Compare military bases / Naval Station Great Lakes → NAS Key West
Great Lakes → Key West
Compare Naval Station Great Lakes and NAS Key West
Will my BAH (Basic Allowance for Housing) go up or down if I move from Naval Station Great Lakes to NAS Key West?
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 Station Great Lakes
- $1,854
- NAS Key West
- $3,459
- Higher BAH at NAS Key West
BAH minus HUD 2-bedroom rent for the ZIP nearest each base.
- Naval Station Great Lakes
- −$486/mo
- NAS Key West
- +$959/mo
Housing just outside the gate: North Chicago vs Key West
Rents shown on table are the 40th-percentile for 2 and 3 bedroom figures for the residential ZIP code nearest the base.
| Naval Station Great Lakes North Chicago 60088 | NAS Key West Key West 33041 | |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (city) | $159,600 | $852,400 |
| Median gross rent (city) | $1,426/mo | $2,220 |
| HUD ZIP 2-BR rent | $2,340/mo | $2,500 |
| HUD ZIP 3-BR rent | $3,010/mo | $3,300 |
| HUD metro 2-BR rent (wider area) | $1,781/mo | $2,504 |
| E-5 without dependents minus 2-BR | −$486/mo | +$959/mo |
| E-5 with dependents minus 3-BR | −$583/mo | +$669/mo |
E-5 without dependents vs a HUD 2-bedroom is −$486/mo at Naval Station Great Lakes vs +$959/mo at NAS Key West. E-5 with dependents vs a 3-bedroom is −$583/mo vs +$669/mo.
Host-state comparison: Illinois vs. Florida
| Illinois | Florida | |
|---|---|---|
| Sales tax | 8.96% | 6.98% |
| Property tax | 1.88% | 0.78% |
| Personal property tax | No | No |
| Top state income tax | 4.95% | 0.0% |
| Median home value | $292,979 | $378,667 |
| Branch | Navy | Navy |
| HUD 2-BR FMR | $1,781 | $2,504 |
| Climate high/low | 60° / 43°F | 84° / 74°F |
| Annual precip | 37.9 in | 40.4 in |
| Nearby city | Great Lakes | Key West |
| Host state | Illinois | Florida |
Click here for the full state comparison: Illinois → Florida
PCS checklist for NAS Key West
- Update DEERS. BAH at NAS Key West uses MHA FL069 (ZIP 33040).
- Look up your exact rate on the DTMO BAH lookup.
- HUD 2-bedroom FMR near NAS Key West is $2,504/mo. On-base housing is separate.
- New Florida residents typically have 30 days for a license and 30 days to title a car.
- Reporting: NAS Key West.
Biggest differences
- E-5 with-dependents BAH is higher at NAS Key West ($3,969 vs $2,427).
- Median owner-occupied home value in the off-base city is $852,400 in Key West vs $159,600 in North Chicago (Census ACS 5-year, 2020–2024).
- HUD ZIP 2-bedroom rent just outside the gate is $2,500 in 33041 vs $2,340 in 60088.
- Host-state wage tax is Flat 4.95% in Illinois vs No personal income tax in Florida (military pay usually follows legal residence, not the duty station).
- Combined sales tax averages 6.98% in Florida vs 8.96% in Illinois.
Common questions
Can I PCS from Naval Station Great Lakes to NAS Key West?
This pair is listed because the installations share a tenant service (Navy). Your actual orders depend on your MOS/AFSC/rating and the gaining unit.
How does BAH change from Naval Station Great Lakes to NAS Key West?
DTMO CY2026 with- and without-dependents rates for every pay grade are in the BAH table on this page. E-5 with dependents: $2,427 vs $3,969; without dependents: $1,854 vs $3,459.
What is local rent like near NAS Key West?
HUD FY2026 Small Area FMR for ZIP 33041 (Key West) is $2,500/mo for a 2-bedroom and $3,300/mo for a 3-bedroom. The wider metro 2-BR FMR is $2,504/mo.
What do homes cost in North Chicago vs Key West?
Census ACS 5-year (2020–2024) median value of owner-occupied homes is $159,600 in North Chicago city, Illinois vs $852,400 in Key West city, Florida. Median gross rent in those cities is $1,426 vs $2,220. These are city medians (owners’ reported values), not last month’s sale prices.
Will BAH cover off-base rent if I PCS from Naval Station Great Lakes to NAS Key West?
E-5 without dependents minus a HUD 2-bedroom is −$486/mo at Naval Station Great Lakes vs +$959/mo at NAS Key West. E-5 with dependents minus a 3-bedroom is −$583/mo vs +$669/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 Station Great Lakes to NAS Key West?
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. Illinois: Flat 4.95%. Florida: No personal income tax. 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 Naval Station Great Lakes (IL092); NAS Key West (FL069). Confirm current rates on the DTMO BAH lookup.
- 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent. HUD FY2026 FMR — Lake County $1,781; Monroe County $2,504.
- Off-base ZIP rent (HUD Small Area FMR). FY2026 ZIP 2- and 3-bedroom 40th-percentile rents from the HUD Small Area FMR tables: 60088 (North Chicago) $2,340 / $3,010; 33041 (Key West) $2,500 / $3,300.
- 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 North Chicago city, Illinois ($159,600, $1,426/mo) and Key West city, Florida ($852,400, $2,220/mo). Owner-reported values, not transaction prices.
- Climate normals (1991–2020). NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals — Chicago O'Hare (NWS) (USW00094846); Key West Intl (NWS) (USW00012836).
- Host-state wage tax. Statewide listed rates for Illinois and Florida 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 Illinois and Florida. 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 Illinois and Florida. On-base housing is not in this figure.
- Vehicle title tax and new-resident clocks. Illinois motor-vehicle agency (license 90 days, title 30 days; title tax 6.25%); Florida motor-vehicle agency (license 30 days, title 30 days; title tax 6.00%). 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 Illinois and Florida. 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 Illinois and Florida. Backdrop for off-base purchase prices; on-base housing and BAH are separate.