Compare military bases / Naval Station Newport → NAS Whidbey Island
Newport → Whidbey
Compare Naval Station Newport and NAS Whidbey Island
Will my BAH (Basic Allowance for Housing) go up or down if I move from Naval Station Newport 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 Station Newport
- $2,361
- NAS Whidbey Island
- $1,905
- Lower BAH at NAS Whidbey Island
BAH vs typical 2-bedroom rent nearby.
- Naval Station Newport
- $19/mo short
- NAS Whidbey Island
- $285/mo left over
Housing just outside the gate: Newport 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 Station Newport Newport 02840 | NAS Whidbey Island Oak Harbor 98277 | |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (city) | $746,900 | $461,200 |
| Median gross rent (city) | $1,698/mo | $1,645 |
| HUD ZIP 2-BR rent | $2,380/mo | $1,620 |
| HUD ZIP 3-BR rent | $3,220/mo | $2,250 |
| HUD metro 2-BR rent (wider area) | $1,729/mo | $1,671 |
| E-5 without dependents minus 2-BR | −$19/mo | +$285/mo |
| E-5 with dependents minus 3-BR | −$373/mo | −$177/mo |
E-5 without dependents vs a HUD 2-bedroom is −$19/mo at Naval Station Newport vs +$285/mo at NAS Whidbey Island. E-5 with dependents vs a 3-bedroom is −$373/mo vs −$177/mo.
Host-state comparison: Rhode Island vs. Washington
| Rhode Island | Washington | |
|---|---|---|
| Sales tax | 7.00% | 9.51% |
| Property tax | 1.19% | 0.75% |
| Personal property tax | No | No |
| Top state income tax | 5.99% | 0.0% |
| Median home value | $508,519 | $609,756 |
| Branch | Navy | Navy |
| HUD 2-BR FMR | $1,729 | $1,671 |
| Climate high/low | 59° / 44°F | 59° / 45°F |
| Annual precip | 42.2 in | 19.9 in |
| Nearby city | Newport | Oak Harbor |
| Host state | Rhode Island | Washington |
Click here for the full state comparison: Rhode Island → 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 $2,847).
- Median owner-occupied home value in the off-base city is $461,200 in Oak Harbor vs $746,900 in Newport (Census ACS 5-year, 2020–2024).
- HUD ZIP 2-bedroom rent just outside the gate is $1,620 in 98277 vs $2,380 in 02840.
- Host-state wage tax is Top listed rate 5.99% in Rhode Island 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 7% in Rhode Island.
Common questions
Does BAH go down from Naval Station Newport 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: $2,847 vs $2,073; without dependents: $2,361 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 Station Newport to NAS Whidbey Island?
E-5 without dependents minus a HUD 2-bedroom is −$19/mo at Naval Station Newport vs +$285/mo at NAS Whidbey Island. E-5 with dependents minus a 3-bedroom is −$373/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 Station Newport 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. Rhode Island: Top listed rate 5.99%. 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.
How does sales tax near NAS Whidbey Island compare with Naval Station Newport?
Combined sales tax averages 9.51% in Washington vs 7% in Rhode Island. This follows where you live, not legal residence for military pay.
What do homes cost in Newport vs Oak Harbor?
Census ACS 5-year (2020–2024) median value of owner-occupied homes is $746,900 in Newport city, Rhode Island vs $461,200 in Oak Harbor city, Washington. Median gross rent in those cities is $1,698 vs $1,645. These are city medians (owners’ reported values), not last month’s sale prices.
How different is the climate from Naval Station Newport to NAS Whidbey Island?
Annual normals at T.F. Green Providence (NWS) are 59° / 44°F and 42.2 in of precipitation vs 59° / 45°F and 19.9 in at Whidbey Island NAS (NWS) (NOAA 1991–2020).
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 Naval Station Newport (RI256); NAS Whidbey Island (WA312). Confirm current rates on the DTMO BAH lookup.
- 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent. HUD FY2026 FMR — Newport County $1,729; 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: 02840 (Newport) $2,380 / $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 Newport city, Rhode Island ($746,900, $1,698/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 — T.F. Green Providence (NWS) (USW00014787); Whidbey Island NAS (NWS) (USW00024255).
- Host-state wage tax. Statewide listed rates for Rhode Island 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 Rhode Island 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 Rhode Island and Washington. On-base housing is not in this figure.
- Vehicle title tax and new-resident clocks. Rhode Island motor-vehicle agency (license 30 days, title 30 days; title tax 7.00%); 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 Rhode Island 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 Rhode Island and Washington. Backdrop for off-base purchase prices; on-base housing and BAH are separate.