1,800/mo | $4,600 |
| HUD metro 2-BR rent (wider area) | $1,184/mo | $3,001 |
| E-5 without dependents minus 2-BR | +$382/mo | −$303/mo |
| E-5 with dependents minus 3-BR | +$51/mo | −$625/mo |
E-5 without dependents vs a HUD 2-bedroom is +$382/mo at MCAS Cherry Point vs −$303/mo at MCRD San Diego. E-5 with dependents vs a 3-bedroom is +$51/mo vs −$625/mo.
Host-state comparison: North Carolina vs. California
| North Carolina | California | |
|---|---|---|
| Sales tax | 7.00% | 8.99% |
| Property tax | 0.66% | 0.70% |
| Personal property tax | Yes — 1.10% effective | Yes — 0.65% effective |
| Top state income tax | 3.99% | 13.3% |
| Median home value | $339,594 | $778,217 |
| Branch | Marine Corps | Marine Corps |
| HUD 2-BR FMR | $1,184 | $3,001 |
| Climate high/low | 65° / 46°F | 71° / 58°F |
| Annual precip | 45.3 in | 9.8 in |
| Nearby city | Havelock | San Diego |
| Host state | North Carolina | California |
Click here for the full state comparison: North Carolina → California
PCS checklist for MCRD San Diego
- Update DEERS. BAH at MCRD San Diego uses MHA CA038 (ZIP 92140).
- Look up your exact rate on the DTMO BAH lookup.
- HUD 2-bedroom FMR near MCRD San Diego is $3,001/mo. On-base housing is separate.
- New California residents typically have 10 days for a license and 20 days to title a car.
- Reporting: MCRD San Diego.
Biggest differences
- E-5 with-dependents BAH is higher at MCRD San Diego ($3,975 vs $1,851).
- Median owner-occupied home value in the off-base city is $906,700 in San Diego vs $207,700 in Havelock (Census ACS 5-year, 2020–2024).
- HUD ZIP 2-bedroom rent just outside the gate is $3,450 in 92110 vs $1,340 in 28532.
- Host-state wage tax is Flat 3.99% in North Carolina vs 1%–12.3%, plus 1% over $1M (13.3% top) in California (military pay usually follows legal residence, not the duty station).
- Combined sales tax averages 8.99% in California vs 7% in North Carolina.
Common questions
Does BAH go up from MCAS Cherry Point to MCRD San Diego?
DTMO CY2026 with- and without-dependents rates for every pay grade are in the BAH table on this page. E-5 with dependents: $1,851 vs $3,975; without dependents: $1,722 vs $3,147.
What do homes cost in Havelock vs San Diego?
Census ACS 5-year (2020–2024) median value of owner-occupied homes is $207,700 in Havelock city, North Carolina vs $906,700 in San Diego city, California. Median gross rent in those cities is $1,280 vs $2,313. These are city medians (owners’ reported values), not last month’s sale prices.
What is local rent like near MCRD San Diego?
HUD FY2026 Small Area FMR for ZIP 92110 (San Diego) is $3,450/mo for a 2-bedroom and $4,600/mo for a 3-bedroom. The wider metro 2-BR FMR is $3,001/mo.
Will BAH cover off-base rent if I PCS from MCAS Cherry Point to MCRD San Diego?
E-5 without dependents minus a HUD 2-bedroom is +$382/mo at MCAS Cherry Point vs −$303/mo at MCRD San Diego. E-5 with dependents minus a 3-bedroom is +$51/mo vs −$625/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 MCAS Cherry Point to MCRD San Diego?
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. North Carolina: Flat 3.99%. California: 1%–12.3%, plus 1% over $1M (13.3% top). 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 MCRD San Diego?
New California residents typically have 10 days for a license and 20 days to title a car (60 and 60 days in North Carolina).
How does sales tax near MCRD San Diego compare with MCAS Cherry Point?
Combined sales tax averages 8.99% in California vs 7% in North Carolina. This follows where you live, not legal residence for military pay.
Related PCS
MCRD San Diego → MCAS Cherry Point · Camp Lejeune → MCAS Cherry Point
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 MCAS Cherry Point (NC177); MCRD San Diego (CA038). Confirm current rates on the DTMO BAH lookup.
- 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent. HUD FY2026 FMR — Craven County $1,184; San Diego County $3,001.
- Off-base ZIP rent (HUD Small Area FMR). FY2026 ZIP 2- and 3-bedroom 40th-percentile rents from the HUD Small Area FMR tables: 28532 (Havelock) $1,340 / $1,800; 92110 (San Diego) $3,450 / $4,600.
- 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 Havelock city, North Carolina ($207,700, $1,280/mo) and San Diego city, California ($906,700, $2,313/mo). Owner-reported values, not transaction prices.
- Climate normals (1991–2020). NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals — New Bern (NWS) (USW00013781); San Diego Intl (NWS) (USW00023188).
- Host-state wage tax. Statewide listed rates for North Carolina and California 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 North Carolina and California. 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 North Carolina and California. On-base housing is not in this figure.
- Vehicle title tax and new-resident clocks. North Carolina motor-vehicle agency (license 60 days, title 60 days; title tax 3.00%); California motor-vehicle agency (license 10 days, title 20 days; title tax 7.25%). 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 North Carolina and California. 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 North Carolina and California. Backdrop for off-base purchase prices; on-base housing and BAH are separate.