Compare military bases / Whiteman Air Force Base → Maxwell Air Force Base
Whiteman → Maxwell
Compare Whiteman Air Force Base and Maxwell Air Force Base
Will my BAH (Basic Allowance for Housing) go up or down if I move from Whiteman Air Force Base to Maxwell 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
- Maxwell Air Force Base
- $1,431
- Higher BAH at Maxwell Air Force Base
BAH minus HUD 2-bedroom rent for the ZIP nearest each base.
- Whiteman Air Force Base
- +$235/mo
- Maxwell Air Force Base
- +$531/mo
Housing just outside the gate: Knob Noster vs Montgomery
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 | Maxwell Air Force Base Montgomery 36104 | |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (city) | $202,600 | $161,900 |
| Median gross rent (city) | $826/mo | $1,089 |
| HUD ZIP 2-BR rent | $980/mo | $900 |
| HUD ZIP 3-BR rent | $1,360/mo | $1,130 |
| HUD metro 2-BR rent (wider area) | $965/mo | $1,016 |
| E-5 without dependents minus 2-BR | +$235/mo | +$531/mo |
| E-5 with dependents minus 3-BR | +$251/mo | +$553/mo |
E-5 without dependents vs a HUD 2-bedroom is +$235/mo at Whiteman Air Force Base vs +$531/mo at Maxwell Air Force Base. E-5 with dependents vs a 3-bedroom is +$251/mo vs +$553/mo.
Host-state comparison: Missouri vs. Alabama
| Missouri | Alabama | |
|---|---|---|
| Sales tax | 8.44% | 9.46% |
| Property tax | 0.89% | 0.37% |
| Personal property tax | Yes — 2.55% effective | Yes — 0.70% effective |
| Top state income tax | 4.7% | 5.0% |
| Median home value | $267,791 | $238,703 |
| Branch | Air Force | Air Force |
| HUD 2-BR FMR | $965 | $1,016 |
| Climate high/low | 65° / 44°F | 78° / 54°F |
| Annual precip | 39.3 in | 51.2 in |
| Nearby city | Knob Noster | Montgomery |
| Host state | Missouri | Alabama |
Click here for the full state comparison: Missouri → Alabama
PCS checklist for Maxwell Air Force Base
- Update DEERS. BAH at Maxwell Air Force Base uses MHA AL005 (ZIP 36112).
- Look up your exact rate on the DTMO BAH lookup.
- HUD 2-bedroom FMR near Maxwell Air Force Base is $1,016/mo. On-base housing is separate.
- New Alabama residents typically have 30 days for a license and 20 days to title a car.
- Reporting: Maxwell Air Force Base.
Biggest differences
- E-5 with-dependents BAH is higher at Maxwell Air Force Base ($1,683 vs $1,611).
- Median owner-occupied home value in the off-base city is $161,900 in Montgomery vs $202,600 in Knob Noster (Census ACS 5-year, 2020–2024).
- HUD ZIP 2-bedroom rent just outside the gate is $900 in 36104 vs $980 in 65336.
- Host-state wage tax is Top listed rate 4.7% in Missouri vs Top listed rate 5.0% in Alabama (military pay usually follows legal residence, not the duty station).
- Combined sales tax averages 9.46% in Alabama vs 8.44% in Missouri.
Common questions
Can I PCS from Whiteman Air Force Base to Maxwell 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 BAH change from Whiteman Air Force Base to Maxwell 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 $1,683; without dependents: $1,215 vs $1,431.
What is local rent like near Maxwell Air Force Base?
HUD FY2026 Small Area FMR for ZIP 36104 (Montgomery) is $900/mo for a 2-bedroom and $1,130/mo for a 3-bedroom. The wider metro 2-BR FMR is $1,016/mo.
What do homes cost in Knob Noster vs Montgomery?
Census ACS 5-year (2020–2024) median value of owner-occupied homes is $202,600 in Knob Noster city, Missouri vs $161,900 in Montgomery city, Alabama. Median gross rent in those cities is $826 vs $1,089. These are city medians (owners’ reported values), not last month’s sale prices.
Will BAH cover off-base rent if I PCS from Whiteman Air Force Base to Maxwell Air Force Base?
E-5 without dependents minus a HUD 2-bedroom is +$235/mo at Whiteman Air Force Base vs +$531/mo at Maxwell Air Force Base. E-5 with dependents minus a 3-bedroom is +$251/mo vs +$553/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 Maxwell 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%. Alabama: Top listed rate 5.0%. 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 Whiteman Air Force Base (MO162); Maxwell Air Force Base (AL005). Confirm current rates on the DTMO BAH lookup.
- 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent. HUD FY2026 FMR — Johnson County $965; Montgomery County $1,016.
- 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; 36104 (Montgomery) $900 / $1,130.
- 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 Montgomery city, Alabama ($161,900, $1,089/mo). Owner-reported values, not transaction prices.
- Climate normals (1991–2020). NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals — Kansas City Intl (NWS) (USW00003947); Montgomery Regional (NWS) (USW00013895).
- Host-state wage tax. Statewide listed rates for Missouri and Alabama 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 Alabama. 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 Alabama. 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%); Alabama motor-vehicle agency (license 30 days, title 20 days; title tax 4.00%). 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 Missouri and Alabama. 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 Alabama. Backdrop for off-base purchase prices; on-base housing and BAH are separate.