Leaving El Paso County for El Paso County: Your Fort Bliss to Fort Carson Housing Plan
Compare 2026 Fort Bliss and Fort Carson BAH by rank, see what Colorado Springs housing costs next to El Paso, and learn how paying off debt makes the bigger payment fit your VA approval.
A PCS from Fort Bliss to Fort Carson moves you about 600 miles north, from one El Paso County to another, and your housing math changes more than the county name does.
A PCS from Fort Bliss to Fort Carson is a move from the 1st Armored Division’s home in West Texas to the Army post on the south edge of Colorado Springs. This page is for soldiers and families leaving El Paso, Horizon City, Socorro, Northeast El Paso, and the Las Cruces commute. Your BAH goes up at Fort Carson. So do home prices, winter bills, and insurance. We are a no-overlay VA lender based in Colorado Springs, and we build Fort Bliss to Fort Carson files around your real numbers. 25+ years, 3,100+ closed loans, Scotsman Guide Top Originator 2026. Lending in 49 states. New York excluded.
Last updated: October 6, 2026
Guidance reference: VA Pamphlet 26-7, Ch. 3 (VA updated July 9, 2026); Ch. 4 (VA updated August 26, 2026)
PCS From Fort Bliss to Fort Carson: The Short Answer
Every rank gets more BAH at Fort Carson than at Fort Bliss in 2026, from about $285 to $549 more a month with dependents. That raise usually does not cover the full jump in Colorado Springs home prices. The families who buy comfortably are the ones who clear small debts before they close, so more of their pay counts toward the house.
As of Q3 2026 (September 2026): An E-5 with dependents gets $1,809 a month in housing allowance (BAH) at Fort Bliss (MHA TX279, El Paso). At Fort Carson (MHA CO046, Colorado Springs), it is $2,358 a month. That is $549 more per month (DoD 2026 BAH Rates). VA uses 41% as a check point, not a limit, for how much of your income goes to debt payments. Above 41%, we take a closer look at your file. That closer look is not needed if the money left over each month after your bills is at least 20% above VA’s chart. Without that cushion, the loan can still be approved when a supervisor signs a note listing the strengths in your file. For a family of four in the West region on a loan of $80,000 or more, the chart shows $1,117 a month. For active duty, it is 5% lower, about $1,061 (VA Pamphlet 26-7, Ch. 4). A seller can pay up to 4% of the home’s reasonable value in seller concessions. These are extras the seller pays for you beyond normal closing costs. That money can pay off a buyer’s debts (VA Pamphlet 26-7, Ch. 8). The drive is about 600 miles, mostly on I-25.
Fort Bliss BAH vs Fort Carson BAH 2026 by Rank
Fort Bliss is paid under MHA TX279 (El Paso, TX). Fort Carson is paid under MHA CO046 (Colorado Springs, CO), which it shares with Peterson and Schriever. These are the monthly 2026 rates with dependents, effective January 1, 2026. E-1 through E-3 with dependents get the E-4 rate.
| Grade | Fort Bliss (TX279) | Fort Carson (CO046) | Monthly Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| E-4 | $1,665 | $2,160 | +$495 |
| E-5 | $1,809 | $2,358 | +$549 |
| E-6 | $2,148 | $2,433 | +$285 |
| E-7 | $2,172 | $2,487 | +$315 |
| E-8 | $2,187 | $2,553 | +$366 |
| E-9 | $2,241 | $2,646 | +$405 |
| W-2 | $2,178 | $2,514 | +$336 |
| O-1 | $1,857 | $2,376 | +$519 |
| O-2 | $2,145 | $2,430 | +$285 |
| O-3 | $2,202 | $2,595 | +$393 |
| O-4 | $2,352 | $2,778 | +$426 |
| O-5 | $2,466 | $2,913 | +$447 |
Single soldiers: without dependents, an E-4 goes from $1,302 at Fort Bliss to $1,689 at Fort Carson (+$387). An E-5 goes from $1,437 to $1,860 (+$423).
Look at the pattern. Junior enlisted and lieutenants get the biggest jump, over $500 a month. Staff sergeants and first lieutenants get the smallest, $285. You can check any rank on the DoD BAH lookup.
El Paso vs Colorado Springs: What Housing Costs
El Paso is one of the lower-cost big cities in the Army. A lot of Fort Bliss families bought new builds in Northeast El Paso, Horizon City, or out past Socorro with room to spare under BAH. Colorado Springs is a different market. The median sale price sits in the mid-$400,000s as of late summer 2026, and a 3-bedroom rental in a decent neighborhood runs about $2,100 to $2,400 a month.
Taxes flip, too. Texas has no personal income tax, and Texas has no state property tax either. Local taxing units set the rates, and that local property tax is a big line on an El Paso mortgage payment.
| Cost | El Paso area (Fort Bliss) | Colorado Springs (Fort Carson) |
|---|---|---|
| Home prices | Lower. Many new builds fit under BAH. | Median in the mid-$400,000s (late summer 2026) |
| Rent vs BAH | Rent often fits well under BAH | 3-bedroom about $2,100 to $2,400, close to E-5 and E-6 BAH |
| Property tax | No state property tax. Local rates run high. | Low by national standards |
| State income tax | None | Flat state income tax. Nonresident military wages are not taxed. |
| Homeowner’s insurance | Moderate | High and rising. The Front Range is a major hail corridor. |
| Utilities | Summer cooling is the big bill | Near national average. Winter heat is the big bill. |
Keep your Texas residency. The SCRA lets you keep your home state of legal residence when orders move you. Colorado’s Department of Revenue says the military wages of a nonresident servicemember are not subject to Colorado tax, even when earned in Colorado. For a Texas-domiciled soldier, that keeps base pay free of state income tax at Fort Carson. Spouse wages and side income follow their own rules, so ask a tax pro.
Paying Off Debt to Cover the Colorado Springs Payment
Here is a Fort Bliss family we see often: an E-6 with a spouse, two kids, two car loans, a personal loan, and a few cards. On El Paso prices it all worked. At Fort Carson, the E-6 BAH goes up only $285, from $2,148 to $2,433, while the house costs more. Once the orders are in hand, we count the Fort Carson BAH, not the Fort Bliss rate. The numbers below are an example. Your LES will differ.
Before: Carry the El Paso Debts
- Base pay (example): $4,400
- Fort Carson BAH, E-6 with deps: $2,433
- Spouse part-time pay: $1,500
- Total monthly income: $8,333
- Truck $610 + SUV $480 + personal loan $240 + cards $220 = $1,550
- House payment on a $360,000 home in Fountain: $2,625
- Debt payments / income (your debt-to-income ratio) = $4,175 / $8,333 = 50.1%. That is over 41%, so we take a closer look. We skip that step if money left over each month is 20% or more above VA’s chart. For an active duty family of four in the West, the $1,117 chart is cut 5% to about $1,061, so 20% over is about $1,273. If not, a supervisor can still approve the loan with a signed note.
After: Pay Off $23,500 at Closing
- Same income: $8,333
- Paid off: cards ($6,800), personal loan ($5,200), SUV ($11,500)
- Debts left: truck $610
- Same house payment: $2,625
- DTI = $3,235 / $8,333 = 38.8%. Under 41%, and $940 more a month stays in the family’s pocket.
- Where the $23,500 came from: $14,400 in seller concessions (the 4% cap on $360,000) plus $9,100 from the sale of the El Paso house
Why payoff beats a down payment on a VA loan. A monthly debt hurts you twice. It raises your DTI ratio, and it cuts your residual income, which is the cash left after the house and the bills. Putting the same $23,500 down would shave only about $145 a month off the house payment in this example, and every debt payment would stay. DTI would still sit near 48%.
Where Fort Bliss families find the payoff money: savings built up on lower El Paso costs, seller concessions of up to 4% of reasonable value, and equity from selling the house in El Paso.
❌ Myth: “We qualified for a big house in El Paso, so we’ll qualify for the same thing in Colorado Springs.”
✅ Fact: Your approval is built fresh on Fort Carson BAH, Colorado prices, and every debt you still carry. The same debts that were fine against a cheaper El Paso payment can push a Colorado file over 41%. VA sets no minimum credit score, and we add no overlays, but the ratio and residual income still have to work.
Not sure which Fort Bliss debts to pay off first? We run your DTI and residual income both ways before you write an offer in Colorado Springs.
Run My Payoff PlanWhat to Do With Your House at Fort Bliss: Sell, Rent, or Keep
Fort Bliss is a big post with steady turnover, so homes near the gates in Northeast El Paso and on the east side draw military renters every PCS season. Each path changes your Fort Carson approval differently.
Sell
Selling frees your full VA entitlement for Colorado Springs and can hand you the cash for debt payoff. If you bought a new build in Horizon City or far east El Paso in the last few years, check your equity before you count on it.
Rent It Out
To count rent from the El Paso house toward your Fort Carson loan, we need a signed lease. Without one, the full El Paso payment counts as a debt against you. If you rent now and your lease has not ended, the SCRA lets you terminate a residential lease on PCS orders (50 U.S.C. 3955).
Keep the VA Loan
Keeping a VA loan on the El Paso house ties up part of your entitlement. You can still buy at Fort Carson with your remaining, or second-tier, entitlement (VA Pamphlet 26-7, Ch. 3). Because Colorado Springs prices run higher, a down payment may come into play once the price passes what your remaining entitlement covers.
Clearing Fort Bliss: Out-Processing and the Transportation Office
The Fort Bliss clearing process starts with your unit S1. You turn in the Reassignment Checklist (IMCOM Form 78) through S1. The Reassignments Section of the Military Personnel Division is in Building 1, Room 205, and sees soldiers by PAC slip from S1. Family Travel for your dependents is in Building 1, Room 212. Go in duty uniform. The garrison posts the full list on its Online PCS Information page.
- In/Out Processing: Building 505, the Soldier Support Center on Pershing Road, Room 154. This is where your clearing papers get worked.
- Transportation office: the Personal Property Processing Office is in Building 504A, Holbrook Road, and the Fort Bliss Travel Office shares the building. Book household goods early through the DoD moving portal. See the Army Field Support Battalion-Bliss page.
- Relocation Readiness: the program at 2494 Ricker Road runs a lending closet for pots, pans, and basics while your goods are in transit, plus sponsorship to connect you with Fort Carson. See Fort Bliss Relocation Readiness.
Pack a pantry box and a cleaning kit for the last night in El Paso. If you plan to buy, get your orders in writing early. That page lets us count Fort Carson BAH.
The Drive: Fort Bliss to Colorado Springs
This is one of the simplest PCS drives in the Army. Take I-10 west to Las Cruces, then I-25 north the rest of the way, past Socorro, New Mexico (not the Socorro next to El Paso), Albuquerque, and Santa Fe. Then you climb Raton Pass into Colorado, drop through Trinidad and Pueblo, and reach Fort Carson just south of Colorado Springs. It is about 600 miles. Most families stop overnight in Albuquerque, about halfway.
- Raton Pass: this is the high point of the route. In winter it can get snow and ice that El Paso drivers rarely see. Check road conditions before you leave Albuquerque.
- Altitude: Fort Carson sits just under 6,000 feet, well above El Paso. Drink more water, and expect kids and pets to tire faster the first week.
- Doing a PPM: if you move yourself, get counseling from the transportation office before you load, and keep every weight ticket and receipt.
Fort Carson vs Fort Bliss: What Changes Day to Day
Both posts are high desert, sunny, and dry. The big change is winter. Colorado Springs gets real snow, cold mornings, and summer hail. For neighborhoods by gate, see our PCS to Fort Carson guide.
| Topic | Fort Bliss | Fort Carson |
|---|---|---|
| County | El Paso County, Texas | El Paso County, Colorado |
| Weather | Hot summers, mild winters, little snow | About 300 sunny days, real winter, hail season |
| Schools | Local El Paso-area districts | Fountain-Fort Carson D8 runs the on-post schools |
| Gates | Varies by where you live | Gates 1, 3, and 20 open 24/7 |
| Outdoors | Franklin Mountains, desert trails | Pikes Peak, forest trails, ski trips |
| Housing cost | Lower | Higher. Fountain and Security-Widefield come closest to BAH. |
Your Timeline From Fort Bliss Orders to a Fort Carson Closing
Count backward from your Fort Carson report date.
120 days out: Full pre-approval and a payoff plan
We price the El Paso debts against Fort Carson BAH and decide what to pay off, and whether to sell, rent, or keep the Texas house.
75 days out: House-hunting trip up I-25 and a contract
Write the offer with seller concessions set aside for your debt payoffs.
45 days out: Appraisal, hail-ready insurance, and a POA
Get the roof age and a Colorado insurance quote early. If you will still be clearing Fort Bliss at closing, set up a power of attorney now.
10 days out: Close so the moving truck goes straight to the house
Closing before you sign in means your goods from El Paso deliver to your new address. VA expects you to move in within 60 days. A later move-in can work when you name a set date tied to your report date, but generally not more than 12 months after closing.
Have your Fort Carson report date? We build your 120-day plan from Fort Bliss orders to closing before you start clearing.
Build My TimelinePCS From Fort Bliss to Fort Carson: Frequently Asked Questions
How much more is BAH at Fort Carson than Fort Bliss?
Fort Carson BAH is higher for every rank in 2026. With dependents, the monthly increase runs from $285 for an E-6 or O-2 up to $549 for an E-5. An E-5 goes from $1,809 at Fort Bliss to $2,358 at Fort Carson. These are DoD rates for MHA TX279 and CO046, effective January 1, 2026.
Is Colorado Springs more expensive than El Paso?
Yes, housing costs more in Colorado Springs than in El Paso. The median sale price is in the mid-$400,000s, and a 3-bedroom rental runs about $2,100 to $2,400 a month. Property tax is usually lower than in Texas, but hail pushes insurance up. The higher Fort Carson BAH helps, but it rarely covers the whole difference.
Can I buy a house at Fort Carson before I leave Fort Bliss?
Yes, you can buy before you leave Fort Bliss once you have PCS orders in hand. We count the Fort Carson BAH rate from the orders, not your El Paso rate. VA expects you to move in within 60 days of closing. A later move-in can work when you name a set date tied to your report date, but generally not more than 12 months after closing.
Should I sell or rent my El Paso house when I PCS to Fort Carson?
Sell if you need the equity for debt payoff or want your full VA entitlement (your VA home loan benefit) back. Rent it if the rent covers the payment and you want to keep the home. VA does not require a signed lease. On your Fort Carson loan, the rent can cancel out the El Paso payment, but it never counts as extra income. With no lease yet, we can still use the rent when homes in your area rent very easily.
Can I get a second VA loan at Fort Carson if I keep my house at Fort Bliss?
Yes, you can often use remaining entitlement to buy at Fort Carson while keeping the VA loan on your El Paso home. The Texas loan ties up part of your entitlement. Because Colorado Springs prices are higher, a down payment may be needed on a larger purchase. We calculate it before you shop.
Do I pay Colorado income tax if I am a Texas resident at Fort Carson?
No, Colorado does not tax the military wages of a servicemember who is not a Colorado resident. The SCRA lets you keep Texas as your home state of legal residence when you PCS. That keeps your base pay free of state income tax. Spouse wages follow separate rules, so check with a tax professional.
How long is the drive from Fort Bliss to Fort Carson?
The drive from Fort Bliss to Fort Carson is about 600 miles. You take I-10 west to Las Cruces, then I-25 north through Albuquerque and over Raton Pass into Colorado. Most families stop overnight in Albuquerque. Watch for snow on Raton Pass in winter.
What is the Fort Bliss clearing process for PCS?
The Fort Bliss clearing process starts with your unit S1 and the Reassignment Checklist, IMCOM Form 78. Reassignments is in Building 1, In and Out Processing is in Building 505 on Pershing Road, and the transportation office for household goods is in Building 504A on Holbrook Road. Wear your duty uniform.
Related Pages
About the Author
J.D. Peck is an Area Manager and Mortgage Loan Originator (NMLS #314883) with the JD.Mortgage Team at Paramount Residential Mortgage Group, Inc. (NMLS #75243), based in Colorado Springs. 25+ years, 3,100+ closed loans, Scotsman Guide Top Originator 2026. Lending in 49 states. New York excluded.
Last updated: September 24, 2026. VA loan facts sourced from VA Pamphlet 26-7 and 38 CFR. BAH figures from the Department of Defense 2026 BAH Rates tables (with and without dependents), MHAs TX279 and CO046, effective January 1, 2026. Installation details from the U.S. Army Garrison Fort Bliss Online PCS Information page, the Army Field Support Battalion-Bliss page, and Fort Bliss MWR Relocation Readiness.
Plan Your Fort Carson Home Before You Clear Fort Bliss
We review your orders, your El Paso debts, and your house in Texas, then show you the Colorado Springs price range that fits. You get a payoff plan and a real VA pre-approval built on Fort Carson BAH.
Source: JD.Mortgage Team at PRMG, PCS From Fort Bliss to Fort Carson: BAH, Housing Costs, and VA Loans, updated September 2026, https://jd.mortgage/pcs-fort-bliss-to-fort-carson/
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