Navy Hampton Roads / Virginia Beach

Moving to NAS Oceana

Housing, neighborhoods, schools, and 2026 BAH for families PCSing to Virginia Beach, Virginia.

Also known as: Oceana

$2,430 E-5 BAH / month
Branch
Navy
Personnel
12,000 +
Nearest city
Virginia Beach, VA
Cost of living
High

Naval Air Station Oceana, in Virginia Beach, is the Navy’s East Coast master jet base, home to the F/A-18 Super Hornet fleet. Families PCSing here settle across Virginia Beach and Chesapeake, drawn by the oceanfront, strong schools, and a deep, military-friendly Hampton Roads housing market.

Last updated: 2026-07-19

Should you live on base or off base at NAS Oceana?

On-base housing serves families with the usual waitlists. Off-base, Virginia Beach wraps around the base with everything from oceanfront living to inland suburbs and top schools, while Chesapeake to the west offers newer construction and larger lots. Hampton Roads’ huge military population makes it very VA-loan-friendly, with moderate prices for a coastal metro.

Where do military families live near NAS Oceana?

Families PCSing to NAS Oceana most often settle in Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Virginia Beach. The table below shows typical rents, home prices, and drive time to the gate for each.

Area3-bed rentHome pricesTo gateNotes
Virginia Beach (central) $1,700-$2,400 $350k-$500k 5-15 min Closest to the base with top schools and a range of prices.
Chesapeake $1,700-$2,300 $340k-$480k 15-25 min Newer construction and larger lots to the west.
Virginia Beach (oceanfront) $1,900-$2,700 $400k-$580k 15-25 min Beach living closer to the coast at higher prices.

Rent and home-price ranges are typical local market estimates as of 2026-07-19, not official listings. See our methodology.

How much is 2026 BAH at NAS Oceana?

Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) at NAS Oceana is set by the VA298 (Norfolk/Portsmouth, VA) military housing area. Rates below are monthly, by pay grade, for 2026.

Pay gradeWith dependentsWithout dependents
E-5 $2,430 $1,908
E-7 $2,604 $2,235
O-3 $2,694 $2,505

Source: DoD/DTMO 2026 BAH rate table (travel.dod.mil), effective January 1, 2026.

Calculate BAH for any pay grade at NAS Oceana →

See how NAS Oceana ranks in the 2026 BAH rankings →

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What schools are near NAS Oceana?

SchoolLevelDistrictTown
Ocean Lakes High School High Virginia Beach City Public Schools Virginia Beach
Kellam High School High Virginia Beach City Public Schools Virginia Beach
Red Mill Elementary Elementary Virginia Beach City Public Schools Virginia Beach

NAS Oceana PCS FAQ

Where do most families live near NAS Oceana?

Virginia Beach wraps around the base with everything from oceanfront living to inland suburbs and top schools, so most families live there. Chesapeake to the west offers newer construction and larger lots. The huge Hampton Roads military population makes the whole area very VA-loan-friendly with moderate prices.

Is Virginia Beach a good place to buy with a VA loan?

Yes. Virginia Beach and the wider Hampton Roads region have one of the largest military populations in the country, which keeps the market deep and VA-loan-friendly. Prices are moderate for a coastal metro, and homes rent and resell quickly given the constant rotation of sailors through the area.

Related bases

Side-by-side comparisons: NAS Oceana vs Naval Station NorfolkNAS Oceana vs Joint Base Langley-Eustis

More: Navy bases · Bases in Virginia