Moving to Eglin AFB or Hurlburt Field

A PCS guide to the Emerald Coast: housing allowance, commutes, schools and what to do before you arrive.

Welcome to the Emerald Coast

Orders to Eglin, Hurlburt Field or Duke Field usually come with a short clock and a long list. Bethany has been on the other side of that list: she's an Air Force spouse who has moved, bought and sold in several states, and she's called Fort Walton Beach home for the past eight years.

This guide covers what families ask her first: what your housing allowance covers here, how long the drive to the gate is from each town, schools, and what to do before you arrive. For a closer look at each town, see Fort Walton Beach, Navarre, Shalimar, Niceville and Crestview.

How far is the drive to the gate?

Light-traffic driving estimates from each town's center (OpenStreetMap routing). Rush hour on US 98 and Eglin Parkway runs longer. Duke Field is measured to the airfield.

Fort Walton Beach

Hurlburt Field front gate: 5 mi, about 10 min. Eglin West Gate: 7 mi, about 15 min. Duke Field: 21 mi, about 35 min.

Shalimar

Eglin West Gate: 2 mi, about 5 min. Hurlburt Field: 9 mi, about 20 min. Duke Field: 16 mi, about 25 min.

Niceville

Eglin West Gate: 8 mi, about 15 min. Duke Field: 12 mi, about 20 min. Hurlburt Field: 18 mi, about 30 min.

Navarre

Hurlburt Field: 12 mi, about 20 min. Eglin West Gate: 24 mi, about 40 min. Duke Field: 37 mi, about 55 min.

Crestview

Duke Field: 11 mi, about 20 min. Eglin West Gate: 22 mi, about 30 min. Hurlburt Field: 32 mi, about 50 min.

2026 housing allowance (BAH)

Monthly BAH for the Eglin AFB housing area, which covers Eglin, Hurlburt Field and Duke Field.

With dependentsWithout dependents

Enlisted

E-1 to E-4
With dependents: $2,340
Without dependents: $2,007
E-5
With dependents: $2,433
Without dependents: $2,157
E-6
With dependents: $2,526
Without dependents: $2,250
E-7
With dependents: $2,841
Without dependents: $2,340
E-8
With dependents: $3,189
Without dependents: $2,457
E-9
With dependents: $3,447
Without dependents: $2,586

Warrant officers and officers

W-2
With dependents: $2,985
Without dependents: $2,454
O-1
With dependents: $2,451
Without dependents: $2,244
O-2
With dependents: $2,523
Without dependents: $2,406
O-3
With dependents: $3,399
Without dependents: $2,592
O-4
With dependents: $3,528
Without dependents: $2,865
O-5
With dependents: $3,612
Without dependents: $3,066
O-6
With dependents: $3,642
Without dependents: $3,393

Source: Defense Travel Management Office, 2026 BAH rates for Military Housing Area FL056 (Eglin AFB, FL), monthly. BAH is set by your duty station's ZIP code, not where you live.

Your PCS checklist

The order Bethany suggests once orders are in hand.

Get your VA Certificate of Eligibility

Request it online at VA.gov so a lender can quote you VA loan terms before you start touring homes.

Contact the Military Housing Office

Whether you want on-base housing or plan to buy, the housing office is your first call after orders.

Book temporary lodging

Both Eglin and Hurlburt have on-base lodging for the first weeks while you house-hunt or wait to close.

Find your school zone

Okaloosa and Santa Rosa schools assign by address. Check the zone before you fall for a house.

Tour homes before you arrive

Bethany does video walkthroughs and remote showings, so you can narrow the list before your house-hunting trip.

File for homestead exemption

After you buy, apply with the county property appraiser by March 1 to lower your property taxes.

Official resources

Eglin AFB (Military OneSource): Housing · Temporary lodging · Military & Family Readiness Center · Schools and the School Liaison

Hurlburt Field (Military OneSource): Housing · Temporary lodging · Military & Family Readiness Center · Schools and the School Liaison

VA home loans: How VA loans work · Request your Certificate of Eligibility

Schools: Okaloosa County schools for military families · Okaloosa school zoning · Santa Rosa County District Schools (Navarre)

Homestead exemption: Okaloosa County Property Appraiser · Santa Rosa County Property Appraiser

Military relocation questions

Buying? Selling? Moving to the Emerald Coast?

Whether you're buying your first home, relocating to the Emerald Coast, or planning your next chapter, Bethany would love to help you explore your options.

Call or Text: 850-226-2692
Or schedule a time to talk.

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