Compare military bases / Wright-Patterson Air Force Base → Malmstrom Air Force Base
Wright-Patt → Malmstrom
Compare Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and Malmstrom Air Force Base
Will my BAH (Basic Allowance for Housing) go up or down if I move from Wright-Patterson Air Force Base to Malmstrom 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.
- Wright-Patterson Air Force Base
- $1,341
- Malmstrom Air Force Base
- $1,392
- Higher BAH at Malmstrom Air Force Base
BAH minus HUD 2-bedroom rent for the ZIP nearest each base.
- Wright-Patterson Air Force Base
- −$59/mo
- Malmstrom Air Force Base
- +$112/mo
Housing just outside the gate: Dayton vs Great Falls
Rents shown on table are the 40th-percentile for 2 and 3 bedroom figures for the residential ZIP code nearest the base.
| Wright-Patterson Air Force Base Dayton 45424 | Malmstrom Air Force Base Great Falls 59403 | |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (city) | $100,600 | $257,000 |
| Median gross rent (city) | $918/mo | $900 |
| HUD ZIP 2-BR rent | $1,400/mo | $1,280 |
| HUD ZIP 3-BR rent | $1,820/mo | $1,780 |
| HUD metro 2-BR rent (wider area) | $1,273/mo | $1,284 |
| E-5 without dependents minus 2-BR | −$59/mo | +$112/mo |
| E-5 with dependents minus 3-BR | −$170/mo | −$172/mo |
E-5 without dependents vs a HUD 2-bedroom is −$59/mo at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base vs +$112/mo at Malmstrom Air Force Base. E-5 with dependents vs a 3-bedroom is −$170/mo vs −$172/mo.
Host-state comparison: Ohio vs. Montana
| Ohio | Montana | |
|---|---|---|
| Sales tax | 7.29% | 0.00% |
| Property tax | 1.36% | 0.61% |
| Personal property tax | No | Yes — 1.13% effective |
| Top state income tax | 2.75% | 5.65% |
| Median home value | $247,931 | $472,698 |
| Branch | Air Force | Air Force |
| HUD 2-BR FMR | $1,273 | $1,284 |
| Climate high/low | 59° / 42°F | 57° / 32°F |
| Annual precip | 29.9 in | 14.8 in |
| Nearby city | Dayton | Great Falls |
| Host state | Ohio | Montana |
PCS checklist for Malmstrom Air Force Base
- Update DEERS. BAH at Malmstrom Air Force Base uses MHA MT175 (ZIP 59402).
- Look up your exact rate on the DTMO BAH lookup.
- HUD 2-bedroom FMR near Malmstrom Air Force Base is $1,284/mo. On-base housing is separate.
- New Montana residents typically have 60 days for a license and 60 days to title a car.
- Reporting: Malmstrom Air Force Base.
Biggest differences
- E-5 with-dependents BAH is lower at Malmstrom Air Force Base ($1,608 vs $1,650).
- Median owner-occupied home value in the off-base city is $257,000 in Great Falls vs $100,600 in Dayton (Census ACS 5-year, 2020–2024).
- HUD ZIP 2-bedroom rent just outside the gate is $1,280 in 59403 vs $1,400 in 45424.
- Host-state wage tax is Top listed rate 2.75% in Ohio vs Top listed rate 5.65% in Montana (military pay usually follows legal residence, not the duty station).
- Combined sales tax averages 0% in Montana vs 7.29% in Ohio.
Common questions
Can I PCS from Wright-Patterson Air Force Base to Malmstrom 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 Wright-Patterson Air Force Base to Malmstrom 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: $1,650 vs $1,608; without dependents: $1,341 vs $1,392.
What is local rent like near Malmstrom Air Force Base?
HUD FY2026 Small Area FMR for ZIP 59403 (Great Falls) is $1,280/mo for a 2-bedroom and $1,780/mo for a 3-bedroom. The wider metro 2-BR FMR is $1,284/mo.
What do homes cost in Dayton vs Great Falls?
Census ACS 5-year (2020–2024) median value of owner-occupied homes is $100,600 in Dayton city, Ohio vs $257,000 in Great Falls city, Montana. Median gross rent in those cities is $918 vs $900. These are city medians (owners’ reported values), not last month’s sale prices.
Will BAH cover off-base rent if I PCS from Wright-Patterson Air Force Base to Malmstrom Air Force Base?
E-5 without dependents minus a HUD 2-bedroom is −$59/mo at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base vs +$112/mo at Malmstrom Air Force Base. E-5 with dependents minus a 3-bedroom is −$170/mo vs −$172/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 Wright-Patterson Air Force Base to Malmstrom 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. Ohio: Top listed rate 2.75%. Montana: Top listed rate 5.65%. 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 Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (OH231); Malmstrom Air Force Base (MT175). Confirm current rates on the DTMO BAH lookup.
- 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent. HUD FY2026 FMR — Greene County $1,273; Cascade County $1,284.
- Off-base ZIP rent (HUD Small Area FMR). FY2026 ZIP 2- and 3-bedroom 40th-percentile rents from the HUD Small Area FMR tables: 45424 (Dayton) $1,400 / $1,820; 59403 (Great Falls) $1,280 / $1,780.
- 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 Dayton city, Ohio ($100,600, $918/mo) and Great Falls city, Montana ($257,000, $900/mo). Owner-reported values, not transaction prices.
- Climate normals (1991–2020). NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals — Dayton Intl (NWS) (USW00014822); Great Falls Intl (NWS) (USW00024143).
- Host-state wage tax. Statewide listed rates for Ohio and Montana 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 Ohio and Montana. 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 Ohio and Montana. On-base housing is not in this figure.
- Vehicle title tax and new-resident clocks. Ohio motor-vehicle agency (license 30 days, title 30 days; title tax 5.75%); Montana motor-vehicle agency (license 60 days, title 60 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 Ohio and Montana. 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 Ohio and Montana. Backdrop for off-base purchase prices; on-base housing and BAH are separate.