Military PCS to Hunter Army Airfield
and Fort Stewart
You got orders, you have a clock, and you are trying to make a housing decision about a place you may have never set foot in. That is the PCS reality, and it is a lot. I work with military families moving into this area, and my goal here is simple: give you the numbers and the lay of the land so you can make a calm decision instead of a rushed one.
First, the thing that confuses everyone. Fort Stewart and Hunter Army Airfield are one installation, but they sit in two different places with two different housing markets, and that drives almost every choice you will make.
Fort Stewart vs Hunter: same command, different worlds
Fort Stewart’s main gates are in Hinesville (Liberty County), home of the 3rd Infantry Division, with around 28,000 military and family members and a full commissary and PX. Hunter Army Airfield sits inside Savannah (Chatham County), hosts aviation and special operations units, and is much smaller, roughly 3,000 to 4,000.
The distance is the kicker. Hinesville is about 45 to 60 minutes from Savannah’s Historic District. Hunter is 15 to 25 minutes from it. So a Fort Stewart family and a Hunter family making the “where do we live” decision are often looking at completely different parts of the map.
The two also have different BAH rates because they are different Military Housing Areas. That matters more than people expect.
2026 BAH: Hunter pays more than Stewart
These are the 2026 monthly rates. Hunter/Savannah (MHA GA077) runs about $105 to $213 a month higher than Fort Stewart (MHA GA080) across the common ranks. Re-verify current figures before you bank on them, but here is the picture:
Fort Stewart (GA080)
| Rank | Without Dependents | With Dependents |
|---|---|---|
| E-5 | $1,302 | $1,620 |
| E-6 | $1,371 | $1,701 |
| E-7 | $1,440 | $1,800 |
| O-3 | $1,584 | $1,980 |
| O-4 | $1,692 | $2,115 |
| O-5 | $1,836 | $2,295 |
Hunter Army Airfield / Savannah (GA077)
| Rank | Without Dependents | With Dependents |
|---|---|---|
| E-5 | $1,413 | $1,776 |
| E-6 | $1,488 | $1,863 |
| E-7 | $1,563 | $1,953 |
| O-3 | $1,725 | $2,160 |
| O-4 | $1,839 | $2,298 |
| O-5 | $1,998 | $2,499 |
Source: DoD 2026 BAH rates via Veteran.com and Military.com
On post or off post?
On post is the simplest math: you assign your full BAH to housing and pay nothing out of pocket. Fort Stewart Family Homes (Balfour Beatty) runs about 3,268 units across the post, plus roughly 698 at Hunter. Apply online the day you have orders, because during peak PCS season (May–August), 2-bedroom waits can run 30 to 90-plus days.
Off post is where it gets interesting, because of the VA loan.
The buy-vs-rent piece, with real numbers
With a VA loan and full entitlement, you are looking at $0 down, no PMI, and no loan limit. No PMI alone saves roughly $150 to $300 a month versus conventional. The 2026 funding fee for first-time use at $0 down is 2.15% (and it is waived entirely if you have a 10%-plus service-connected disability rating). Re-verify those figures, since VA updates them.
What that buys you:
E-6 with dependents at Fort Stewart ($1,701 BAH): at roughly 6.5% on a 30-year VA loan, that covers principal and interest on about a $270,000 loan. Hinesville’s median is around $235,000, so your BAH can cover the full payment with a few hundred dollars to spare.
O-3 with dependents at Hunter ($2,160 BAH): covers P&I on about $340,000. Savannah proper’s median is around $329,830, well within range. Pooler runs a touch higher around $370,000.
I am not here to tell you to buy. A two or three-year assignment with an uncertain market can favor renting, and that is a real conversation. But a lot of military families do not realize their BAH could be building their own equity instead of a landlord’s, so it is worth running the actual numbers for your rank and timeline.
Where families land, by commute and budget
This comes down to which installation you report to and what you want to spend.
Hinesville / Liberty County — shortest commute to Fort Stewart, most homes under $250K, built-in military community. Liberty County Schools post a 91.6% graduation rate (2025) and hold a Military Flagship designation, one of only two Georgia counties with it. Tradeoff: 45 to 60-plus minutes to Savannah’s amenities.
Richmond Hill (Bryan County) — popular with both Stewart and Hunter families. About 30 to 40 minutes to either post, newer construction, more house per dollar than the city, Bryan County Schools at Niche A-minus.
Pooler — strong choice for Hunter families at 20 to 30 minutes, lots of new construction, family-friendly. Median around $370K+.
Savannah proper — closest to Hunter at 15 to 25 minutes, median around $329,830, the widest mix of historic and in-town options.
For the full district-by-district breakdown — SCCPSS, Bryan County, Effingham — see my Savannah schools guide.
One honest local note, since this is what I do: this area has flood zones and a real property-tax structure that surprise out-of-state buyers. Both affect your true monthly cost, and both are very checkable before you make an offer. I’ll pull the flood zone and the tax estimate on any specific address so there are no surprises at closing.
A quick word for military spouses
Employment is a real part of the decision. Fort Stewart’s Army Community Service runs employment resources, and the Savannah area has active Military Spouse Employment Partnership employers including Gulfstream Aerospace, Georgia Southern, and SCAD. Remote work has widened the options considerably.
FAQ
What is the BAH rate for Fort Stewart in 2026? Fort Stewart (MHA GA080) 2026 rates run from $1,302 (E-5, no dependents) to $2,295 (O-5, with dependents). Hunter Army Airfield (GA077) runs $105–$213/month higher. Re-verify current figures before relying on them.
How far is Fort Stewart from Savannah? Fort Stewart’s gates in Hinesville are about 45 to 60 minutes from Savannah’s Historic District. Hunter Army Airfield is inside Savannah, about 15 to 25 minutes from downtown.
Should I live on post or off post? On post assigns your full BAH to housing with no out-of-pocket cost. Off post offers flexibility and, if you buy with a VA loan, the chance to build equity. The right answer depends on your assignment length, rank, and the market.
How does the VA loan work here? With full entitlement: $0 down, no PMI, no loan limit. The 2026 funding fee for first use at $0 down is 2.15%, waived for those with a 10%-plus service-connected disability. VA appraisals in this market typically turn around in 7 to 14 days.
What neighborhoods work best for military families? For Fort Stewart: Hinesville/Liberty County (closest, most affordable) and Richmond Hill. For Hunter: Pooler, Savannah proper, and Richmond Hill. Commute to your specific installation usually decides it. For a deeper look at each neighborhood, see my Savannah neighborhoods guide.
Is Richmond Hill good for PCS families? It is popular with both posts: about 30 to 40 minutes to either, Bryan County Schools at Niche A-minus, newer construction, and more space per dollar than the city.
This is general information, not financial advice. BAH and VA figures change — confirm current numbers before making decisions.
Thinking about making a move?
A simple conversation, with no expectations, is where we start. Tell me where you are in the process and I’ll help you think through what comes next. Whether you’re relocating for work, retiring to the coast, or still deciding whether Savannah is the place, I’m happy to talk it through.
