If you've ever rolled through the front gate at Fort Stewart and heard the gate guard call out 'Rock of the Marne,' watched M1 Abrams tanks crossing Highway 144 during a 1st ABCT field training density, listened to UH-60 Black Hawks rotor-blading low over the Savannah River from Hunter Army Airfield, walked the live oaks of Wormsloe Plantation with Spanish moss draped over the avenue, or stood on Tybee Island watching Atlantic surf forty-five minutes from your front gate — you've already met Stewart-Hunter. The largest Army installation east of the Mississippi: 280,000 acres of pine and palmetto across five Georgia counties, plus an 11,375-foot runway in Savannah that's the Army's longest east of the Mississippi too.
Fort Stewart is the home of the 3rd Infantry Division — the Rock of the Marne, the Dog Face Soldiers, one of the most deployed combat divisions in the Army's modern era. As America marks its 250th anniversary in 2026, 3ID anchors the heavy armor backbone of the joint force with 1st ABCT regionally allocated to Europe and 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade rotating through V Corps interoperability with Latvia. The lifestyle tradeoffs are real: BAH up 7.3% YoY (one of the Army's largest increases this cycle), Bryan County Schools rank in Georgia's top 10%, Memorial Health UMC is the region's only Level I Trauma Center with a major children's hospital, and Stewart-Hunter is 60 minutes from Tybee Island and the Atlantic — but Georgia still taxes active-duty pay, deployment tempo runs high, and gnats and hurricane season are part of coastal Georgia life.
Last updated April 28, 2026 · BAH verified via DTMO 2026 rate tables · Distances via Google Maps · Schools via Liberty County, Bryan County, Chatham County, Effingham County, DoDEA on-post · Rent via Apartments.com / Zumper
Fort Stewart is the largest Army installation east of the Mississippi — 280,000 acres, home of the 3rd Infantry Division. The 2026 Fort Stewart MHA BAH for an E-5 with dependents is $2,310/month; officer rates run up to $3,174 (O-7 with dep) and $3,129 (O-5 with dep). Rates rose 7.3% YoY — one of the larger Army increases this cycle. Fort Stewart ranks 26th of all Army bases. Hunter Army Airfield in Savannah is a separate MHA — soldiers at the combined installation can have different BAH depending on duty ZIP.
Hinesville for proximity and affordability ($209K-$270K). Richmond Hill for Bryan County's top-10%-statewide schools ($396K-$436K). Pooler/Savannah for Hunter AAF families. On-post Fort Stewart Family Homes (Balfour Beatty) has 10 neighborhoods, Hunter AAF has 5. Medical: Winn Army Community Hospital on Fort Stewart is a full hospital with ED. Civilian: Memorial Health UMC (Level I Trauma + Willett Children's Hospital) and St. Joseph's/Candler in Savannah.
BAH is set by duty-station ZIP, not residence ZIP. Soldiers stationed at Fort Stewart (31314, Hinesville-area ZIPs 31301-31333) receive the Fort Stewart MHA rate. Soldiers stationed at Hunter Army Airfield in Savannah (31409, Savannah ZIPs 31302/31322/31328/31401-21) receive a separate Hunter AAF MHA rate — typically higher due to Savannah's rental market. Two soldiers at the same combined Stewart-Hunter installation can therefore have meaningfully different BAH dollars even at the same rank and dependency status. Confirm yours at the DoD BAH calculator using your actual reporting unit ZIP.
BAH at Fort Stewart falls under the Fort Stewart MHA (Hinesville), covering ZIPs 31301, 31308-09, 31310, 31313-16, 31320-21, 31323-24, 31333 across Liberty, Bryan, Long, and surrounding counties. 2026 rates rose 7.3% YoY — one of the larger increases in the Army this cycle. Fort Stewart's BAH is ranked 26th of all Army bases. With-dependents rates run roughly 16% higher than without-dependents at this MHA.
Three Georgia tax and cost-of-living items matter for the budget. Active-duty pay is taxable in Georgia (no exemption like New Mexico). Georgia exempts military retiree pay up to $35K (under 62) or $65K (62+) under HB 1064 (2022) — useful planning context for retiring soldiers. Effective property tax rates: Liberty County ~1.0%, Bryan County ~0.85%, Chatham County ~0.95% — all reasonable. Renter's insurance is no longer included in BAH calculations.
| Rank | With Dep | No Dep | Suggested Off-Base |
|---|---|---|---|
| E-1 to E-4 | $2,175 | $1,791 | On-Post · Hinesville |
| E-5 | $2,310 | $1,947 | On-Post · Hinesville · Midway |
| E-6 | $2,439 | $2,049 | On-Post · Hinesville · Pooler |
| E-7 | $2,493 | $2,178 | On-Post · Pooler · Richmond Hill |
| E-8 | $2,556 | $2,340 | On-Post · Pooler · Richmond Hill |
| E-9 | $2,682 | $2,367 | Richmond Hill · Pooler · Effingham |
| W-2 | $2,520 | $2,337 | On-Post · Pooler · Richmond Hill |
| O-3 | $2,598 | $2,385 | Richmond Hill · Pooler |
| O-4 | $2,904 | $2,490 | Richmond Hill · Savannah Historic |
| O-5 | $3,129 | $2,520 | Richmond Hill · Savannah Historic |
| O-6 | $3,153 | $2,577 | Richmond Hill · Savannah Historic |
| O-7+ | $3,174 | $2,619 | Richmond Hill · Savannah Historic |
Stewart-Hunter housing geography spans five Georgia counties and two metro zones. The decision tree starts with which post you actually report to (Fort Stewart in Hinesville vs. Hunter AAF in Savannah — different MHAs and different commutes), then layers in school district priority and price ceiling. Below: 3 affordability-tier options, 2 mid-range, and 2 highest-tier.
Honest take: Fort Stewart is home to one of the Army's most deployed combat divisions. Deployment tempo factors directly into housing and family support planning. 1st ABCT's regionally allocated Europe rotation, 3rd CAB's EUCOM and V Corps interop schedule, and 3ID's high readiness baseline mean training densities, field exercises, and roadblocks on Highways 119 and 144 are a constant. Two practical realities for off-post families: (1) the rural stretch of Highway 144 between Richmond Hill and Fort Stewart is dark at night and has a documented history of deer strikes — drive it before you commit. (2) Coastal Georgia summers run hot and humid June-September with frequent afternoon thunderstorms; hurricane season runs June-November (you need a family plan); and gnats and mosquitoes are a year-round fact of marsh-country life. The April 2026 Black Start exercise also signaled that periodic full-installation power-loss drills are now part of the readiness rhythm.
Stewart-Hunter EFMP families have unusually deep medical access for an Army installation of this size. Memorial Health University Medical Center (Savannah, HCA Healthcare) is the region's only Level I Trauma Center, with a Level III NICU, a Comprehensive Stroke Center, and the Memorial Health Dwaine and Cynthia Willett Children's Hospital of Savannah — meaningful pediatric subspecialty depth that most Army EFMP families have to drive several hours to find. St. Joseph's/Candler Health System adds 330+384 beds across two flagship hospitals plus a Pooler campus convenient to Hunter AAF. School-side, Liberty County School System is pursuing Georgia Military Flagship District status with five schools already designated; Bryan County Schools rank in the top 10% statewide and are particularly strong for special-education depth. Coordinate EFMP enrollment through Winn Army Community Hospital and the Fort Stewart-Hunter School Liaison Officer before clearing orders.
Stewart-Hunter sits across five Georgia counties and two metro school catchments, so school-zone analysis is the highest-leverage decision in the PCS. On-post Fort Stewart elementaries are operated by DoDEA — not Liberty County. Off-post, the choice between Liberty County (most affordable, most military-connected, pursuing Military Flagship District status), Bryan County (top 10% in Georgia, the school-quality premium), Chatham County (Hunter AAF / Pooler convenience), and Effingham County (newer suburbs, A-rated) is the variable that drives most family decisions.
Ratings reflect GreatSchools test-score percentiles and do not capture school culture, military family support programs, special education depth, or extracurriculars. Verify per address with the district before enrollment decisions. Higher ed: Georgia Southern University Liberty Campus, Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), Savannah State University, Georgia Southern Armstrong, Georgia Tech-Savannah. Notable private K-12: First Preparatory Christian Academy (Hinesville), Savannah Country Day School, Savannah Christian Preparatory, Hancock Day School, Calvary Day School, Memorial Day School. School Liaison through the Fort Stewart Army Community Service (ACS).
Stewart-Hunter has unusually strong medical infrastructure for a midsize Army installation. Winn Army Community Hospital on Fort Stewart is a full Army hospital — emergency department, inpatient ward, intermediate care, surgery, labor and delivery — not just a clinic. Tuttle Army Health Clinic at Hunter AAF is outpatient-only with no ED. Civilian network in Savannah is exceptional: Memorial Health UMC (Level I Trauma + Willett Children's Hospital + Level III NICU) and the St. Joseph's/Candler system (330+384 beds plus a Pooler campus). For most Army EFMP families this combination is a meaningful upgrade over typical CONUS Army medical access.
Stewart-Hunter MWR is one of the largest Army recreation portfolios in CONUS. Fort Stewart proper has Taylors Creek Golf Course, four fitness centers, multiple swimming pools and splash pads, the bowling center, and the standout Stewart-Hunter Lakes hunt-and-fish program — one of the most popular military-managed wildlife and fishing programs in the Army. Hunter AAF adds a marina on the Wilmington River, skeet and trap, archery, golf, and campgrounds. Off-post, coastal Georgia delivers Tybee Island, the Savannah Historic District, Fort Pulaski National Monument, and the Great Ogeechee Seafood Festival in Richmond Hill.
Stewart-Hunter is a two-installation commute problem. Fort Stewart sits in Hinesville (Liberty County); Hunter Army Airfield sits in Savannah (Chatham County) about 40 miles northeast — connected primarily by I-95 and Highway 144. Off-peak commute times: from Hinesville to Fort Stewart 5-10 minutes; from Richmond Hill to Fort Stewart 25-35 minutes (and 20-30 to Hunter); from Pooler to Hunter 5-15 minutes (and 35-45 to Fort Stewart); from Savannah Historic to Hunter 5-15 minutes. The 40-mile Stewart-Hunter inter-post drive takes 40-50 minutes and matters for dual-post families.
| Destination | Distance | Off-Peak Drive |
|---|---|---|
| On-Post Fort Stewart Family Homes | 0-1 mi | 0-5 min |
| Hinesville (Liberty County) | 5 mi | 5-10 min |
| Midway / Flemington (Liberty) | 15 mi | 15-25 min |
| Richmond Hill (Bryan County) | 25 mi | 25-35 min (Hwy 144) |
| Pooler (Chatham County) | 38 mi | 35-45 min (I-95) |
| Savannah Historic District | 42 mi | 45-55 min (I-95) |
| Effingham County (Rincon/Guyton) | 50 mi | 55-65 min |
| Hunter AAF (Stewart→Hunter) | 40 mi | 40-50 min (I-95 + 144) |
| Tybee Island | 55 mi | 60-75 min |
| Savannah/Hilton Head Intl (SAV) | 45 mi | 45-60 min |
| Fort Moore (Columbus, GA) | 225 mi | 3.5-4 hr |
| Charleston SC (Joint Base CHS) | 110 mi | ~2 hr (I-95 N) |
Stewart-Hunter sits at the heart of one of the densest joint and inter-service military corridors in the southeast. Hunter Army Airfield is the embedded Army aviation and SOF hub in Savannah. MCAS Beaufort SC sits an hour north for Marine fixed-wing. NAS Jacksonville is two hours south. Joint Base Charleston is two hours north. Coastal Georgia offers Tybee Island, Wormsloe, and the Sea Islands; inland Georgia delivers Augusta, Atlanta, and the broader Southeast within a half-day drive.
Three 2026 dollar-line items belong in any Stewart-Hunter PCS budget. Fort Stewart MHA BAH up 7.3% YoY — one of the larger Army increases this cycle. Ranked 26th of all Army bases. Rate protection applies for incumbents. Hunter AAF is a separate MHA — verify your duty-station ZIP before signing leases or making offers. Georgia tax math: active-duty pay is taxable in Georgia (no exemption like New Mexico), but military retiree pay is exempt up to $35K (under 62) or $65K (62+) under HB 1064 (2022). Effective property taxes around 0.85-1.0% across Liberty/Bryan/Chatham counties.
Two structural items affect medium-term outlook. 1st ABCT Raider continues its regionally allocated Europe rotation; 3rd CAB completed a 2025 EUCOM rotation supporting V Corps interoperability with Latvia (Feb 2026 multinational UH-60 Black Hawk multi-ship flight). 3ID's deployment tempo remains one of the highest in the Army's modern force. April 2026 Black Start exercise (full-installation power loss simulation) signaled that periodic readiness drills are now the norm; Balfour Beatty held a March 5 EFMP-specific Housing Town Hall on mitigations. The Pentagon's stated 50% PCS reduction goal by 2030 begins FY27 — but 3ID readiness obligations keep inbound rotation tempo intact.
The 2026 Fort Stewart MHA BAH for an E-5 with dependents is $2,310/month — up 7.3% from 2025, one of the larger increases in the Army this cycle. Officer rates run from $2,598 (O-3 with dep) to $3,174 (O-7 with dep); $2,904 (O-4) and $3,129 (O-5). Fort Stewart is ranked 26th of all Army bases.
Critical: Hunter Army Airfield in Savannah is a SEPARATE MHA — soldiers stationed at the same combined Stewart-Hunter installation can have different BAH depending on actual duty-station ZIP. Fort Stewart MHA covers Hinesville-area ZIPs (31301, 31308-09, 31310, 31313-16, 31320-21, 31323-24, 31333); Hunter AAF MHA covers Savannah ZIPs (31302, 31322, 31328, 31401-21). Always verify yours at the DoD BAH calculator.
Fort Stewart is home to the 3rd Infantry Division — the Rock of the Marne, the Dog Face Soldiers — one of the Army's most deployed combat divisions. The installation covers 280,000 acres: the largest Army base east of the Mississippi.
Major tenant units: 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team Raider (regionally allocated to Europe, M1 Abrams), 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team Spartan, 3rd Division Sustainment Brigade Provider, 3rd ID Artillery, 188th Infantry Brigade. Hunter Army Airfield in Savannah hosts 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade, the 1st Battalion 75th Ranger Regiment, the 3rd Battalion 160th SOAR (Airborne) Night Stalkers, and U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Savannah (the largest helicopter unit in the Coast Guard). Hunter's runway is the Army's longest east of the Mississippi at 11,375 feet.
It depends on which post you work at and what you optimize for. Hinesville is closest to Fort Stewart (5-10 minutes from the gate) and the most affordable — median home prices $209K-$270K, deep military-town infrastructure. Richmond Hill (Bryan County) sits halfway between Fort Stewart and Hunter AAF, has the best-rated schools in the region (Bryan County Schools rank in Georgia's top 10%), and runs $396K-$436K.
Pooler (Chatham County, near I-95/I-16) is the fast-growing choice for Hunter AAF families — 5-15 minutes to Hunter, 35-45 to Fort Stewart. Savannah Historic and Effingham County (Rincon, Guyton) round out the off-post picture. On-post Fort Stewart Family Homes (Balfour Beatty) has 10 neighborhoods, Hunter AAF has 5; rent equals BAH, utilities included.
Five districts feed the Stewart-Hunter catchment. On Fort Stewart proper, three elementary schools — Brittin, Diamond, and Kessler — are operated by DoDEA (DDESS), not Liberty County. On-post grades 7-12 attend Liberty County schools off-post.
Liberty County School System is pursuing Georgia Military Flagship District status — five LCSS schools already designated (Frank Long, Liberty Elementary, Waldo Pafford, Midway Middle, Bradwell Institute HS); 20% of LCSS enrollment is military-connected. Bryan County Schools (Richmond Hill, Pembroke) rank in Georgia's top 10% — 55% math proficiency vs. 38% statewide, 93% graduation rate, Richmond Hill HS A-rated. SCCPSS (Savannah-Chatham) and Effingham County Schools serve the Hunter AAF / Pooler / Rincon catchment. Higher ed: Georgia Southern Liberty Campus, SCAD, Savannah State, Georgia Tech-Savannah.
Winn Army Community Hospital on Fort Stewart is a full Army hospital — emergency department, inpatient ward, intermediate care, surgery, labor and delivery — not just a clinic. Tuttle Army Health Clinic at Hunter AAF is outpatient-only.
Civilian network in Savannah is unusually deep: Memorial Health University Medical Center (HCA Healthcare) is the region's only Level I Trauma Center, with a Level III NICU, Comprehensive Stroke Center, and the Memorial Health Dwaine and Cynthia Willett Children's Hospital of Savannah (~600 beds total). St. Joseph's/Candler Health System adds two anchor Savannah hospitals (330 + 384 beds) plus a Pooler campus. All TRICARE network.
Stewart-Hunter MWR is one of the largest in CONUS. Fort Stewart proper: Taylors Creek Golf Course, four fitness centers, multiple pools and splash pads, the bowling center, and the standout Stewart-Hunter Lakes hunt-and-fish program — one of the most popular military-managed wildlife and fishing programs in the Army. Hunter AAF: marina on the Wilmington River, skeet/trap, archery, golf, campgrounds.
Off-post, coastal Georgia delivers Tybee Island (closest beach, 60-75 min from Stewart), Savannah's River Street, Wormsloe State Park (Live Oak + Spanish moss), Forsyth Park, Fort Pulaski National Monument, the Great Ogeechee Seafood Festival in Richmond Hill (35K+ attendees), and Savannah's St. Patrick's Day — the second largest celebration in the United States.
Fort Stewart has multiple gates. Gates 1 (Main), 4 (2nd ABCT), 5 (Back/North), 9 (Wright Airfield) are 24/7. Gate 3 (East) daily 0500-2100. Gates 7, 8 M-F 0500-2100. Gates 2, 4c M-F 0500-1700. At Hunter AAF: Gate 1 (Main) and Gate 3 (Rio) 24/7; Gate 2 (Wilson) daily 0600-1800.
Off-peak commute times: Hinesville to Fort Stewart 5-10 min; Richmond Hill to Fort Stewart 25-35 min (and 20-30 to Hunter); Pooler to Hunter 5-15 min (and 35-45 to Fort Stewart); Savannah Historic to Hunter 5-15 min. Stewart-Hunter inter-post drive is 40 miles, 40-50 min. Honest take: the rural stretch of Highway 144 between Richmond Hill and Fort Stewart is dark at night with a documented history of deer strikes — drive it before you commit.
Five 2026 items: (1) Fort Stewart MHA BAH +7.3% YoY — one of the larger Army increases this cycle. Rate protection applies for incumbents. (2) Hunter AAF is a SEPARATE MHA — verify your duty-station ZIP. (3) 1st ABCT Raider continues regionally allocated Europe rotations; 3rd CAB completed a 2025 EUCOM rotation supporting V Corps interoperability with Latvia (Feb 2026 multinational UH-60 multi-ship flight).
(4) April 2026 Black Start exercise simulated full installation power loss; Balfour Beatty held a March 5 EFMP-specific Housing Town Hall on mitigations — expect periodic readiness drills through 2026. (5) Georgia tax math: active-duty pay is taxable (no exemption), but military retiree pay is exempt up to $35K (under 62) or $65K (62+) under HB 1064 (2022). Effective property tax 0.85-1.0% across Liberty/Bryan/Chatham.
Federal 2026 reforms apply on top of base-specific changes. The Personal Property Activity (PPA) stood up permanently May 1, 2026 at Scott AFB, IL reporting directly to the Secretary of War. PPA.mil is the new sole-source-of-truth hub for HHG, POV, claims, and PCS guidance — replacing fragmented legacy platforms. 24/7 PCS Call Center 1-833-MIL-MOVE (May 15 - Sept 15). Concrete 2026 policy changes: claims window 9 mo → 12 mo; PPM reimbursement back to 100% of government-constructed cost (down from 130% in 2025); dependent per diem for mover-caused delays now 75% of SM M&IE paid by carrier; DLA rates +3.8% for 2026. Pentagon discretionary PCS reduction 50% by FY2030: 10% FY27, 30% FY28, 40% FY29, 50% FY30 — fewer moves per career, longer tours, plan housing accordingly.HomeScoop is the BAH-versus-rent intelligence layer for the Stewart-Hunter MHAs. Compare on-post Fort Stewart Family Homes versus Hinesville versus Richmond Hill versus Pooler versus Savannah versus Effingham — and model how 2026 BAH (up 7.3% at Fort Stewart, separate Hunter AAF MHA at typically higher rates) lands against the actual rental and home-purchase market in each district. See which neighborhoods feed which Liberty / Bryan / Chatham high schools and what a Highway 144 deer-strike risk and a 40-mile inter-post commute actually cost in your week before you sign anything. Doing the school-district math (LCSS Military Flagship vs. Bryan County top 10% vs. SCCPSS magnet feeders) before you tour homes is the single highest-leverage decision in this PCS.
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