Posted on Feb 10, 2021
SGT Infantryman
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SFC Retention Operations Nco
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Assuming you're a married, single income, you're better off getting on post housing. The cost of living is high around JBLM and as a single income E5 with dependents, it's hard to afford anything more than an apartment in a crappy complex.

If your spouse is working then you'll probably want to look at the Lacey area, as well as Puyallup, and University Place.

Lakewood has some good places, but you'll need to visit it first because not all the areas are good. Same for Tacoma. DuPont is nice but too expensive for an E5. Yelm is nice but too far for a spouse to drive to work. Spanaway is a good area as well, as long as you take the back area home from work because of the horrendous traffic.
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SFC Retention Operations Nco
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SGT (Join to see) in that case, find a roommate.
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SFC Retention Operations Nco
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LCpl Benji Smith here on JBLM there are not enough barracks space for Soldiers so some are getting pushed off post and receive BAH
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SFC Retention Operations Nco
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LCpl Benji Smith they've been building more barracks and just opened up a new set. But it takes years to plan, approve, fund, and build barracks, plus the setback when the previous president rerouted that funding for a border wall. Previously, they were living in barracks that were old when I was here in the 90s and those barracks are now condemned. The sizes and makeups of units in the Army change faster than buildings.
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SSG Bill McCoy
SSG Bill McCoy
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My son's last year in the Army was at JBLM - the worst assignment in his 10 years; but that's another story. He was single, but received BAS because there was no on-base barracks for NCO's. He was a SSG at the time and was a "wounded warrior," with three years worth of combat tours (Infantry) and almost two years in Germany.
He lived in Lacey in a gated community of really nice apartments.
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2LT Platoon Leader
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I currently live in Lakewood and don’t move into Beamount Grand Apartments. Terrible management and the parking here is horrendous.

Lacey, DuPont, Olympia are nice areas, but can be pricey depending on what you want.

Tacoma is eh, there’s good and bad parts around the city and traffic can be bad.

Overall, WA is unnecessarily expensive so happy house hunting!
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SSG Platoon Sergeant
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I lived in yelm on the out skirts of town. The drive was incredibly long. I would recommend on post housing if it’s available. I know there is a wait list. Best of luck to you.
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