Compare military bases / MCRD San Diego → MCAS Cherry Point
MCRD San Diego → Cherry Point
Compare MCRD San Diego and MCAS Cherry Point
Will my BAH (Basic Allowance for Housing) go up or down if I move from MCRD San Diego to MCAS Cherry Point?
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 San Diego
- $3,147
- MCAS Cherry Point
- $1,722
- Lower BAH at MCAS Cherry Point
BAH vs typical 2-bedroom rent nearby.
- MCRD San Diego
- $303/mo short
- MCAS Cherry Point
- $382/mo left over
Housing just outside the gate: San Diego vs Havelock
Rents shown on table are the 40th-percentile for 2 and 3 bedroom figures for the residential ZIP code nearest the base.
| MCRD San Diego San Diego 92110 | MCAS Cherry Point Havelock 28532 | |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (city) | $906,700 | $207,700 |
| Median gross rent (city) | $2,313/mo | $1,280 |
| HUD ZIP 2-BR rent | $3,450/mo | $1,340 |
| HUD ZIP 3-BR rent | $4,600/mo | $1,800 |
| HUD metro 2-BR rent (wider area) | $3,001/mo | $1,184 |
| E-5 without dependents minus 2-BR | −$303/mo | +$382/mo |
| E-5 with dependents minus 3-BR | −$625/mo | +$51/mo |
E-5 without dependents vs a HUD 2-bedroom is −$303/mo at MCRD San Diego vs +$382/mo at MCAS Cherry Point. E-5 with dependents vs a 3-bedroom is −$625/mo vs +$51/mo.
Host-state comparison: California vs. North Carolina
| California | North Carolina | |
|---|---|---|
| Sales tax | 8.99% | 7.00% |
| Property tax | 0.70% | 0.66% |
| Personal property tax | Yes — 0.65% effective | Yes — 1.10% effective |
| Top state income tax | 13.3% | 3.99% |
| Median home value | $778,217 | $339,594 |
| Branch | Marine Corps | Marine Corps |
| HUD 2-BR FMR | $3,001 | $1,184 |
| Climate high/low | 71° / 58°F | 65° / 46°F |
| Annual precip | 9.8 in | 45.3 in |
| Nearby city | San Diego | Havelock |
| Host state | California | North Carolina |
Click here for the full state comparison: California → North Carolina
PCS checklist for MCAS Cherry Point
- Update DEERS. BAH at MCAS Cherry Point uses MHA NC177 (ZIP 28533).
- Look up your exact rate on the DTMO BAH lookup.
- HUD 2-bedroom FMR near MCAS Cherry Point is $1,184/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: MCAS Cherry Point.
Biggest differences
- E-5 with-dependents BAH is lower at MCAS Cherry Point ($1,851 vs $3,975).
- Median owner-occupied home value in the off-base city is $207,700 in Havelock vs $906,700 in San Diego (Census ACS 5-year, 2020–2024).
- HUD ZIP 2-bedroom rent just outside the gate is $1,340 in 28532 vs $3,450 in 92110.
- Host-state wage tax is 1%–12.3%, plus 1% over $1M (13.3% top) in California 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 8.99% in California.
Common questions
Does BAH go down from MCRD San Diego to MCAS Cherry Point?
DTMO CY2026 with- and without-dependents rates for every pay grade are in the BAH table on this page. E-5 with dependents: $3,975 vs $1,851; without dependents: $3,147 vs $1,722.
What is local rent like near MCAS Cherry Point?
HUD FY2026 Small Area FMR for ZIP 28532 (Havelock) is $1,340/mo for a 2-bedroom and $1,800/mo for a 3-bedroom. The wider metro 2-BR FMR is $1,184/mo.
Will BAH cover off-base rent if I PCS from MCRD San Diego to MCAS Cherry Point?
E-5 without dependents minus a HUD 2-bedroom is −$303/mo at MCRD San Diego vs +$382/mo at MCAS Cherry Point. E-5 with dependents minus a 3-bedroom is −$625/mo vs +$51/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 San Diego to MCAS Cherry Point?
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). North Carolina: Flat 3.99%. 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 Cherry Point?
New North Carolina residents typically have 60 days for a license and 60 days to title a car (10 and 20 days in California).
How does sales tax near MCAS Cherry Point compare with MCRD San Diego?
Combined sales tax averages 7% in North Carolina vs 8.99% in California. This follows where you live, not legal residence for military pay.
What do homes cost in San Diego vs Havelock?
Census ACS 5-year (2020–2024) median value of owner-occupied homes is $906,700 in San Diego city, California vs $207,700 in Havelock city, North Carolina. Median gross rent in those cities is $2,313 vs $1,280. These are city medians (owners’ reported values), not last month’s sale prices.
Related PCS
MCAS Cherry Point → MCRD San Diego · 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 MCRD San Diego (CA038); MCAS Cherry Point (NC177). Confirm current rates on the DTMO BAH lookup.
- 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent. HUD FY2026 FMR — San Diego County $3,001; Craven County $1,184.
- Off-base ZIP rent (HUD Small Area FMR). FY2026 ZIP 2- and 3-bedroom 40th-percentile rents from the HUD Small Area FMR tables: 92110 (San Diego) $3,450 / $4,600; 28532 (Havelock) $1,340 / $1,800.
- 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 San Diego city, California ($906,700, $2,313/mo) and Havelock city, North Carolina ($207,700, $1,280/mo). Owner-reported values, not transaction prices.
- Climate normals (1991–2020). NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals — San Diego Intl (NWS) (USW00023188); New Bern (NWS) (USW00013781).
- Host-state wage tax. Statewide listed rates for California 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 California 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 California and North 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%); 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 California 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 California and North Carolina. Backdrop for off-base purchase prices; on-base housing and BAH are separate.