When a military family receives Permanent Change of Station orders, an important decision they'll face is deciding where to live.
While they pack up and say goodbyes, another question looms: Will we buy, rent, or live on or off base?
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What to Know About Living in Military Housing
Living on base in military housing is a unique experience. There’s no better way to immerse yourself in the military lifestyle. The pros and cons fluctuate from one duty station to the next, and while one military family loves it, another one doesn’t. It’s certainly not a one-size-fits-all situation.
Military Housing Perks
1. Military housing costs are covered.
When you live in privatized military housing, your Basic Housing Allowance (BAH) covers the cost of rent and utilities each month. It’s a clean process that eliminates the concern for paying your bills on time.
While most expenses are included in the rent, you may need to set up internet, cable, etc., on your own.
2. There's a tight-knit military community on base.
The military is known for its solid and supportive community. There’s something special about meeting people you may not have had much in common with and connecting with them on base.
If the rest of the family's life takes place off base (work, school, and other activities), living on base is a great way to keep your foot in the community while you pursue your interests.
3. Military housing offers convenience to base amenities.
Living on base puts you near everything you need, like the commissary, exchange, health clinic/hospital, gym, lawyer, chapel, counseling, mechanic, and gas station. Service members are also conveniently located near work, which can be an advantage for beating commute times.
4. You might get more for your money.
Depending on where you live, it’s possible that military housing has more to offer than living off base. Hawaii is a good example of this scenario.
Outside Marine Corps Base Hawaii (MCBH), the cost of living is high. Homes that are barely walkable to the beach are small, with minimal or no yards, no central AC, and outdated amenities. On base, properties are a quick stroll from the beach, have yards and central AC, and while they may not be up to date on the latest real estate trends, they aren’t outdated.
Military Housing Drawbacks
1. The lack of privacy on base.
The military community is small. The military housing community is even smaller. Some privatized housing communities are comparable to living on campus at a school, and people may step on each other's toes.
That said, your military family may find comfort in having neighbors who know when the service member is deployed or who notice when something is out of the ordinary. However, it also means there's usually far less privacy on base than off.
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2. There are usually fewer housing options on base.
Much of the on-base housing is old. If it hasn't been recently updated, you could wind up in a less than ideal home. Though the military is attempting to rectify known problems, some older on-base homes have significant concerns, such as mold, dirty air vents, and old flooring.
While any base housing you live in should be up to code, you’ll likely forfeit desired amenities and popular finishes when you choose to live on base.
3. You could feel a little detached from the off-base community.
When you live on base, everything you need is within a small network, and it can become more challenging to be a part of the off-base community. If you live, work, run errands, and receive healthcare on base, look for a reason to go out. Find a church, school, restaurant, or recreational shopping center off base.
What to Know about Living Off Base
Living off base can help you feel like part of the local community, and you can more easily pursue relationships outside the military. It could balance military and civilian life in ways that living on base cannot.
Perks of Living Off Base
1. You gain some distance from military life.
Living off base provides some space from the military community. It doesn't take away your option to participate in activities on base, but it gives you more opportunities to make relationships with people who don’t have any military affiliation.
2. There may be potential to save money.
Base housing (with a few exceptions) takes all of your BAH. If you live off base, it's possible to save money by finding a home well within or under your housing allowance. Remember to calculate other budget factors, like utilities and gas, when looking at homes for rent in the area.
3. There is often a broader selection of off-base housing options.
You can decide which part of town best suits your needs and choose your amenities, too. Do you want an apartment or a single-family home? You have the flexibility to filter for a fenced yard, a pool, a garden tub in the master suite, a gourmet kitchen, and so on.
4. You have the option to buy a home instead of renting.
Of course, you can’t buy military housing, but if you decide to live off the installation, the door to investing in real estate is wide open. Then, when it’s time to move, you can decide between selling or leasing the property for passive income.
Drawbacks of Living Off Base
1. There are numerous separate bills.
Unlike renting military housing which includes the necessities, living off base requires you to establish service to your home independently. Renters create accounts for monthly utility bills like water, electricity, gas, and trash. Service members will also have to remember to pay bills on time and cancel services upon receiving orders to move.
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2. Service members will probably have to commute.
Living farther from work means a longer commute and less time at home. However, the time in the car largely depends on where you choose to live.
Choosing a home right by the gate means minimal time away from home, but opting for a home with land or a distant, budget-friendly option could lead to longer commutes and traffic.
3. You'll need to navigate a relationship with the landlord.
Privatized housing companies operate on-base housing. When something breaks, repairs are as simple as placing maintenance requests through the management company. But when you live off base, you'll need to communicate with your landlord to address concerns.
Whether your landlord is overly involved or lacks open communication to fix issues in the home, an unresponsive landlord can make your rental experience challenging. It's a risk you take when you choose to live off base.
There’s no right or wrong answer to whether you should live on or off base, as each option comes with benefits and drawbacks. Weigh the pros and cons, seek advice from those who've been there, and get a feel for the location before you arrive.
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