Moving to NAS Oceana
Housing, neighborhoods, schools, and 2026 BAH for families PCSing to Virginia Beach, Virginia.
Also known as: Oceana
Naval Air Station Oceana, in Virginia Beach, is the Navy’s East Coast master jet base, home to the F/A-18 Super Hornet fleet. Families PCSing here settle across Virginia Beach and Chesapeake, drawn by the oceanfront, strong schools, and a deep, military-friendly Hampton Roads housing market.
Last updated: 2026-07-19
On-base vs off-base housing
On-base housing serves families with the usual waitlists. Off-base, Virginia Beach wraps around the base with everything from oceanfront living to inland suburbs and top schools, while Chesapeake to the west offers newer construction and larger lots. Hampton Roads’ huge military population makes it very VA-loan-friendly, with moderate prices for a coastal metro.
Where military families live near NAS Oceana
Families PCSing to NAS Oceana most often settle in Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Virginia Beach. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach (central) | $1,700-$2,400 | $350k-$500k | 5-15 min | Closest to the base with top schools and a range of prices. |
| Chesapeake | $1,700-$2,300 | $340k-$480k | 15-25 min | Newer construction and larger lots to the west. |
| Virginia Beach (oceanfront) | $1,900-$2,700 | $400k-$580k | 15-25 min | Beach living closer to the coast at higher prices. |
2026 BAH near NAS Oceana
Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) at NAS Oceana is set by the VA298 (Norfolk/Portsmouth, VA) military housing area. Rates below are monthly, by pay grade, for 2026.
| Pay grade | With dependents | Without dependents |
|---|---|---|
| E-5 | $2,430 | $1,908 |
| E-7 | $2,604 | $2,235 |
| O-3 | $2,694 | $2,505 |
Source: DoD/DTMO 2026 BAH rate table (travel.dod.mil), effective January 1, 2026.
Schools near NAS Oceana
| School | Level | District | Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ocean Lakes High School | High | Virginia Beach City Public Schools | Virginia Beach |
| Kellam High School | High | Virginia Beach City Public Schools | Virginia Beach |
| Red Mill Elementary | Elementary | Virginia Beach City Public Schools | Virginia Beach |
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Where do most families live near NAS Oceana?
Virginia Beach wraps around the base with everything from oceanfront living to inland suburbs and top schools, so most families live there. Chesapeake to the west offers newer construction and larger lots. The huge Hampton Roads military population makes the whole area very VA-loan-friendly with moderate prices.
Is Virginia Beach a good place to buy with a VA loan?
Yes. Virginia Beach and the wider Hampton Roads region have one of the largest military populations in the country, which keeps the market deep and VA-loan-friendly. Prices are moderate for a coastal metro, and homes rent and resell quickly given the constant rotation of sailors through the area.
Related bases
Side-by-side comparisons: NAS Oceana vs Naval Station NorfolkNAS Oceana vs Joint Base Langley-Eustis
More: Navy bases · Bases in Virginia