Moving to Fort Meade
Housing, neighborhoods, schools, and 2026 BAH for families PCSing to Odenton, Maryland.
Also known as: Fort George G. Meade
Fort Meade, in the Baltimore-Washington corridor of Maryland, hosts the National Security Agency, U.S. Cyber Command, and dozens of tenant commands, making it one of the largest workforces in the DoD. Families PCSing here settle in Odenton, Laurel, or Severn, in a higher-cost market between two major cities.
Last updated: 2026-07-19
On-base vs off-base housing
On-post housing serves a fraction of the huge workforce, with waitlists common, so most families live off-post. Odenton sits right outside the gate with newer transit-friendly development, Laurel offers value between the base and D.C., and Severn and Glen Burnie lean toward Baltimore. As a corridor market, prices run well above the national average.
Where military families live near Fort Meade
Families PCSing to Fort Meade most often settle in Odenton, Laurel, Severn / Glen Burnie. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Odenton | $1,900-$2,600 | $400k-$560k | 5-15 min | Right outside the gate with newer development and MARC transit. |
| Laurel | $1,850-$2,500 | $380k-$520k | 15-25 min | Value option between the base and Washington, D.C. |
| Severn / Glen Burnie | $1,800-$2,400 | $360k-$500k | 15-25 min | Leans toward Baltimore with a range of prices. |
2026 BAH near Fort Meade
Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) at Fort Meade is set by the MD133 (Fort G. G. Meade, MD) military housing area. Rates below are monthly, by pay grade, for 2026.
| Pay grade | With dependents | Without dependents |
|---|---|---|
| E-5 | $2,901 | $2,436 |
| E-7 | $3,327 | $2,745 |
| O-3 | $3,411 | $3,138 |
Source: DoD/DTMO 2026 BAH rate table (travel.dod.mil), effective January 1, 2026.
Schools near Fort Meade
| School | Level | District | Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meade High School | High | Anne Arundel County Public Schools | Fort Meade |
| Arundel High School | High | Anne Arundel County Public Schools | Gambrills |
| Piney Orchard Elementary | Elementary | Anne Arundel County Public Schools | Odenton |
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Where do most people live near Fort Meade?
Odenton, right outside the gate, is the most popular thanks to newer development and MARC train access. Laurel offers value on the way to Washington, D.C., and Severn and Glen Burnie lean toward Baltimore. Because Fort Meade’s workforce is huge and on-post housing is limited, most families live off-post across the corridor.
Is Fort Meade an expensive place to be stationed?
Yes, relative to most Army posts. Fort Meade sits in the Baltimore-Washington corridor, so home prices and rents run well above the national average and BAH is set higher to match. Odenton and Laurel are common choices; commuting a bit farther toward Baltimore can stretch a housing allowance further.
Related bases
Marine Corps Base Quantico
Triangle, Virginia
NavyNaval Station Norfolk
Norfolk, Virginia
Side-by-side comparisons: Fort Meade vs Marine Corps Base QuanticoFort Meade vs Naval Station Norfolk
More: Army bases · Bases in Maryland