Compare military bases / NAS Oceana → Naval Station Great Lakes
Oceana → Great Lakes
Compare NAS Oceana and Naval Station Great Lakes
Will my BAH (Basic Allowance for Housing) go up or down if I move from NAS Oceana to Naval Station Great Lakes?
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.
- NAS Oceana
- $1,908
- Naval Station Great Lakes
- $1,854
- Lower BAH at Naval Station Great Lakes
BAH vs typical 2-bedroom rent nearby.
- NAS Oceana
- $52/mo short
- Naval Station Great Lakes
- $486/mo short
Housing just outside the gate: Virginia Beach vs North Chicago
Rents shown on table are the 40th-percentile for 2 and 3 bedroom figures for the residential ZIP code nearest the base.
| NAS Oceana Virginia Beach 23463 | Naval Station Great Lakes North Chicago 60088 | |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (city) | $382,500 | $159,600 |
| Median gross rent (city) | $1,714/mo | $1,426 |
| HUD ZIP 2-BR rent | $1,960/mo | $2,340 |
| HUD ZIP 3-BR rent | $2,720/mo | $3,010 |
| HUD metro 2-BR rent (wider area) | $1,713/mo | $1,781 |
| E-5 without dependents minus 2-BR | −$52/mo | −$486/mo |
| E-5 with dependents minus 3-BR | −$290/mo | −$583/mo |
E-5 without dependents vs a HUD 2-bedroom is −$52/mo at NAS Oceana vs −$486/mo at Naval Station Great Lakes. E-5 with dependents vs a 3-bedroom is −$290/mo vs −$583/mo.
Host-state comparison: Virginia vs. Illinois
| Virginia | Illinois | |
|---|---|---|
| Sales tax | 5.77% | 8.96% |
| Property tax | 0.78% | 1.88% |
| Personal property tax | Yes — 3.97% effective | No |
| Top state income tax | 5.75% | 4.95% |
| Median home value | $416,963 | $292,979 |
| Branch | Navy | Navy |
| HUD 2-BR FMR | $1,713 | $1,781 |
| Climate high/low | 70° / 53°F | 60° / 43°F |
| Annual precip | 49.2 in | 37.9 in |
| Nearby city | Virginia Beach | Great Lakes |
| Host state | Virginia | Illinois |
Click here for the full state comparison: Virginia → Illinois
PCS checklist for Naval Station Great Lakes
- Update DEERS. BAH at Naval Station Great Lakes uses MHA IL092 (ZIP 60088).
- Look up your exact rate on the DTMO BAH lookup.
- HUD 2-bedroom FMR near Naval Station Great Lakes is $1,781/mo. On-base housing is separate.
- New Illinois residents typically have 90 days for a license and 30 days to title a car.
- Reporting: Naval Station Great Lakes.
Biggest differences
- E-5 with-dependents BAH is lower at Naval Station Great Lakes ($2,427 vs $2,430).
- Median owner-occupied home value in the off-base city is $159,600 in North Chicago vs $382,500 in Virginia Beach (Census ACS 5-year, 2020–2024).
- HUD ZIP 2-bedroom rent just outside the gate is $2,340 in 60088 vs $1,960 in 23463.
- Host-state wage tax is Top listed rate 5.75% in Virginia vs Flat 4.95% in Illinois (military pay usually follows legal residence, not the duty station).
- Combined sales tax averages 8.96% in Illinois vs 5.77% in Virginia.
Common questions
Is BAH different from NAS Oceana to Naval Station Great Lakes?
DTMO CY2026 with- and without-dependents rates for every pay grade are in the BAH table on this page. E-5 with dependents: $2,430 vs $2,427; without dependents: $1,908 vs $1,854.
What is local rent like near Naval Station Great Lakes?
HUD FY2026 Small Area FMR for ZIP 60088 (North Chicago) is $2,340/mo for a 2-bedroom and $3,010/mo for a 3-bedroom. The wider metro 2-BR FMR is $1,781/mo.
Will BAH cover off-base rent if I PCS from NAS Oceana to Naval Station Great Lakes?
E-5 without dependents minus a HUD 2-bedroom is −$52/mo at NAS Oceana vs −$486/mo at Naval Station Great Lakes. E-5 with dependents minus a 3-bedroom is −$290/mo vs −$583/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 NAS Oceana to Naval Station Great Lakes?
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. Virginia: Top listed rate 5.75%. Illinois: Flat 4.95%. BAH is not taxed. Sales tax and titling a car follow the state you live in.
How does sales tax near Naval Station Great Lakes compare with NAS Oceana?
Combined sales tax averages 8.96% in Illinois vs 5.77% in Virginia. This follows where you live, not legal residence for military pay.
What do homes cost in Virginia Beach vs North Chicago?
Census ACS 5-year (2020–2024) median value of owner-occupied homes is $382,500 in Virginia Beach city, Virginia vs $159,600 in North Chicago city, Illinois. Median gross rent in those cities is $1,714 vs $1,426. These are city medians (owners’ reported values), not last month’s sale prices.
How long do I have for a license and car title if I PCS to Naval Station Great Lakes?
New Illinois residents typically have 90 days for a license and 30 days to title a car (60 and 30 days in Virginia).
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 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 NAS Oceana (VA298); Naval Station Great Lakes (IL092). Confirm current rates on the DTMO BAH lookup.
- 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent. HUD FY2026 FMR — Virginia Beach city $1,713; Lake County $1,781.
- Off-base ZIP rent (HUD Small Area FMR). FY2026 ZIP 2- and 3-bedroom 40th-percentile rents from the HUD Small Area FMR tables: 23463 (Virginia Beach) $1,960 / $2,720; 60088 (North Chicago) $2,340 / $3,010.
- 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 Virginia Beach city, Virginia ($382,500, $1,714/mo) and North Chicago city, Illinois ($159,600, $1,426/mo). Owner-reported values, not transaction prices.
- Climate normals (1991–2020). NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals — Norfolk Intl (NWS) (USW00013737); Chicago O'Hare (NWS) (USW00094846).
- Host-state wage tax. Statewide listed rates for Virginia and Illinois 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 Virginia and Illinois. 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 Virginia and Illinois. On-base housing is not in this figure.
- Vehicle title tax and new-resident clocks. Virginia motor-vehicle agency (license 60 days, title 30 days; title tax 5.30%); Illinois motor-vehicle agency (license 90 days, title 30 days; title tax 6.25%). 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 Virginia and Illinois. 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 Virginia and Illinois. Backdrop for off-base purchase prices; on-base housing and BAH are separate.