Compare military bases / Whiteman Air Force Base → Laughlin Air Force Base
Whiteman → Laughlin
Compare Whiteman Air Force Base and Laughlin Air Force Base
Will my BAH (Basic Allowance for Housing) go up or down if I move from Whiteman Air Force Base to Laughlin 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.
- Whiteman Air Force Base
- $1,215
- Laughlin Air Force Base
- $1,209
- Lower BAH at Laughlin Air Force Base
BAH vs typical 2-bedroom rent nearby.
- Whiteman Air Force Base
- $235/mo left over
- Laughlin Air Force Base
- $149/mo left over
Housing just outside the gate: Knob Noster vs Del Rio
Rents shown on table are the 40th-percentile for 2 and 3 bedroom figures for the residential ZIP code nearest the base.
| Whiteman Air Force Base Knob Noster 65336 | Laughlin Air Force Base Del Rio 78841 | |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (city) | $202,600 | $160,400 |
| Median gross rent (city) | $826/mo | $895 |
| HUD ZIP 2-BR rent | $980/mo | $1,060 |
| HUD ZIP 3-BR rent | $1,360/mo | $1,440 |
| HUD metro 2-BR rent (wider area) | $965/mo | $1,064 |
| E-5 without dependents minus 2-BR | +$235/mo | +$149/mo |
| E-5 with dependents minus 3-BR | +$251/mo | +$30/mo |
E-5 without dependents vs a HUD 2-bedroom is +$235/mo at Whiteman Air Force Base vs +$149/mo at Laughlin Air Force Base. E-5 with dependents vs a 3-bedroom is +$251/mo vs +$30/mo.
Host-state comparison: Missouri vs. Texas
| Missouri | Texas | |
|---|---|---|
| Sales tax | 8.44% | 8.20% |
| Property tax | 0.89% | 1.40% |
| Personal property tax | Yes — 2.55% effective | No |
| Top state income tax | 4.7% | 0.0% |
| Median home value | $267,791 | $304,099 |
| Branch | Air Force | Air Force |
| HUD 2-BR FMR | $965 | $1,064 |
| Climate high/low | 65° / 44°F | 85° / 63°F |
| Annual precip | 39.3 in | 19.8 in |
| Nearby city | Knob Noster | Del Rio |
| Host state | Missouri | Texas |
PCS checklist for Laughlin Air Force Base
- Update DEERS. BAH at Laughlin Air Force Base uses MHA TX278 (ZIP 78843).
- Look up your exact rate on the DTMO BAH lookup.
- HUD 2-bedroom FMR near Laughlin Air Force Base is $1,064/mo. On-base housing is separate.
- New Texas residents typically have 90 days for a license and 30 days to title a car.
- Reporting: Laughlin Air Force Base.
Biggest differences
- E-5 with-dependents BAH is lower at Laughlin Air Force Base ($1,470 vs $1,611).
- Median owner-occupied home value in the off-base city is $160,400 in Del Rio vs $202,600 in Knob Noster (Census ACS 5-year, 2020–2024).
- HUD ZIP 2-bedroom rent just outside the gate is $1,060 in 78841 vs $980 in 65336.
- Host-state wage tax is Top listed rate 4.7% in Missouri vs No personal income tax in Texas (military pay usually follows legal residence, not the duty station).
- Combined sales tax averages 8.2% in Texas vs 8.44% in Missouri.
Common questions
Does BAH go down from Whiteman Air Force Base to Laughlin 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: $1,611 vs $1,470; without dependents: $1,215 vs $1,209.
What is local rent like near Laughlin Air Force Base?
HUD FY2026 Small Area FMR for ZIP 78841 (Del Rio) is $1,060/mo for a 2-bedroom and $1,440/mo for a 3-bedroom. The wider metro 2-BR FMR is $1,064/mo.
Will BAH cover off-base rent if I PCS from Whiteman Air Force Base to Laughlin Air Force Base?
E-5 without dependents minus a HUD 2-bedroom is +$235/mo at Whiteman Air Force Base vs +$149/mo at Laughlin Air Force Base. E-5 with dependents minus a 3-bedroom is +$251/mo vs +$30/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 Whiteman Air Force Base to Laughlin 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. Missouri: Top listed rate 4.7%. Texas: No personal income tax. BAH is not taxed. Sales tax and titling a car follow the state you live in.
How long do I have for a license and car title if I PCS to Laughlin Air Force Base?
New Texas residents typically have 90 days for a license and 30 days to title a car (30 and 30 days in Missouri).
How different is the climate from Whiteman Air Force Base to Laughlin Air Force Base?
Annual normals at Kansas City Intl (NWS) are 65° / 44°F and 39.3 in of precipitation vs 85° / 63°F and 19.8 in at Del Rio Intl (NWS) (NOAA 1991–2020).
What do homes cost in Knob Noster vs Del Rio?
Census ACS 5-year (2020–2024) median value of owner-occupied homes is $202,600 in Knob Noster city, Missouri vs $160,400 in Del Rio city, Texas. Median gross rent in those cities is $826 vs $895. These are city medians (owners’ reported values), not last month’s sale prices.
Related PCS
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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 Whiteman Air Force Base (MO162); Laughlin Air Force Base (TX278). Confirm current rates on the DTMO BAH lookup.
- 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent. HUD FY2026 FMR — Johnson County $965; Val Verde County $1,064.
- Off-base ZIP rent (HUD Small Area FMR). FY2026 ZIP 2- and 3-bedroom 40th-percentile rents from the HUD Small Area FMR tables: 65336 (Knob Noster) $980 / $1,360; 78841 (Del Rio) $1,060 / $1,440.
- 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 Knob Noster city, Missouri ($202,600, $826/mo) and Del Rio city, Texas ($160,400, $895/mo). Owner-reported values, not transaction prices.
- Climate normals (1991–2020). NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals — Kansas City Intl (NWS) (USW00003947); Del Rio Intl (NWS) (USW00022010).
- Host-state wage tax. Statewide listed rates for Missouri and Texas 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 Missouri and Texas. 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 Missouri and Texas. On-base housing is not in this figure.
- Vehicle title tax and new-resident clocks. Missouri motor-vehicle agency (license 30 days, title 30 days; title tax 4.22%); Texas motor-vehicle agency (license 90 days, title 30 days; title tax 6.25%). 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 Missouri and Texas. 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 Missouri and Texas. Backdrop for off-base purchase prices; on-base housing and BAH are separate.