Moving to Joint Base San Antonio
Housing, neighborhoods, schools, and 2026 BAH for families PCSing to San Antonio, Texas.
Also known as: JBSA, Lackland AFB, Fort Sam Houston, Randolph AFB
Joint Base San Antonio combines Lackland, Fort Sam Houston, and Randolph into the Defense Department’s largest joint base, and is the home of Air Force basic training. Families PCSing here spread across the San Antonio metro, where low Texas home prices and no state income tax make buying with a VA loan very common.
Last updated: 2026-07-19
On-base vs off-base housing
On-base housing across the three JBSA locations is managed by Hunt Military Communities, with waitlists on larger homes. Off-base, families pick a side of the metro based on which JBSA location they report to: the far West Side near Lackland, the North East near Randolph, or central near Fort Sam Houston. San Antonio’s low prices make buying the norm.
Where military families live near Joint Base San Antonio
Families PCSing to Joint Base San Antonio most often settle in West / Northwest San Antonio, Schertz / Universal City, Alamo Heights / Central. The table below shows typical rents, home prices, and drive time to the gate for each.
| Area | 3-bed rent | Home prices | To gate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| West / Northwest San Antonio (Lackland) | $1,300-$1,850 | $230k-$340k | 10-25 min | Closest to Lackland and BMT; newer far-West-Side subdivisions. |
| Schertz / Universal City (Randolph) | $1,400-$1,950 | $260k-$370k | 5-20 min | Suburbs by Randolph with strong schools; family favorite. |
| Alamo Heights / Central (Fort Sam) | $1,450-$2,100 | $280k-$420k | 10-20 min | Established central neighborhoods near Fort Sam Houston. |
2026 BAH near Joint Base San Antonio
Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) at Joint Base San Antonio is set by the TX285 (San Antonio, TX) military housing area. Rates below are monthly, by pay grade, for 2026.
| Pay grade | With dependents | Without dependents |
|---|---|---|
| E-5 | $1,869 | $1,500 |
| E-7 | $2,112 | $1,731 |
| O-3 | $2,127 | $2,007 |
Source: DoD/DTMO 2026 BAH rate table (travel.dod.mil), effective January 1, 2026.
Schools near Joint Base San Antonio
| School | Level | District | Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Samuel Clemens High School | High | Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City ISD | Schertz |
| Ronald Reagan High School | High | North East ISD | San Antonio |
| Cole Elementary | Elementary | Fort Sam Houston ISD | San Antonio |
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Which part of San Antonio should I live in for JBSA?
It depends on which JBSA location you report to. Families at Lackland pick the West and Northwest side, those at Randolph favor Schertz and Universal City for the schools, and those at Fort Sam Houston choose central neighborhoods. San Antonio traffic makes reporting location the biggest factor in where to live.
Is San Antonio affordable for military families?
Yes. San Antonio has home prices well below the national average and Texas charges no state income tax, so buying with a VA loan is realistic for most ranks. The large, steady military population across the three JBSA locations keeps rental demand strong for families who buy and later PCS out.
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