Compare military bases / Redstone Arsenal → Fort Leavenworth
Redstone → Leavenworth
Compare Redstone Arsenal and Fort Leavenworth
Will my BAH (Basic Allowance for Housing) go up or down if I move from Redstone Arsenal to Fort Leavenworth?
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 Leavenworth
- $1,569
- Higher BAH at Fort Leavenworth
BAH vs typical 2-bedroom rent nearby.
- Redstone Arsenal
- $103/mo left over
- Fort Leavenworth
- $469/mo left over
Housing just outside the gate: Huntsville vs Leavenworth
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 Leavenworth Leavenworth 66048 | |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (city) | $293,600 | $193,000 |
| Median gross rent (city) | $1,171/mo | $1,229 |
| HUD ZIP 2-BR rent | $1,340/mo | $1,100 |
| HUD ZIP 3-BR rent | $1,730/mo | $1,430 |
| HUD metro 2-BR rent (wider area) | $1,310/mo | $1,358 |
| E-5 without dependents minus 2-BR | +$103/mo | +$469/mo |
| E-5 with dependents minus 3-BR | +$67/mo | +$385/mo |
E-5 without dependents vs a HUD 2-bedroom is +$103/mo at Redstone Arsenal vs +$469/mo at Fort Leavenworth. E-5 with dependents vs a 3-bedroom is +$67/mo vs +$385/mo.
Host-state comparison: Alabama vs. Kansas
| Alabama | Kansas | |
|---|---|---|
| Sales tax | 9.46% | 8.69% |
| Property tax | 0.37% | 1.21% |
| Personal property tax | Yes — 0.70% effective | Yes — 1.93% effective |
| Top state income tax | 5.0% | 5.58% |
| Median home value | $238,703 | $248,965 |
| Branch | Army | Army |
| HUD 2-BR FMR | $1,310 | $1,358 |
| Climate high/low | 73° / 54°F | 65° / 44°F |
| Annual precip | 50.4 in | 39.3 in |
| Nearby city | Huntsville | Leavenworth |
| Host state | Alabama | Kansas |
PCS checklist for Fort Leavenworth
- Update DEERS. BAH at Fort Leavenworth uses MHA KS102 (ZIP 66027).
- Look up your exact rate on the DTMO BAH lookup.
- HUD 2-bedroom FMR near Fort Leavenworth is $1,358/mo. On-base housing is separate.
- New Kansas residents typically have 30 days for a license and 30 days to title a car.
- Reporting: Fort Leavenworth.
Biggest differences
- E-5 with-dependents BAH is higher at Fort Leavenworth ($1,815 vs $1,797).
- Median owner-occupied home value in the off-base city is $193,000 in Leavenworth vs $293,600 in Huntsville (Census ACS 5-year, 2020–2024).
- HUD ZIP 2-bedroom rent just outside the gate is $1,100 in 66048 vs $1,340 in 35807.
- Host-state wage tax is Top listed rate 5.0% in Alabama vs Top listed rate 5.58% in Kansas (military pay usually follows legal residence, not the duty station).
- Combined sales tax averages 8.69% in Kansas vs 9.46% in Alabama.
Common questions
Is BAH different from Redstone Arsenal to Fort Leavenworth?
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 $1,815; without dependents: $1,443 vs $1,569.
What is local rent like near Fort Leavenworth?
HUD FY2026 Small Area FMR for ZIP 66048 (Leavenworth) is $1,100/mo for a 2-bedroom and $1,430/mo for a 3-bedroom. The wider metro 2-BR FMR is $1,358/mo.
Will BAH cover off-base rent if I PCS from Redstone Arsenal to Fort Leavenworth?
E-5 without dependents minus a HUD 2-bedroom is +$103/mo at Redstone Arsenal vs +$469/mo at Fort Leavenworth. E-5 with dependents minus a 3-bedroom is +$67/mo vs +$385/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 Leavenworth?
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%. Kansas: Top listed rate 5.58%. BAH is not taxed. Sales tax and titling a car follow the state you live in.
How does sales tax near Fort Leavenworth compare with Redstone Arsenal?
Combined sales tax averages 8.69% in Kansas vs 9.46% in Alabama. This follows where you live, not legal residence for military pay.
What do homes cost in Huntsville vs Leavenworth?
Census ACS 5-year (2020–2024) median value of owner-occupied homes is $293,600 in Huntsville city, Alabama vs $193,000 in Leavenworth city, Kansas. Median gross rent in those cities is $1,171 vs $1,229. These are city medians (owners’ reported values), not last month’s sale prices.
How different is the climate from Redstone Arsenal to Fort Leavenworth?
Annual normals at Huntsville Intl (NWS) are 73° / 54°F and 50.4 in of precipitation vs 65° / 44°F and 39.3 in at Kansas City Intl (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 Redstone Arsenal (AL003); Fort Leavenworth (KS102). Confirm current rates on the DTMO BAH lookup.
- 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent. HUD FY2026 FMR — Madison County $1,310; Leavenworth County $1,358.
- 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; 66048 (Leavenworth) $1,100 / $1,430.
- 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 Leavenworth city, Kansas ($193,000, $1,229/mo). Owner-reported values, not transaction prices.
- Climate normals (1991–2020). NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals — Huntsville Intl (NWS) (USW00013874); Kansas City Intl (NWS) (USW00003947).
- Host-state wage tax. Statewide listed rates for Alabama and Kansas 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 Kansas. 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 Kansas. 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%); Kansas 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 Alabama and Kansas. 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 Kansas. Backdrop for off-base purchase prices; on-base housing and BAH are separate.