PCS Location Intelligence
Compare Military Duty Stations
Weigh schools, crime and safety, healthcare and TRICARE access, commute time, public transportation, travel and airport proximity, things to do, and quietness for up to three duty stations or neighborhoods — then get a personal Compatibility Score for each. Below is a default example; complete the questionnaire in the interactive tool to set your own priorities and add your own locations.
Data note: pay and BAH figures come from the 2026 DFAS and DTMO tables. The school, crime/safety, commute, and airport scores are interim estimates — not official data — and the methodology is being rebuilt on public sources.
Example: Fort Bliss vs. Naval Base San Diego, E-5 with Dependents
An example only, comparing Fort Bliss Main Post (El Paso, TX) and Downtown San Diego / Marina (Naval Base San Diego) at equal (Medium) weighting on every factor — the same two locations the tool pre-loads after the questionnaire. BAH is for an E-5 with dependents; your own rank, dependency status, and duty station will change every number below.
| Factor | Fort Bliss (El Paso, TX) | Naval Base San Diego |
|---|---|---|
| BAH (E-5, with dependents)Example | $1,809.00 | $3,975.00 |
| Est. off-post rent (2BR, HUD FMR) | $1,150.00 | $2,850.00 |
| Schools rating | 6/10 | 5/10 |
| Crime / safety rating | 8/10 | 5/10 |
| Avg. commute to base | 5 min | 12 min |
| Travel / airport proximity rating | 6/10 | 9/10 |
| Compatibility Score (equal weighting) | 65% | 73% |
BAH is an official 2026 DoD rate for the example rank and dependency status shown; your actual BAH depends on your own grade, dependents, and duty station. Ratings, commute, and estimated rent are the same location-intelligence data the interactive tool uses. The Compatibility Score above weights all eight factors equally — adjust the sliders in the interactive tool below to match your own priorities.
Using the Comparison Tool for a PCS Decision
Start with the four-question intake — who is relocating with you, your top priorities, housing preference, and commute tolerance — which sets sensible starting weights (families with kids automatically weight schools, healthcare, and quietness higher). Then add up to three duty stations or neighborhoods by base name, neighborhood, or ZIP code. Fine-tune each factor slider from Excluded to High, and if you have a family member enrolled in EFMP, toggle the Family Audit to force Healthcare and Schools to High. Review the resulting Compatibility Score and radar chart side by side, and check the TRICARE Specialist Directory panel — a live search of the CMS NPPES national provider registry — for pediatric, mental health, therapy, neurology, and cardiology providers near each location. If a spouse's profession is entered, the tool also surfaces state-specific licensing reciprocity guidance for nursing, teaching, real estate, and law. Because the comparison itself estimates rent rather than BAH, pair it with the BAH calculator or the pay calculator for your exact housing allowance before finalizing a budget.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the PCS Location Comparison Tool actually compare?
It weighs eight factors for each duty station or neighborhood you add — schools, crime/safety, emergency services, healthcare & TRICARE provider density, public transportation, travel/airport proximity, things to do, and quietness — plus average commute time to the installation and estimated off-post rent (HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom). You set each factor to Excluded, Low, Medium, or High, and the tool rolls those weights into a single personal Compatibility Score for each location, shown alongside a radar chart of all eight factors.
Does the comparison tool show official BAH rates?
No — the comparison dashboard shows estimated off-post rent from HUD Fair Market Rent data, not your official housing allowance. For example, an E-5 with dependents draws $1,809.00/month BAH at Fort Bliss (El Paso, TX) versus $3,975.00/month at Naval Base San Diego, per the 2026 DoD BAH rate table — look up your own grade and duty station with the BAH calculator before finalizing a PCS budget.
How is the Compatibility Score calculated?
Each of the eight rated factors (1-10 per location) is multiplied by the weight you set for it, summed, and divided by the maximum possible weighted score, then expressed as a percentage. Leaving every factor at the default Medium weight, as in the example above, produces an equal-weight score; turning on the EFMP Family Audit toggle automatically raises Healthcare and Schools to High for that calculation.
How many duty stations can I compare, and is my comparison saved?
Up to three, side-by-side, at no cost. Sign in and your questionnaire answers, added locations, and weight settings save to your account automatically; without an account they're saved locally in your browser only.