Moving to Barksdale Air Force Base
Housing, neighborhoods, schools, and 2026 BAH for families PCSing to Bossier City, Louisiana.
Also known as: Barksdale AFB
Barksdale Air Force Base, in Bossier City, Louisiana, is home to Air Force Global Strike Command and a fleet of B-52 bombers. Families PCSing here settle in Bossier City right outside the gate or the growing suburbs of Haughton and Benton, in an affordable Ark-La-Tex market with strong Bossier Parish schools.
Last updated: 2026-07-19
On-base vs off-base housing
On-base housing serves families with the usual waitlists. Off-base, Bossier City wraps around the gate with the most inventory and shortest commute, Haughton and Benton offer newer homes and top Bossier Parish schools, and Shreveport across the river provides lower prices and a larger city. Affordable prices make buying with a VA loan common.
Where military families live near Barksdale Air Force Base
Families PCSing to Barksdale Air Force Base most often settle in Bossier City, Haughton / Benton, Shreveport. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bossier City | $1,100-$1,600 | $200k-$300k | 5-15 min | Right outside the gate; most inventory and shortest commute. |
| Haughton / Benton | $1,250-$1,750 | $240k-$350k | 15-25 min | Newer homes and top Bossier Parish schools; family favorite. |
| Shreveport | $1,000-$1,450 | $170k-$270k | 15-25 min | Larger city with lower prices across the river. |
2026 BAH near Barksdale Air Force Base
Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) at Barksdale Air Force Base is set by the LA117 (Shreveport/Barksdale AFB, LA) military housing area. Rates below are monthly, by pay grade, for 2026.
| Pay grade | With dependents | Without dependents |
|---|---|---|
| E-5 | $1,845 | $1,452 |
| E-7 | $2,112 | $1,704 |
| O-3 | $2,268 | $1,956 |
Source: DoD/DTMO 2026 BAH rate table (travel.dod.mil), effective January 1, 2026.
Schools near Barksdale Air Force Base
| School | Level | District | Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Airline High School | High | Bossier Parish Schools | Bossier City |
| Benton High School | High | Bossier Parish Schools | Benton |
| Legacy Elementary | Elementary | Bossier Parish Schools | Bossier City |
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Where do most families live near Barksdale AFB?
Bossier City, right outside the gate, has the most housing and the shortest commute. Haughton and Benton are the family favorites for newer homes and the top-rated Bossier Parish schools. Shreveport, across the river, offers lower prices and big-city amenities about 15 to 25 minutes away.
Is the Shreveport-Bossier area affordable?
Yes. Home prices in Bossier City and Shreveport run well below the national average, so buying with a VA loan is easy for most ranks and BAH covers a mortgage comfortably. Bossier Parish schools are a strong draw, and the steady Barksdale population supports a stable rental market for families who buy.
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