Compare military bases / NAS Whidbey Island → Naval Station Norfolk
Whidbey → Norfolk
Compare NAS Whidbey Island and Naval Station Norfolk
Will my BAH (Basic Allowance for Housing) go up or down if I move from NAS Whidbey Island to Naval Station Norfolk?
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 Whidbey Island
- $1,905
- Naval Station Norfolk
- $1,908
- Higher BAH at Naval Station Norfolk
BAH vs typical 2-bedroom rent nearby.
- NAS Whidbey Island
- $285/mo left over
- Naval Station Norfolk
- $258/mo left over
Housing just outside the gate: Oak Harbor vs Norfolk
Rents shown on table are the 40th-percentile for 2 and 3 bedroom figures for the residential ZIP code nearest the base.
| NAS Whidbey Island Oak Harbor 98277 | Naval Station Norfolk Norfolk 23505 | |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (city) | $461,200 | $289,900 |
| Median gross rent (city) | $1,645/mo | $1,321 |
| HUD ZIP 2-BR rent | $1,620/mo | $1,650 |
| HUD ZIP 3-BR rent | $2,250/mo | $2,290 |
| HUD metro 2-BR rent (wider area) | $1,671/mo | $1,713 |
| E-5 without dependents minus 2-BR | +$285/mo | +$258/mo |
| E-5 with dependents minus 3-BR | −$177/mo | +$140/mo |
E-5 without dependents vs a HUD 2-bedroom is +$285/mo at NAS Whidbey Island vs +$258/mo at Naval Station Norfolk. E-5 with dependents vs a 3-bedroom is −$177/mo vs +$140/mo.
Host-state comparison: Washington vs. Virginia
| Washington | Virginia | |
|---|---|---|
| Sales tax | 9.51% | 5.77% |
| Property tax | 0.75% | 0.78% |
| Personal property tax | No | Yes — 3.97% effective |
| Top state income tax | 0.0% | 5.75% |
| Median home value | $609,756 | $416,963 |
| Branch | Navy | Navy |
| HUD 2-BR FMR | $1,671 | $1,713 |
| Climate high/low | 59° / 45°F | 70° / 53°F |
| Annual precip | 19.9 in | 49.2 in |
| Nearby city | Oak Harbor | Norfolk |
| Host state | Washington | Virginia |
Click here for the full state comparison: Washington → Virginia
PCS checklist for Naval Station Norfolk
- Update DEERS. BAH at Naval Station Norfolk uses MHA VA298 (ZIP 23511).
- Look up your exact rate on the DTMO BAH lookup.
- HUD 2-bedroom FMR near Naval Station Norfolk is $1,713/mo. On-base housing is separate.
- New Virginia residents typically have 60 days for a license and 30 days to title a car.
- Reporting: Naval Station Norfolk.
Biggest differences
- E-5 with-dependents BAH is higher at Naval Station Norfolk ($2,430 vs $2,073).
- Median owner-occupied home value in the off-base city is $289,900 in Norfolk vs $461,200 in Oak Harbor (Census ACS 5-year, 2020–2024).
- HUD ZIP 2-bedroom rent just outside the gate is $1,650 in 23505 vs $1,620 in 98277.
- Host-state wage tax is No wage income tax; 7% capital gains over threshold in Washington vs Top listed rate 5.75% in Virginia (military pay usually follows legal residence, not the duty station).
- Combined sales tax averages 5.77% in Virginia vs 9.51% in Washington.
Common questions
Does BAH go up from NAS Whidbey Island to Naval Station Norfolk?
DTMO CY2026 with- and without-dependents rates for every pay grade are in the BAH table on this page. E-5 with dependents: $2,073 vs $2,430; without dependents: $1,905 vs $1,908.
What is local rent like near Naval Station Norfolk?
HUD FY2026 Small Area FMR for ZIP 23505 (Norfolk) is $1,650/mo for a 2-bedroom and $2,290/mo for a 3-bedroom. The wider metro 2-BR FMR is $1,713/mo.
Will BAH cover off-base rent if I PCS from NAS Whidbey Island to Naval Station Norfolk?
E-5 without dependents minus a HUD 2-bedroom is +$285/mo at NAS Whidbey Island vs +$258/mo at Naval Station Norfolk. E-5 with dependents minus a 3-bedroom is −$177/mo vs +$140/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 Whidbey Island to Naval Station Norfolk?
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. Washington: No wage income tax; 7% capital gains over threshold. Virginia: Top listed rate 5.75%. BAH is not taxed. Sales tax and titling a car follow the state you live in.
How does sales tax near Naval Station Norfolk compare with NAS Whidbey Island?
Combined sales tax averages 5.77% in Virginia vs 9.51% in Washington. This follows where you live, not legal residence for military pay.
How different is the climate from NAS Whidbey Island to Naval Station Norfolk?
Annual normals at Whidbey Island NAS (NWS) are 59° / 45°F and 19.9 in of precipitation vs 70° / 53°F and 49.2 in at Norfolk Intl (NWS) (NOAA 1991–2020).
How long do I have for a license and car title if I PCS to Naval Station Norfolk?
New Virginia residents typically have 60 days for a license and 30 days to title a car (30 and 30 days in Washington).
Related PCS
Naval Station Norfolk → NAS Whidbey Island · Naval Station Norfolk → Naval Base San Diego · Naval Station Norfolk → Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam
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 Whidbey Island (WA312); Naval Station Norfolk (VA298). Confirm current rates on the DTMO BAH lookup.
- 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent. HUD FY2026 FMR — Island County $1,671; Norfolk city $1,713.
- Off-base ZIP rent (HUD Small Area FMR). FY2026 ZIP 2- and 3-bedroom 40th-percentile rents from the HUD Small Area FMR tables: 98277 (Oak Harbor) $1,620 / $2,250; 23505 (Norfolk) $1,650 / $2,290.
- 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 Oak Harbor city, Washington ($461,200, $1,645/mo) and Norfolk city, Virginia ($289,900, $1,321/mo). Owner-reported values, not transaction prices.
- Climate normals (1991–2020). NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals — Whidbey Island NAS (NWS) (USW00024255); Norfolk Intl (NWS) (USW00013737).
- Host-state wage tax. Statewide listed rates for Washington and Virginia 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 Washington and Virginia. 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 Washington and Virginia. On-base housing is not in this figure.
- Vehicle title tax and new-resident clocks. Washington motor-vehicle agency (license 30 days, title 30 days; title tax 6.50%); Virginia motor-vehicle agency (license 60 days, title 30 days; title tax 5.30%). 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 Washington and Virginia. 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 Washington and Virginia. Backdrop for off-base purchase prices; on-base housing and BAH are separate.