Compare military bases / Scott Air Force Base → Vandenberg Space Force Base
Scott → Vandenberg
Compare Scott Air Force Base and Vandenberg Space Force Base
Will my BAH (Basic Allowance for Housing) go up or down if I move from Scott Air Force Base to Vandenberg Space Force Base?
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.
- Scott Air Force Base
- $1,422
- Vandenberg Space Force Base
- $2,778
- Higher BAH at Vandenberg Space Force Base
BAH minus HUD 2-bedroom rent for the ZIP nearest each base.
- Scott Air Force Base
- +$192/mo
- Vandenberg Space Force Base
- +$48/mo
Housing just outside the gate: Belleville vs Lompoc
Rents shown on table are the 40th-percentile for 2 and 3 bedroom figures for the residential ZIP code nearest the base.
| Scott Air Force Base Belleville 62221 | Vandenberg Space Force Base Lompoc 93436 | |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (city) | $141,300 | $472,900 |
| Median gross rent (city) | $1,019/mo | $1,589 |
| HUD ZIP 2-BR rent | $1,230/mo | $2,730 |
| HUD ZIP 3-BR rent | $1,580/mo | $3,610 |
| HUD metro 2-BR rent (wider area) | $1,218/mo | $3,124 |
| E-5 without dependents minus 2-BR | +$192/mo | +$48/mo |
| E-5 with dependents minus 3-BR | −$38/mo | −$277/mo |
E-5 without dependents vs a HUD 2-bedroom is +$192/mo at Scott Air Force Base vs +$48/mo at Vandenberg Space Force Base. E-5 with dependents vs a 3-bedroom is −$38/mo vs −$277/mo.
Host-state comparison: Illinois vs. California
| Illinois | California | |
|---|---|---|
| Sales tax | 8.96% | 8.99% |
| Property tax | 1.88% | 0.70% |
| Personal property tax | No | Yes — 0.65% effective |
| Top state income tax | 4.95% | 13.3% |
| Median home value | $292,979 | $778,217 |
| Branch | Air Force | Space Force |
| HUD 2-BR FMR | $1,218 | $3,124 |
| Climate high/low | 67° / 48°F | 70° / 48°F |
| Annual precip | 41.7 in | 13.3 in |
| Nearby city | Belleville | Lompoc |
| Host state | Illinois | California |
Click here for the full state comparison: Illinois → California
PCS checklist for Vandenberg Space Force Base
- Update DEERS. BAH at Vandenberg Space Force Base uses MHA CA026 (ZIP 93437).
- Look up your exact rate on the DTMO BAH lookup.
- HUD 2-bedroom FMR near Vandenberg Space Force Base is $3,124/mo. On-base housing is separate.
- New California residents typically have 10 days for a license and 20 days to title a car.
- Reporting: Vandenberg Space Force Base.
Biggest differences
- E-5 with-dependents BAH is higher at Vandenberg Space Force Base ($3,333 vs $1,542).
- Median owner-occupied home value in the off-base city is $472,900 in Lompoc vs $141,300 in Belleville (Census ACS 5-year, 2020–2024).
- HUD ZIP 2-bedroom rent just outside the gate is $2,730 in 93436 vs $1,230 in 62221.
- Scott Air Force Base is labeled Air Force; Vandenberg Space Force Base is Space Force. The pair is valid because of shared tenants.
- Host-state wage tax is Flat 4.95% in Illinois vs 1%–12.3%, plus 1% over $1M (13.3% top) in California (military pay usually follows legal residence, not the duty station).
- Combined sales tax averages 8.99% in California vs 8.96% in Illinois.
Common questions
Can I PCS from Scott Air Force Base to Vandenberg Space Force Base?
This pair is listed because the installations share a tenant service (Air Force). Your actual orders depend on your MOS/AFSC/rating and the gaining unit.
How does BAH change from Scott Air Force Base to Vandenberg Space Force Base?
DTMO CY2026 with- and without-dependents rates for every pay grade are in the BAH table on this page. E-5 with dependents: $1,542 vs $3,333; without dependents: $1,422 vs $2,778.
What is local rent like near Vandenberg Space Force Base?
HUD FY2026 Small Area FMR for ZIP 93436 (Lompoc) is $2,730/mo for a 2-bedroom and $3,610/mo for a 3-bedroom. The wider metro 2-BR FMR is $3,124/mo.
What do homes cost in Belleville vs Lompoc?
Census ACS 5-year (2020–2024) median value of owner-occupied homes is $141,300 in Belleville city, Illinois vs $472,900 in Lompoc city, California. Median gross rent in those cities is $1,019 vs $1,589. These are city medians (owners’ reported values), not last month’s sale prices.
Will BAH cover off-base rent if I PCS from Scott Air Force Base to Vandenberg Space Force Base?
E-5 without dependents minus a HUD 2-bedroom is +$192/mo at Scott Air Force Base vs +$48/mo at Vandenberg Space Force Base. E-5 with dependents minus a 3-bedroom is −$38/mo vs −$277/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 Scott Air Force Base to Vandenberg Space Force Base?
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%. California: 1%–12.3%, plus 1% over $1M (13.3% top). 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 Scott Air Force Base (IL093); Vandenberg Space Force Base (CA026). Confirm current rates on the DTMO BAH lookup.
- 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent. HUD FY2026 FMR — St. Clair County $1,218; Santa Barbara County $3,124.
- Off-base ZIP rent (HUD Small Area FMR). FY2026 ZIP 2- and 3-bedroom 40th-percentile rents from the HUD Small Area FMR tables: 62221 (Belleville) $1,230 / $1,580; 93436 (Lompoc) $2,730 / $3,610.
- 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 Belleville city, Illinois ($141,300, $1,019/mo) and Lompoc city, California ($472,900, $1,589/mo). Owner-reported values, not transaction prices.
- Climate normals (1991–2020). NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals — St. Louis Lambert (NWS) (USW00013994); Santa Maria Public (NWS) (USW00023273).
- Host-state wage tax. Statewide listed rates for Illinois and California 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 California. 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 California. 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%); California motor-vehicle agency (license 10 days, title 20 days; title tax 7.25%). 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 California. 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 California. Backdrop for off-base purchase prices; on-base housing and BAH are separate.