Compare military bases / Redstone Arsenal → Fort Belvoir
Redstone → Belvoir
Compare Redstone Arsenal and Fort Belvoir
Will my BAH (Basic Allowance for Housing) go up or down if I move from Redstone Arsenal to Fort Belvoir?
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.
- Redstone Arsenal
- $1,443
- Fort Belvoir
- $2,832
- Higher BAH at Fort Belvoir
BAH vs typical 2-bedroom rent nearby.
- Redstone Arsenal
- $103/mo left over
- Fort Belvoir
- $538/mo short
Housing just outside the gate: Huntsville vs Fort Belvoir
Rents shown on table are the 40th-percentile for 2 and 3 bedroom figures for the residential ZIP code nearest the base.
| Redstone Arsenal Huntsville 35807 | Fort Belvoir Fort Belvoir 22060 | |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (city) | $293,600 | $-666,666,666 |
| Median gross rent (city) | $1,171/mo | $3,236 |
| HUD ZIP 2-BR rent | $1,340/mo | $3,370 |
| HUD ZIP 3-BR rent | $1,730/mo | $4,250 |
| HUD metro 2-BR rent (wider area) | $1,310/mo | $2,246 |
| E-5 without dependents minus 2-BR | +$103/mo | −$538/mo |
| E-5 with dependents minus 3-BR | +$67/mo | −$1,118/mo |
E-5 without dependents vs a HUD 2-bedroom is +$103/mo at Redstone Arsenal vs −$538/mo at Fort Belvoir. E-5 with dependents vs a 3-bedroom is +$67/mo vs −$1,118/mo.
Host-state comparison: Alabama vs. Virginia
| Alabama | Virginia | |
|---|---|---|
| Sales tax | 9.46% | 5.77% |
| Property tax | 0.37% | 0.78% |
| Personal property tax | Yes — 0.70% effective | Yes — 3.97% effective |
| Top state income tax | 5.0% | 5.75% |
| Median home value | $238,703 | $416,963 |
| Branch | Army | Army |
| HUD 2-BR FMR | $1,310 | $2,246 |
| Climate high/low | 73° / 54°F | 68° / 51°F |
| Annual precip | 50.4 in | 41.8 in |
| Nearby city | Huntsville | Fort Belvoir |
| Host state | Alabama | Virginia |
Click here for the full state comparison: Alabama → Virginia
PCS checklist for Fort Belvoir
- Update DEERS. BAH at Fort Belvoir uses MHA DC053 (ZIP 22060).
- Look up your exact rate on the DTMO BAH lookup.
- HUD 2-bedroom FMR near Fort Belvoir is $2,246/mo. On-base housing is separate.
- New Virginia residents typically have 60 days for a license and 30 days to title a car.
- Reporting: Fort Belvoir.
Biggest differences
- E-5 with-dependents BAH is higher at Fort Belvoir ($3,132 vs $1,797).
- Median owner-occupied home value in the off-base city is $-666,666,666 in Fort Belvoir vs $293,600 in Huntsville (Census ACS 5-year, 2020–2024).
- HUD ZIP 2-bedroom rent just outside the gate is $3,370 in 22060 vs $1,340 in 35807.
- Host-state wage tax is Top listed rate 5.0% in Alabama 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 9.46% in Alabama.
Common questions
Does BAH go up from Redstone Arsenal to Fort Belvoir?
DTMO CY2026 with- and without-dependents rates for every pay grade are in the BAH table on this page. E-5 with dependents: $1,797 vs $3,132; without dependents: $1,443 vs $2,832.
What do homes cost in Huntsville vs Fort Belvoir?
Census ACS 5-year (2020–2024) median value of owner-occupied homes is $293,600 in Huntsville city, Alabama vs $-666,666,666 in Fort Belvoir CDP, Virginia. Median gross rent in those cities is $1,171 vs $3,236. These are city medians (owners’ reported values), not last month’s sale prices.
What is local rent like near Fort Belvoir?
HUD FY2026 Small Area FMR for ZIP 22060 (Fort Belvoir) is $3,370/mo for a 2-bedroom and $4,250/mo for a 3-bedroom. The wider metro 2-BR FMR is $2,246/mo.
Will BAH cover off-base rent if I PCS from Redstone Arsenal to Fort Belvoir?
E-5 without dependents minus a HUD 2-bedroom is +$103/mo at Redstone Arsenal vs −$538/mo at Fort Belvoir. E-5 with dependents minus a 3-bedroom is +$67/mo vs −$1,118/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 Redstone Arsenal to Fort Belvoir?
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. Alabama: Top listed rate 5.0%. 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 Fort Belvoir compare with Redstone Arsenal?
Combined sales tax averages 5.77% in Virginia vs 9.46% in Alabama. This follows where you live, not legal residence for military pay.
How long do I have for a license and car title if I PCS to Fort Belvoir?
New Virginia residents typically have 60 days for a license and 30 days to title a car (30 and 20 days in Alabama).
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 Redstone Arsenal (AL003); Fort Belvoir (DC053). Confirm current rates on the DTMO BAH lookup.
- 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent. HUD FY2026 FMR — Madison County $1,310; Fairfax County $2,246.
- Off-base ZIP rent (HUD Small Area FMR). FY2026 ZIP 2- and 3-bedroom 40th-percentile rents from the HUD Small Area FMR tables: 35807 (Huntsville) $1,340 / $1,730; 22060 (Fort Belvoir) $3,370 / $4,250.
- 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 Huntsville city, Alabama ($293,600, $1,171/mo) and Fort Belvoir CDP, Virginia ($-666,666,666, $3,236/mo). Owner-reported values, not transaction prices.
- Climate normals (1991–2020). NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals — Huntsville Intl (NWS) (USW00013874); Ronald Reagan Washington National (NWS) (USW00013743).
- Host-state wage tax. Statewide listed rates for Alabama 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 Alabama 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 Alabama and Virginia. On-base housing is not in this figure.
- Vehicle title tax and new-resident clocks. Alabama motor-vehicle agency (license 30 days, title 20 days; title tax 4.00%); 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 Alabama 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 Alabama and Virginia. Backdrop for off-base purchase prices; on-base housing and BAH are separate.