Compare military bases / Mountain Home Air Force Base → Grand Forks Air Force Base
Mountain Home → Grand Forks
Compare Mountain Home Air Force Base and Grand Forks Air Force Base
Will my BAH (Basic Allowance for Housing) go up or down if I move from Mountain Home Air Force Base to Grand Forks Air Force Base?
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.
- Mountain Home Air Force Base
- $1,524
- Grand Forks Air Force Base
- $1,299
- Lower BAH at Grand Forks Air Force Base
BAH minus HUD 2-bedroom rent for the ZIP nearest each base.
- Mountain Home Air Force Base
- −$136/mo
- Grand Forks Air Force Base
- −$171/mo
Housing just outside the gate: Mountain Home vs Grand Forks
Rents shown on table are the 40th-percentile for 2 and 3 bedroom figures for the residential ZIP code nearest the base.
| Mountain Home Air Force Base Mountain Home 83647 | Grand Forks Air Force Base Grand Forks 58202 | |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (city) | $309,400 | $249,900 |
| Median gross rent (city) | $1,155/mo | $980 |
| HUD ZIP 2-BR rent | $1,660/mo | $1,470 |
| HUD ZIP 3-BR rent | $2,320/mo | $2,040 |
| HUD metro 2-BR rent (wider area) | $1,192/mo | $1,089 |
| E-5 without dependents minus 2-BR | −$136/mo | −$171/mo |
| E-5 with dependents minus 3-BR | −$715/mo | −$309/mo |
E-5 without dependents vs a HUD 2-bedroom is −$136/mo at Mountain Home Air Force Base vs −$171/mo at Grand Forks Air Force Base. E-5 with dependents vs a 3-bedroom is −$715/mo vs −$309/mo.
Host-state comparison: Idaho vs. North Dakota
| Idaho | North Dakota | |
|---|---|---|
| Sales tax | 6.03% | 7.09% |
| Property tax | 0.50% | 0.92% |
| Personal property tax | No | No |
| Top state income tax | 5.3% | 2.5% |
| Median home value | $483,379 | $289,692 |
| Branch | Air Force | Air Force |
| HUD 2-BR FMR | $1,192 | $1,089 |
| Climate high/low | 64° / 42°F | 51° / 29°F |
| Annual precip | 11.5 in | 21.7 in |
| Nearby city | Mountain Home | Grand Forks |
| Host state | Idaho | North Dakota |
Click here for the full state comparison: Idaho → North Dakota
PCS checklist for Grand Forks Air Force Base
- Update DEERS. BAH at Grand Forks Air Force Base uses MHA ND190 (ZIP 58204).
- Look up your exact rate on the DTMO BAH lookup.
- HUD 2-bedroom FMR near Grand Forks Air Force Base is $1,089/mo. On-base housing is separate.
- New North Dakota residents typically have 60 days for a license and 30 days to title a car.
- Reporting: Grand Forks Air Force Base.
Biggest differences
- E-5 with-dependents BAH is higher at Grand Forks Air Force Base ($1,731 vs $1,605).
- Median owner-occupied home value in the off-base city is $249,900 in Grand Forks vs $309,400 in Mountain Home (Census ACS 5-year, 2020–2024).
- HUD ZIP 2-bedroom rent just outside the gate is $1,470 in 58202 vs $1,660 in 83647.
- Host-state wage tax is Top listed rate 5.3% in Idaho vs Top listed rate 2.5% in North Dakota (military pay usually follows legal residence, not the duty station).
- Combined sales tax averages 7.09% in North Dakota vs 6.03% in Idaho.
Common questions
Can I PCS from Mountain Home Air Force Base to Grand Forks Air Force Base?
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.
How does BAH change from Mountain Home Air Force Base to Grand Forks Air Force Base?
DTMO CY2026 with- and without-dependents rates for every pay grade are in the BAH table on this page. E-5 with dependents: $1,605 vs $1,731; without dependents: $1,524 vs $1,299.
What is local rent like near Grand Forks Air Force Base?
HUD FY2026 Small Area FMR for ZIP 58202 (Grand Forks) is $1,470/mo for a 2-bedroom and $2,040/mo for a 3-bedroom. The wider metro 2-BR FMR is $1,089/mo.
What do homes cost in Mountain Home vs Grand Forks?
Census ACS 5-year (2020–2024) median value of owner-occupied homes is $309,400 in Mountain Home city, Idaho vs $249,900 in Grand Forks city, North Dakota. Median gross rent in those cities is $1,155 vs $980. These are city medians (owners’ reported values), not last month’s sale prices.
Will BAH cover off-base rent if I PCS from Mountain Home Air Force Base to Grand Forks Air Force Base?
E-5 without dependents minus a HUD 2-bedroom is −$136/mo at Mountain Home Air Force Base vs −$171/mo at Grand Forks Air Force Base. E-5 with dependents minus a 3-bedroom is −$715/mo vs −$309/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 Mountain Home Air Force Base to Grand Forks Air Force Base?
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. Idaho: Top listed rate 5.3%. North Dakota: Top listed rate 2.5%. BAH is not taxed. Sales tax and titling a car follow the state you live in.
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 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 Mountain Home Air Force Base (ID086); Grand Forks Air Force Base (ND190). Confirm current rates on the DTMO BAH lookup.
- 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent. HUD FY2026 FMR — Elmore County $1,192; Grand Forks County $1,089.
- Off-base ZIP rent (HUD Small Area FMR). FY2026 ZIP 2- and 3-bedroom 40th-percentile rents from the HUD Small Area FMR tables: 83647 (Mountain Home) $1,660 / $2,320; 58202 (Grand Forks) $1,470 / $2,040.
- 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 Mountain Home city, Idaho ($309,400, $1,155/mo) and Grand Forks city, North Dakota ($249,900, $980/mo). Owner-reported values, not transaction prices.
- Climate normals (1991–2020). NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals — Boise Air Terminal (NWS) (USW00024131); Grand Forks Intl (NWS) (USW00014916).
- Host-state wage tax. Statewide listed rates for Idaho and North Dakota 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 Idaho and North Dakota. 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 Idaho and North Dakota. On-base housing is not in this figure.
- Vehicle title tax and new-resident clocks. Idaho motor-vehicle agency (license 30 days, title 30 days; title tax 6.00%); North Dakota motor-vehicle agency (license 60 days, title 30 days; title tax 5.00%). 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 Idaho and North Dakota. 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 Idaho and North Dakota. Backdrop for off-base purchase prices; on-base housing and BAH are separate.