Compare military bases / Vandenberg Space Force Base → Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson
Vandenberg → JBER
Compare Vandenberg Space Force Base and Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson
Will my BAH (Basic Allowance for Housing) go up or down if I move from Vandenberg Space Force Base to Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson?
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
- Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson
- $2,157
- Lower BAH at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson
BAH minus HUD 2-bedroom rent for the ZIP nearest each base.
- Vandenberg Space Force Base
- +$48/mo
- Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson
- +$387/mo
Housing just outside the gate: Lompoc vs Anchorage
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 | Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson Anchorage 99502 | |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (city) | $472,900 | $395,900 |
| Median gross rent (city) | $1,589/mo | $1,489 |
| HUD ZIP 2-BR rent | $2,730/mo | $1,770 |
| HUD ZIP 3-BR rent | $3,610/mo | $2,460 |
| HUD metro 2-BR rent (wider area) | $3,124/mo | $1,631 |
| E-5 without dependents minus 2-BR | +$48/mo | +$387/mo |
| E-5 with dependents minus 3-BR | −$277/mo | +$414/mo |
E-5 without dependents vs a HUD 2-bedroom is +$48/mo at Vandenberg Space Force Base vs +$387/mo at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson. E-5 with dependents vs a 3-bedroom is −$277/mo vs +$414/mo.
Host-state comparison: California vs. Alaska
| California | Alaska | |
|---|---|---|
| Sales tax | 8.99% | 1.82% |
| Property tax | 0.70% | 0.94% |
| Personal property tax | Yes — 0.65% effective | No |
| Top state income tax | 13.3% | 0.0% |
| Median home value | $778,217 | $391,973 |
| Branch | Space Force | Joint |
| HUD 2-BR FMR | $3,124 | $1,631 |
| Climate high/low | 70° / 48°F | 44° / 31°F |
| Annual precip | 13.3 in | 16.4 in |
| Nearby city | Lompoc | Anchorage |
| Host state | California | Alaska |
Click here for the full state comparison: California → Alaska
PCS checklist for Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson
- Update DEERS. BAH at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson uses MHA AK404 (ZIP 99506).
- Look up your exact rate on the DTMO BAH lookup.
- HUD 2-bedroom FMR near Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson is $1,631/mo. On-base housing is separate.
- New Alaska residents typically have 90 days for a license and 10 days to title a car.
- Reporting: Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson.
Biggest differences
- E-5 with-dependents BAH is lower at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson ($2,874 vs $3,333).
- Median owner-occupied home value in the off-base city is $395,900 in Anchorage vs $472,900 in Lompoc (Census ACS 5-year, 2020–2024).
- HUD ZIP 2-bedroom rent just outside the gate is $1,770 in 99502 vs $2,730 in 93436.
- Vandenberg Space Force Base is labeled Space Force; Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson is Joint. 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 No personal income tax in Alaska (military pay usually follows legal residence, not the duty station).
- Combined sales tax averages 1.82% in Alaska vs 8.99% in California.
Common questions
Can I PCS from Vandenberg Space Force Base to Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson?
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 Vandenberg Space Force Base to Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson?
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 $2,874; without dependents: $2,778 vs $2,157.
What is local rent like near Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson?
HUD FY2026 Small Area FMR for ZIP 99502 (Anchorage) is $1,770/mo for a 2-bedroom and $2,460/mo for a 3-bedroom. The wider metro 2-BR FMR is $1,631/mo.
What do homes cost in Lompoc vs Anchorage?
Census ACS 5-year (2020–2024) median value of owner-occupied homes is $472,900 in Lompoc city, California vs $395,900 in Anchorage municipality, Alaska. Median gross rent in those cities is $1,589 vs $1,489. These are city medians (owners’ reported values), not last month’s sale prices.
Will BAH cover off-base rent if I PCS from Vandenberg Space Force Base to Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson?
E-5 without dependents minus a HUD 2-bedroom is +$48/mo at Vandenberg Space Force Base vs +$387/mo at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson. E-5 with dependents minus a 3-bedroom is −$277/mo vs +$414/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 Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson?
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). Alaska: No personal income tax. BAH is not taxed. Sales tax and titling a car follow the state you live in.
Related PCS
Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson → Vandenberg Space Force Base
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 Vandenberg Space Force Base (CA026); Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson (AK404). Confirm current rates on the DTMO BAH lookup.
- 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent. HUD FY2026 FMR — Santa Barbara County $3,124; Anchorage Municipality $1,631.
- 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; 99502 (Anchorage) $1,770 / $2,460.
- 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 Anchorage municipality, Alaska ($395,900, $1,489/mo). Owner-reported values, not transaction prices.
- Climate normals (1991–2020). NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals — Santa Maria Public (NWS) (USW00023273); Anchorage Intl (NWS) (USW00026451).
- Host-state wage tax. Statewide listed rates for California and Alaska 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 Alaska. 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 Alaska. 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%); Alaska motor-vehicle agency (license 90 days, title 10 days; title tax 0.00%). 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 California and Alaska. 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 Alaska. Backdrop for off-base purchase prices; on-base housing and BAH are separate.