Moving to NAS Patuxent River
Housing, neighborhoods, schools, and 2026 BAH for families PCSing to Lexington Park, Maryland.
Also known as: Pax River, Patuxent River
Naval Air Station Patuxent River, in southern Maryland, is the Navy’s premier air test and evaluation center and home of the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School. Families PCSing here settle in Lexington Park right outside the gate or the nearby communities of California and Leonardtown, in a moderately priced rural-suburban market.
Last updated: 2026-07-19
On-base vs off-base housing
On-base housing serves families with the usual waitlists. Off-base, Lexington Park wraps around the gate with the most inventory, the California and Great Mills areas offer newer suburban homes nearby, and Leonardtown, the county seat, draws families for its charm and schools. Southern Maryland is more affordable than the D.C. metro to the north, so buying is common.
Where military families live near NAS Patuxent River
Families PCSing to NAS Patuxent River most often settle in Lexington Park, California / Great Mills, Leonardtown. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lexington Park | $1,600-$2,200 | $300k-$420k | 5-15 min | Right outside the gate; most inventory and shortest commute. |
| California / Great Mills | $1,700-$2,300 | $330k-$450k | 10-20 min | Newer suburban homes and shopping near the base. |
| Leonardtown | $1,650-$2,250 | $320k-$450k | 20-30 min | Charming county seat with strong schools to the north. |
2026 BAH near NAS Patuxent River
Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) at NAS Patuxent River is set by the MD135 (Patuxent River, MD) military housing area. Rates below are monthly, by pay grade, for 2026.
| Pay grade | With dependents | Without dependents |
|---|---|---|
| E-5 | $2,406 | $2,040 |
| E-7 | $2,625 | $2,271 |
| O-3 | $2,769 | $2,490 |
Source: DoD/DTMO 2026 BAH rate table (travel.dod.mil), effective January 1, 2026.
Schools near NAS Patuxent River
| School | Level | District | Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leonardtown High School | High | St. Mary's County Public Schools | Leonardtown |
| Great Mills High School | High | St. Mary's County Public Schools | Great Mills |
| Lexington Park Elementary | Elementary | St. Mary's County Public Schools | Lexington Park |
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Where do most families live near NAS Patuxent River?
Lexington Park, right outside the gate, has the most housing and the shortest commute. The California and Great Mills areas offer newer suburban homes and shopping nearby. Leonardtown, the charming county seat, draws families for its schools and small-town feel about 20 to 30 minutes north.
Is southern Maryland expensive for military families?
It is moderate, and more affordable than the D.C. metro to the north. St. Mary’s County home prices run near the national average, so buying with a VA loan is realistic for most ranks. The rural-suburban setting on the Chesapeake Bay is a draw, and BAH is set to the local Pax River market.
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