Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst vs Picatinny Arsenal
2026 BAH, cost of living, and housing compared side by side.
Picatinny Arsenal has the higher housing allowance ($4,749 vs $2,823 for an E-5 with dependents, a $1,926/month difference), reflecting its higher local cost of living. Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst is the more affordable market, where a housing allowance stretches further toward buying a home with a VA loan.
| Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst | Picatinny Arsenal | |
|---|---|---|
| Branch | Joint | Army |
| Location | Wrightstown, NJ | Rockaway, NJ |
| Personnel | 20,000+ | 6,000+ |
| Cost of living | High | Very high |
| E-5 BAH (w/dep) | $2,823 | $4,749 |
| E-7 BAH (w/dep) | $3,486 | $5,073 |
| O-3 BAH (w/dep) | $3,552 | $5,094 |
| Typical home price | $300k-$420k | $450k-$620k |
BAH source: DoD/DTMO 2026 rate tables (travel.dod.mil). Home prices are typical local ranges.
Compare other bases
Use the interactive tool to compare any two of our 130+ bases.
Open the compare tool