Cheapest place to live in US NEAR a military base for CIVLIANS?

Question

I really want to move, my city is toooo expensive and it's getting worse.

My dh has a civilian job (not miltary!) at a base and can transfer anywhere with a base hospital.

Any sites where I can find real facts on cheaper places to live near bases? I need real numbers.

Answer 1

Fort Walton Beach, FL
Very Inexpensive and you are surrounded by military from Pensacola Naval Station, to Ft. Walton Beach where Hurlbert Field and Eglin AFB is located - then all the way down to Panama City (est 45 min from Ft. Walton) where Tyndall AFB is.

This whole stretch of Florida is along the beautiful emerald coast. White as snow beaches, Great Food and entertainment.

Below are web sites on the bases and the last few addresses direct you to the hospitals at each site.

Answer 2

As with any other job transfer, you may find a range of costs all dependent on location. Larger military medical facilities...CA, TX, DC...all tend to be near major urban centers and will be more exspensive. Smaller bases or ones that are more remote tend to be less exspensive. Many bases no longer have full hospitals, but rather clinics,so that may limit choices even further. Region within the US can have a lot to do with it...the South tends to be less exspensive than the upper East Coast or CA. You may have to take more into consideration than just finding less exspensive housing. In many areas, less exspensive housing can also mean struggling school districts, limited job markets (for you) and limited access to services such as shopping, theatres or cultural activities. I would start by getting a list of bases that have openings for your husband to transfer into. Just because he can anywhere doesn't mean the area you decide on would be able to take him. After doing that, look at the cost of the move. Saving a hundred a month from moving when the move itself may cost several thousand dollars may not balance out, at least not right away.
Once you have an idea of what is available, look up the website for the major newspapers in the area. Most papers have all their classifieds online, so you can get an idea of housing costs, what the job market is like and read articles to get a feel for things to do, the school system, etc. All school districts can be investigated online, so you can search get an idea of what you are facing on that front as well. Getting ideas on utility costs may be tougher, but a general search for the local electric companies will give you contact numbers to inquiry with. Once you have it narrowed down to two or three places that have jobs openings, are within your desired budget and have whatever else you desire (and you may have to compromise on some things) your husband can apply for the transfer from there. Good luck

Answer 3

Very poor analogy. In Pearl Harbor, you had uniformed military forces attacking uniformed military forces in a surprise attack. That was it. On 9/11, you had a militant group who hides among the populace, attacking the populace in an unprovoked attack. To have Japanese restaurants near military bases isn't an issue, because 1: restaurants aren't ran by the military of the respective ethnicity, 2: the attack made by the Japanese was almost 70 years ago, 3: the war that ensued is resolved. Now, what part of a mosque being built near ground zero is similar to the points aforementioned? I shan't be holding my breath on this one.

Answer 4

Millington Tenn is very inexpensive and close to Memphis. (for stuff to do in the city). North of Millington is really growing. For instance, in Va Beach a 1500 sq ft home with 3 BR would be about 250,000 where in the Millington area you can get the same house with 1 acre for 150,000.

Answer 5

Lejeune (North Carolina) is inexpensive but there isn't a whole lot here. Back home at Mcchord (WA State) is also inexpensive...you'd have to live in tacoma though...you'd be about an hour away from Seattle and twenty minutes away from Olympia. Bremerton, WA (Bangor naval submarine base) is also cheap...its about an hour and a half from Seattle.

Look for places on rent.com or forrent.com...apartments.com isn't really all that great but it's decent. Good luck!

Answer 6

I was just reading that Killeen, Tx had the cheapest real estate in the country. Killeen borders Fort Hood which has the Darnell Army Community Hospital.

Answer 7

not necessarily. he can't just pick up and show up to a new base and expect to be handed a job. he has to apply for, be accepted to and qualify for one first.

You'd be better off finding which base hospitals are in need of his skills and then making your choice from what's available. No use deciding you want to move to Texas if none of the Base hospitals in TX are hiring.

and another thing: cheaper COL often translates into Cheaper salaries, so you could very well end up no better off than you were.

Answer 8

Ft. Bliss in El Paso Texas the town on the otherside of the river is ciudad juarez. Made for cheap living when I was stationed there.

Answer 9

My son lives off base even though he is in. The prices are outrageous because the towns know they can't move farther away. He is actually coming to visit for Thanksgiving and is planning on doing his Christmas shopping here because the prices are better. Sorry!

Answer 10

Don't know cheapest place in US, but generally the cost of living is cheaper in the South.