Compare military bases / MCRD Parris Island → Camp Lejeune
Parris Island → Lejeune
Compare MCRD Parris Island and Camp Lejeune
Will my BAH (Basic Allowance for Housing) go up or down if I move from MCRD Parris Island to Camp Lejeune?
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.
- MCRD Parris Island
- $2,103
- Camp Lejeune
- $1,476
- Lower BAH at Camp Lejeune
BAH minus HUD 2-bedroom rent for the ZIP nearest each base.
- MCRD Parris Island
- +$453/mo
- Camp Lejeune
- +$306/mo
Housing just outside the gate: Beaufort vs Jacksonville
Rents shown on table are the 40th-percentile for 2 and 3 bedroom figures for the residential ZIP code nearest the base.
| MCRD Parris Island Beaufort 29904 | Camp Lejeune Jacksonville 28541 | |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (city) | $345,400 | $210,100 |
| Median gross rent (city) | $1,212/mo | $1,321 |
| HUD ZIP 2-BR rent | $1,650/mo | $1,170 |
| HUD ZIP 3-BR rent | $1,980/mo | $1,630 |
| HUD metro 2-BR rent (wider area) | $1,816/mo | $1,173 |
| E-5 without dependents minus 2-BR | +$453/mo | +$306/mo |
| E-5 with dependents minus 3-BR | +$423/mo | −$46/mo |
E-5 without dependents vs a HUD 2-bedroom is +$453/mo at MCRD Parris Island vs +$306/mo at Camp Lejeune. E-5 with dependents vs a 3-bedroom is +$423/mo vs −$46/mo.
Host-state comparison: South Carolina vs. North Carolina
| South Carolina | North Carolina | |
|---|---|---|
| Sales tax | 7.49% | 7.00% |
| Property tax | 0.49% | 0.66% |
| Personal property tax | Yes — 2.33% effective | Yes — 1.10% effective |
| Top state income tax | 6.0% | 3.99% |
| Median home value | $307,843 | $339,594 |
| Branch | Marine Corps | Marine Corps |
| HUD 2-BR FMR | $1,816 | $1,173 |
| Climate high/low | 72° / 51°F | 65° / 46°F |
| Annual precip | 43.6 in | 45.3 in |
| Nearby city | Beaufort | Jacksonville |
| Host state | South Carolina | North Carolina |
Click here for the full state comparison: South Carolina → North Carolina
PCS checklist for Camp Lejeune
- Update DEERS. BAH at Camp Lejeune uses MHA NC178 (ZIP 28542).
- Look up your exact rate on the DTMO BAH lookup.
- HUD 2-bedroom FMR near Camp Lejeune is $1,173/mo. On-base housing is separate.
- New North Carolina residents typically have 60 days for a license and 60 days to title a car.
- Reporting: Camp Lejeune.
Biggest differences
- E-5 with-dependents BAH is lower at Camp Lejeune ($1,584 vs $2,403).
- Median owner-occupied home value in the off-base city is $210,100 in Jacksonville vs $345,400 in Beaufort (Census ACS 5-year, 2020–2024).
- HUD ZIP 2-bedroom rent just outside the gate is $1,170 in 28541 vs $1,650 in 29904.
- Host-state wage tax is Top listed rate 6.0% in South Carolina vs Flat 3.99% in North Carolina (military pay usually follows legal residence, not the duty station).
- Combined sales tax averages 7% in North Carolina vs 7.49% in South Carolina.
Common questions
Can I PCS from MCRD Parris Island to Camp Lejeune?
This pair is listed because the installations share a tenant service (Marine Corps). Your actual orders depend on your MOS/AFSC/rating and the gaining unit.
How does BAH change from MCRD Parris Island to Camp Lejeune?
DTMO CY2026 with- and without-dependents rates for every pay grade are in the BAH table on this page. E-5 with dependents: $2,403 vs $1,584; without dependents: $2,103 vs $1,476.
What is local rent like near Camp Lejeune?
HUD FY2026 Small Area FMR for ZIP 28541 (Jacksonville) is $1,170/mo for a 2-bedroom and $1,630/mo for a 3-bedroom. The wider metro 2-BR FMR is $1,173/mo.
What do homes cost in Beaufort vs Jacksonville?
Census ACS 5-year (2020–2024) median value of owner-occupied homes is $345,400 in Beaufort city, South Carolina vs $210,100 in Jacksonville city, North Carolina. Median gross rent in those cities is $1,212 vs $1,321. These are city medians (owners’ reported values), not last month’s sale prices.
Will BAH cover off-base rent if I PCS from MCRD Parris Island to Camp Lejeune?
E-5 without dependents minus a HUD 2-bedroom is +$453/mo at MCRD Parris Island vs +$306/mo at Camp Lejeune. E-5 with dependents minus a 3-bedroom is +$423/mo vs −$46/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 MCRD Parris Island to Camp Lejeune?
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. South Carolina: Top listed rate 6.0%. North Carolina: Flat 3.99%. BAH is not taxed. Sales tax and titling a car follow the state you live in.
Related PCS
Camp Lejeune → MCRD Parris Island · Camp Pendleton → Camp Lejeune · 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 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 MCRD Parris Island (SC258); Camp Lejeune (NC178). Confirm current rates on the DTMO BAH lookup.
- 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent. HUD FY2026 FMR — Beaufort County $1,816; Onslow County $1,173.
- Off-base ZIP rent (HUD Small Area FMR). FY2026 ZIP 2- and 3-bedroom 40th-percentile rents from the HUD Small Area FMR tables: 29904 (Beaufort) $1,650 / $1,980; 28541 (Jacksonville) $1,170 / $1,630.
- 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 Beaufort city, South Carolina ($345,400, $1,212/mo) and Jacksonville city, North Carolina ($210,100, $1,321/mo). Owner-reported values, not transaction prices.
- Climate normals (1991–2020). NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals — Charleston Intl (NWS) (USW00013881); New Bern (NWS) (USW00013781).
- Host-state wage tax. Statewide listed rates for South Carolina and North 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 South Carolina and North 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 South Carolina and North Carolina. On-base housing is not in this figure.
- Vehicle title tax and new-resident clocks. South Carolina motor-vehicle agency (license 90 days, title 45 days; title tax 6.00%); North Carolina motor-vehicle agency (license 60 days, title 60 days; title tax 3.00%). 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 South Carolina and North 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 South Carolina and North Carolina. Backdrop for off-base purchase prices; on-base housing and BAH are separate.