Compare military bases / Schofield Barracks → Fort Benning
Schofield → Benning
Compare Schofield Barracks and Fort Benning
Will my BAH (Basic Allowance for Housing) go up or down if I move from Schofield Barracks to Fort Benning?
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.
- Schofield Barracks
- $2,856
- Fort Benning
- $1,482
- Lower BAH at Fort Benning
BAH vs typical 2-bedroom rent nearby.
- Schofield Barracks
- $114/mo short
- Fort Benning
- $482/mo left over
Housing just outside the gate: Wahiawa vs Columbus
Rents shown on table are the 40th-percentile for 2 and 3 bedroom figures for the residential ZIP code nearest the base.
| Schofield Barracks Wahiawa 96786 | Fort Benning Columbus 31903 | |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (city) | $806,200 | $193,900 |
| Median gross rent (city) | $1,546/mo | $1,106 |
| HUD ZIP 2-BR rent | $2,970/mo | $1,000 |
| HUD ZIP 3-BR rent | $4,130/mo | $1,320 |
| HUD metro 2-BR rent (wider area) | $2,642/mo | $1,088 |
| E-5 without dependents minus 2-BR | −$114/mo | +$482/mo |
| E-5 with dependents minus 3-BR | −$467/mo | +$396/mo |
E-5 without dependents vs a HUD 2-bedroom is −$114/mo at Schofield Barracks vs +$482/mo at Fort Benning. E-5 with dependents vs a 3-bedroom is −$467/mo vs +$396/mo.
Host-state comparison: Hawaii vs. Georgia
| Hawaii | Georgia | |
|---|---|---|
| Sales tax | 4.50% | 7.49% |
| Property tax | 0.29% | 0.79% |
| Personal property tax | No | No |
| Top state income tax | 11.0% | 5.19% |
| Median home value | $834,025 | $335,116 |
| Branch | Army | Army |
| HUD 2-BR FMR | $2,642 | $1,088 |
| Climate high/low | 85° / 72°F | 70° / 49°F |
| Annual precip | 16.4 in | 51.9 in |
| Nearby city | Wahiawa | Columbus |
| Host state | Hawaii | Georgia |
PCS checklist for Fort Benning
- Update DEERS. BAH at Fort Benning uses MHA GA075 (ZIP 31905).
- Look up your exact rate on the DTMO BAH lookup.
- HUD 2-bedroom FMR near Fort Benning is $1,088/mo. On-base housing is separate.
- New Georgia residents typically have 30 days for a license and 30 days to title a car.
- Reporting: Fort Benning.
Biggest differences
- E-5 with-dependents BAH is lower at Fort Benning ($1,716 vs $3,663).
- Median owner-occupied home value in the off-base city is $193,900 in Columbus vs $806,200 in Wahiawa (Census ACS 5-year, 2020–2024).
- HUD ZIP 2-bedroom rent just outside the gate is $1,000 in 31903 vs $2,970 in 96786.
- Host-state wage tax is Top listed rate 11.0% in Hawaii vs Top listed rate 5.19% in Georgia (military pay usually follows legal residence, not the duty station).
- Combined sales tax averages 7.49% in Georgia vs 4.5% in Hawaii.
Common questions
Does BAH go down from Schofield Barracks to Fort Benning?
DTMO CY2026 with- and without-dependents rates for every pay grade are in the BAH table on this page. E-5 with dependents: $3,663 vs $1,716; without dependents: $2,856 vs $1,482.
What is local rent like near Fort Benning?
HUD FY2026 Small Area FMR for ZIP 31903 (Columbus) is $1,000/mo for a 2-bedroom and $1,320/mo for a 3-bedroom. The wider metro 2-BR FMR is $1,088/mo.
Will BAH cover off-base rent if I PCS from Schofield Barracks to Fort Benning?
E-5 without dependents minus a HUD 2-bedroom is −$114/mo at Schofield Barracks vs +$482/mo at Fort Benning. E-5 with dependents minus a 3-bedroom is −$467/mo vs +$396/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 Schofield Barracks to Fort Benning?
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. Hawaii: Top listed rate 11.0%. Georgia: Top listed rate 5.19%. BAH is not taxed. Sales tax and titling a car follow the state you live in.
How does sales tax near Fort Benning compare with Schofield Barracks?
Combined sales tax averages 7.49% in Georgia vs 4.5% in Hawaii. This follows where you live, not legal residence for military pay.
What do homes cost in Wahiawa vs Columbus?
Census ACS 5-year (2020–2024) median value of owner-occupied homes is $806,200 in Wahiawa CDP, Hawaii vs $193,900 in Columbus city, Georgia. Median gross rent in those cities is $1,546 vs $1,106. These are city medians (owners’ reported values), not last month’s sale prices.
How different is the climate from Schofield Barracks to Fort Benning?
Annual normals at Honolulu Intl (NWS) are 85° / 72°F and 16.4 in of precipitation vs 70° / 49°F and 51.9 in at Columbus Metro (NWS) (NOAA 1991–2020).
Related PCS
Fort Benning → Schofield Barracks · Fort Benning → Fort Stewart
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 Schofield Barracks (HI408); Fort Benning (GA075). Confirm current rates on the DTMO BAH lookup.
- 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent. HUD FY2026 FMR — Honolulu County $2,642; Chattahoochee County $1,088.
- Off-base ZIP rent (HUD Small Area FMR). FY2026 ZIP 2- and 3-bedroom 40th-percentile rents from the HUD Small Area FMR tables: 96786 (Wahiawa) $2,970 / $4,130; 31903 (Columbus) $1,000 / $1,320.
- 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 Wahiawa CDP, Hawaii ($806,200, $1,546/mo) and Columbus city, Georgia ($193,900, $1,106/mo). Owner-reported values, not transaction prices.
- Climate normals (1991–2020). NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals — Honolulu Intl (NWS) (USW00022521); Columbus Metro (NWS) (USW00013891).
- Host-state wage tax. Statewide listed rates for Hawaii and Georgia 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 Hawaii and Georgia. 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 Hawaii and Georgia. On-base housing is not in this figure.
- Vehicle title tax and new-resident clocks. Hawaii motor-vehicle agency (license 30 days, title 30 days; title tax 4.00%); Georgia motor-vehicle agency (license 30 days, title 30 days; title tax 7.00%). 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 Hawaii and Georgia. 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 Hawaii and Georgia. Backdrop for off-base purchase prices; on-base housing and BAH are separate.