Compare military bases / Vandenberg Space Force Base → Holloman Air Force Base
Vandenberg → Holloman
Compare Vandenberg Space Force Base and Holloman Air Force Base
Will my BAH (Basic Allowance for Housing) go up or down if I move from Vandenberg Space Force Base to Holloman Air 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.
- Vandenberg Space Force Base
- $2,778
- Holloman Air Force Base
- $1,197
- Lower BAH at Holloman Air Force Base
BAH vs typical 2-bedroom rent nearby.
- Vandenberg Space Force Base
- $48/mo left over
- Holloman Air Force Base
- $227/mo left over
Housing just outside the gate: Lompoc vs Alamogordo
Rents shown on table are the 40th-percentile for 2 and 3 bedroom figures for the residential ZIP code nearest the base.
| Vandenberg Space Force Base Lompoc 93436 | Holloman Air Force Base Alamogordo 88311 | |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (city) | $472,900 | $172,900 |
| Median gross rent (city) | $1,589/mo | $902 |
| HUD ZIP 2-BR rent | $2,730/mo | $970 |
| HUD ZIP 3-BR rent | $3,610/mo | $1,350 |
| HUD metro 2-BR rent (wider area) | $3,124/mo | $973 |
| E-5 without dependents minus 2-BR | +$48/mo | +$227/mo |
| E-5 with dependents minus 3-BR | −$277/mo | +$240/mo |
E-5 without dependents vs a HUD 2-bedroom is +$48/mo at Vandenberg Space Force Base vs +$227/mo at Holloman Air Force Base. E-5 with dependents vs a 3-bedroom is −$277/mo vs +$240/mo.
Host-state comparison: California vs. New Mexico
| California | New Mexico | |
|---|---|---|
| Sales tax | 8.99% | 7.67% |
| Property tax | 0.70% | 0.63% |
| Personal property tax | Yes — 0.65% effective | No |
| Top state income tax | 13.3% | 5.9% |
| Median home value | $778,217 | $319,165 |
| Branch | Space Force | Air Force |
| HUD 2-BR FMR | $3,124 | $973 |
| Climate high/low | 70° / 48°F | 79° / 54°F |
| Annual precip | 13.3 in | 8.8 in |
| Nearby city | Lompoc | Alamogordo |
| Host state | California | New Mexico |
Click here for the full state comparison: California → New Mexico
PCS checklist for Holloman Air Force Base
- Update DEERS. BAH at Holloman Air Force Base uses MHA NM205 (ZIP 88330).
- Look up your exact rate on the DTMO BAH lookup.
- HUD 2-bedroom FMR near Holloman Air Force Base is $973/mo. On-base housing is separate.
- New New Mexico residents typically have 30 days for a license and 30 days to title a car.
- Reporting: Holloman Air Force Base.
Biggest differences
- E-5 with-dependents BAH is lower at Holloman Air Force Base ($1,590 vs $3,333).
- Median owner-occupied home value in the off-base city is $172,900 in Alamogordo vs $472,900 in Lompoc (Census ACS 5-year, 2020–2024).
- HUD ZIP 2-bedroom rent just outside the gate is $970 in 88311 vs $2,730 in 93436.
- Vandenberg Space Force Base is labeled Space Force; Holloman Air Force Base is Air Force. The pair is valid because of shared tenants.
- Host-state wage tax is 1%–12.3%, plus 1% over $1M (13.3% top) in California vs Top listed rate 5.9% in New Mexico (military pay usually follows legal residence, not the duty station).
- Combined sales tax averages 7.67% in New Mexico vs 8.99% in California.
Common questions
Does BAH go down from Vandenberg Space Force Base to Holloman Air 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: $3,333 vs $1,590; without dependents: $2,778 vs $1,197.
What is local rent like near Holloman Air Force Base?
HUD FY2026 Small Area FMR for ZIP 88311 (Alamogordo) is $970/mo for a 2-bedroom and $1,350/mo for a 3-bedroom. The wider metro 2-BR FMR is $973/mo.
Will BAH cover off-base rent if I PCS from Vandenberg Space Force Base to Holloman Air Force Base?
E-5 without dependents minus a HUD 2-bedroom is +$48/mo at Vandenberg Space Force Base vs +$227/mo at Holloman Air Force Base. E-5 with dependents minus a 3-bedroom is −$277/mo vs +$240/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 Vandenberg Space Force Base to Holloman Air 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. California: 1%–12.3%, plus 1% over $1M (13.3% top). New Mexico: Top listed rate 5.9%. BAH is not taxed. Sales tax and titling a car follow the state you live in.
Can I PCS from Vandenberg Space Force Base to Holloman Air 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 sales tax near Holloman Air Force Base compare with Vandenberg Space Force Base?
Combined sales tax averages 7.67% in New Mexico vs 8.99% in California. This follows where you live, not legal residence for military pay.
What do homes cost in Lompoc vs Alamogordo?
Census ACS 5-year (2020–2024) median value of owner-occupied homes is $472,900 in Lompoc city, California vs $172,900 in Alamogordo city, New Mexico. Median gross rent in those cities is $1,589 vs $902. These are city medians (owners’ reported values), not last month’s sale prices.
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 Vandenberg Space Force Base (CA026); Holloman Air Force Base (NM205). Confirm current rates on the DTMO BAH lookup.
- 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent. HUD FY2026 FMR — Santa Barbara County $3,124; Otero County $973.
- Off-base ZIP rent (HUD Small Area FMR). FY2026 ZIP 2- and 3-bedroom 40th-percentile rents from the HUD Small Area FMR tables: 93436 (Lompoc) $2,730 / $3,610; 88311 (Alamogordo) $970 / $1,350.
- 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 Lompoc city, California ($472,900, $1,589/mo) and Alamogordo city, New Mexico ($172,900, $902/mo). Owner-reported values, not transaction prices.
- Climate normals (1991–2020). NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals — Santa Maria Public (NWS) (USW00023273); El Paso Intl (NWS) (USW00023044).
- Host-state wage tax. Statewide listed rates for California and New Mexico 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 California and New Mexico. 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 California and New Mexico. On-base housing is not in this figure.
- Vehicle title tax and new-resident clocks. California motor-vehicle agency (license 10 days, title 20 days; title tax 7.25%); New Mexico motor-vehicle agency (license 30 days, title 30 days; title tax 4.88%). 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 California and New Mexico. 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 California and New Mexico. Backdrop for off-base purchase prices; on-base housing and BAH are separate.