Compare military bases / Naval Base San Diego → NAS Whidbey Island
NBSD → Whidbey
Compare Naval Base San Diego and NAS Whidbey Island
Will my BAH (Basic Allowance for Housing) go up or down if I move from Naval Base San Diego to NAS Whidbey Island?
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.
- Naval Base San Diego
- $3,147
- NAS Whidbey Island
- $1,905
- Lower BAH at NAS Whidbey Island
BAH vs typical 2-bedroom rent nearby.
- Naval Base San Diego
- $727/mo left over
- NAS Whidbey Island
- $285/mo left over
Housing just outside the gate: San Diego vs Oak Harbor
Rents shown on table are the 40th-percentile for 2 and 3 bedroom figures for the residential ZIP code nearest the base.
| Naval Base San Diego San Diego 92113 | NAS Whidbey Island Oak Harbor 98277 | |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (city) | $906,700 | $461,200 |
| Median gross rent (city) | $2,313/mo | $1,645 |
| HUD ZIP 2-BR rent | $2,420/mo | $1,620 |
| HUD ZIP 3-BR rent | $3,220/mo | $2,250 |
| HUD metro 2-BR rent (wider area) | $3,001/mo | $1,671 |
| E-5 without dependents minus 2-BR | +$727/mo | +$285/mo |
| E-5 with dependents minus 3-BR | +$755/mo | −$177/mo |
E-5 without dependents vs a HUD 2-bedroom is +$727/mo at Naval Base San Diego vs +$285/mo at NAS Whidbey Island. E-5 with dependents vs a 3-bedroom is +$755/mo vs −$177/mo.
Host-state comparison: California vs. Washington
| California | Washington | |
|---|---|---|
| Sales tax | 8.99% | 9.51% |
| Property tax | 0.70% | 0.75% |
| Personal property tax | Yes — 0.65% effective | No |
| Top state income tax | 13.3% | 0.0% |
| Median home value | $778,217 | $609,756 |
| Branch | Navy | Navy |
| HUD 2-BR FMR | $3,001 | $1,671 |
| Climate high/low | 71° / 58°F | 59° / 45°F |
| Annual precip | 9.8 in | 19.9 in |
| Nearby city | San Diego | Oak Harbor |
| Host state | California | Washington |
Click here for the full state comparison: California → Washington
PCS checklist for NAS Whidbey Island
- Update DEERS. BAH at NAS Whidbey Island uses MHA WA312 (ZIP 98278).
- Look up your exact rate on the DTMO BAH lookup.
- HUD 2-bedroom FMR near NAS Whidbey Island is $1,671/mo. On-base housing is separate.
- New Washington residents typically have 30 days for a license and 30 days to title a car.
- Reporting: NAS Whidbey Island.
Biggest differences
- E-5 with-dependents BAH is lower at NAS Whidbey Island ($2,073 vs $3,975).
- Median owner-occupied home value in the off-base city is $461,200 in Oak Harbor vs $906,700 in San Diego (Census ACS 5-year, 2020–2024).
- HUD ZIP 2-bedroom rent just outside the gate is $1,620 in 98277 vs $2,420 in 92113.
- Host-state wage tax is 1%–12.3%, plus 1% over $1M (13.3% top) in California vs No wage income tax; 7% capital gains over threshold in Washington (military pay usually follows legal residence, not the duty station).
- Combined sales tax averages 9.51% in Washington vs 8.99% in California.
Common questions
Does BAH go down from Naval Base San Diego to NAS Whidbey Island?
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 $2,073; without dependents: $3,147 vs $1,905.
What is local rent like near NAS Whidbey Island?
HUD FY2026 Small Area FMR for ZIP 98277 (Oak Harbor) is $1,620/mo for a 2-bedroom and $2,250/mo for a 3-bedroom. The wider metro 2-BR FMR is $1,671/mo.
Will BAH cover off-base rent if I PCS from Naval Base San Diego to NAS Whidbey Island?
E-5 without dependents minus a HUD 2-bedroom is +$727/mo at Naval Base San Diego vs +$285/mo at NAS Whidbey Island. E-5 with dependents minus a 3-bedroom is +$755/mo vs −$177/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 Naval Base San Diego to NAS Whidbey Island?
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). Washington: No wage income tax; 7% capital gains over threshold. BAH is not taxed. Sales tax and titling a car follow the state you live in.
What do homes cost in San Diego vs Oak Harbor?
Census ACS 5-year (2020–2024) median value of owner-occupied homes is $906,700 in San Diego city, California vs $461,200 in Oak Harbor city, Washington. Median gross rent in those cities is $2,313 vs $1,645. 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 NAS Whidbey Island?
New Washington residents typically have 30 days for a license and 30 days to title a car (10 and 20 days in California).
How does sales tax near NAS Whidbey Island compare with Naval Base San Diego?
Combined sales tax averages 9.51% in Washington vs 8.99% in California. This follows where you live, not legal residence for military pay.
Related PCS
NAS Whidbey Island → Naval Base San Diego · Naval Station Norfolk → Naval Base San Diego
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 Naval Base San Diego (CA038); NAS Whidbey Island (WA312). Confirm current rates on the DTMO BAH lookup.
- 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent. HUD FY2026 FMR — San Diego County $3,001; Island County $1,671.
- Off-base ZIP rent (HUD Small Area FMR). FY2026 ZIP 2- and 3-bedroom 40th-percentile rents from the HUD Small Area FMR tables: 92113 (San Diego) $2,420 / $3,220; 98277 (Oak Harbor) $1,620 / $2,250.
- 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 Oak Harbor city, Washington ($461,200, $1,645/mo). Owner-reported values, not transaction prices.
- Climate normals (1991–2020). NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals — San Diego Intl (NWS) (USW00023188); Whidbey Island NAS (NWS) (USW00024255).
- Host-state wage tax. Statewide listed rates for California and Washington 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 Washington. 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 Washington. 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%); Washington motor-vehicle agency (license 30 days, title 30 days; title tax 6.50%). 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 Washington. 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 Washington. Backdrop for off-base purchase prices; on-base housing and BAH are separate.