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Army Anchorage, AK

PCSing to Fort Richardson (Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson)?

Housing, BAH, schools, neighborhoods and trusted local pros — everything to plan your move and get settled, in one place.

Ask Battle Buddy About Fort Richardson (Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson)
BAH E-5 w/ dep
$2,874
BAH O-3 w/ dep
$3,360
Homes listed
0
Neighborhoods
5
Verified pros
0

PCS command center · Fort Richardson (Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson)

What do you need to do next?

Start with your military mortgage partner, then build the trusted local team for your move.

VA Loan Officer

Get pre-approved with a lender who serves Fort Richardson (Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson).

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Find a Realtor

Work with an agent who knows this market and military moves.

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Browse Homes

See homes near base that fit your housing allowance.

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Insurance & Inspection

Line up homeowners insurance and a home inspector.

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Neighborhoods

Compare areas, commute times, and cost of living.

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Schools

Review school options for your kids.

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Local Businesses

Find military-owned and military-friendly businesses.

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Build My PCS Plan

Free step-by-step plan and timeline for this move.

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01

Installation overview

Fort Richardson (Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson)

Army Installation / Garrison

Mission

Joint installation — multi-service operations and support

Fact sheet
Branch
Army
Location
Anchorage, AK
Nearest city
Anchorage, AK
Climate
Subarctic — long cold winters, short mild summers
Closest airport
Merrill Field (MRI) · about 6 mi
Closest major airport
Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC) · about 11 mi

Airport distances are straight-line estimates.

02

PCS information

Reporting to Fort Richardson (Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson)

Official sources change often, so we link straight to the authoritative page instead of copying details that go out of date.

Links reviewed September 2026 — always confirm details with the official source.

03

Housing

Where should home be near Fort Richardson (Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson)?

Pick the path that fits your tour length, family and budget — then browse homes and verified listings.

01
Live on basePrivatized and government housing. Check waitlists early and weigh commute and community.Explore
02
Rent off baseFlexibility for shorter tours. Compare rent against your BAH and commute times.Explore
03
Buy off baseBuild equity with your VA home loan benefit when your time here makes sense.Explore
04
Compare my optionsWeigh BAH, commute, schools, family size, expected time here, and lifestyle.Explore

Listings

Homes near Fort Richardson (Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson)

See all in search

Inventory coming online

We're onboarding verified landlords and military-to-military sellers near this base. Save the base to be notified when the first homes go live.

04

Basic Allowance for Housing

Your housing budget at Fort Richardson (Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson)

Sample monthly rates with dependents. Your exact rate depends on rank, dependency status, and the duty-station ZIP code on your orders.

E-5 with dependents

$2,874/mo

O-3 with dependents

$3,360/mo

How far it goes

E-5 with dependents$2,874
O-3 with dependents$3,360
Typical rent nearby$1,297

Typical rent is the average 2023 Census median gross rent across the nearby towns listed below.

Look up my exact BAH Compare BAH to housing costs

Sample rates shown for planning only. Links reviewed September 2026 — always confirm details with the official source.

05

Neighborhood guide

Where military families live

Towns near Fort Richardson (Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson) with estimated drive times and typical rent compared with E-5 BAH.

01

Point MacKenzie

Point MacKenzie, AK is about 13 miles from the installation — roughly a 25-minute drive (estimate).

Drive to base25 min
Typical rent
$1,258/mo
Under BAH $1,616
02

Anchorage

Anchorage, AK is about 15 miles from the installation — roughly a 28-minute drive (estimate).

Drive to base28 min
Typical rent
$1,453/mo
Under BAH $1,421
03

Knik-Fairview

Knik-Fairview, AK is about 18 miles from the installation — roughly a 33-minute drive (estimate).

Drive to base33 min
Typical rent
$1,258/mo
Under BAH $1,616
04

Big Lake

Big Lake, AK is about 20 miles from the installation — roughly a 38-minute drive (estimate).

Drive to base38 min
Typical rent
$1,258/mo
Under BAH $1,616
05

Wasilla

Wasilla, AK is about 24 miles from the installation — roughly a 45-minute drive (estimate).

Drive to base45 min
Typical rent
$1,258/mo
Under BAH $1,616

Rents are 2023 Census median gross rents; county medians are used where town-level figures are unavailable.

Compare neighborhoods

Side by side.

Pick up to three areas to compare.

Point MacKenzieAnchorageKnik-Fairview
Drive to base (est.)25 min28 min33 min
Median rent$1,258/mo$1,453/mo$1,258/mo
Rent vs. E-5 BAHUnder by $1,616Under by $1,421Under by $1,616

Drive times are straight-line estimates. Rents are 2023 Census median gross rents; some smaller towns use county medians where town figures are unavailable. Town list from the U.S. Census Bureau.

06

Schools

Schools near Fort Richardson (Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson)

Nearest public schools from the U.S. Department of Education's official directory. Drive times are estimates.

SchoolTypeGradesFrom base
Ursa Minor Elementary
JBER
ElementaryPK–6 5 min
Muldoon Elementary
Anchorage
ElementaryPK–6 7 min
Creekside Park Elementary
Anchorage
ElementaryPK–6 8 min
Ptarmigan Elementary
Anchorage
ElementaryPK–6 10 min
Nicholas J. Begich Middle School
Anchorage
Middle6–8 9 min
Clark Middle School
Anchorage
Middle6–8 12 min
Highland Academy Charter
Anchorage
High6–12 13 min
Eagle River High School
Eagle River
High9–12 13 min
07

Around the base

What's around Fort Richardson (Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson)

Toggle layers to explore nearby places, verified pros, and veteran- and spouse-owned businesses serving this installation.

Veteran-OwnedMil-Spouse-Owned

Mission Results

0 SITES
No sites detected in this sector.
Google Places · Online
Verified Directory Active
SECTOR_REF: FORT-RICHARDSON-JOINT-BASE-ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON-AK
08

Arrival guide

Your first days at Fort Richardson (Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson)

A check-in list for your first day, week and month. Tap to check things off — progress is saved on this device.

Your progress0 of 11 done
Merrill Field (MRI) · 6 mi
Day 1

Day one

0/3
  • DoD Lodging
Week 1

First week

0/5
  • HOMES.mil
  • TRICARE
  • milConnect
  • Military Interstate Children's Compact
Month 1

First month

0/3
  • FVAP
09

Contacts & family support

Who to call at Fort Richardson (Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson)

Numbers and offices from the official DoD MilitaryINSTALLATIONS directory and Military.com's base guide. Numbers can change — confirm before you visit.

Spouse & partner jobs

Military Spouse Employment Partnership (MSEP)Hundreds of employers committed to hiring military spouses.SECO career coachingFree career coaching and license help for military spouses.Federal jobs near Anchorage, AKSearch USAJOBS, including military spouse preference positions.Moving your professional licenseState-by-state rules for transferring a license when you PCS.

Child care

MilitaryChildCare.comJoin the waitlist for base child development centers — do it as soon as you have orders.Child care fee helpFee assistance for off-base care when base care isn't available.Official child care page for this basePrograms, ages and hours from the DoD directory.
Full official directory for Fort Richardson (Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson) on MilitaryINSTALLATIONS
10

Moving

Getting your household to Fort Richardson (Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson)

Decide how you'll move, book dates early, and keep the essentials with you.

Links reviewed September 2026 — always confirm details with the official source.

11

Your PCS team

Trusted pros who work this base

Military-connected VA loan officers, MRP® realtors, insurance agents and inspectors ready to help you land.

Browse all pros

We're vetting your PCS team

MilitaryPCS pros follow a strict sequence: VA loan officer → MRP realtor → insurance agent → home inspector. Verified local pros for this base are being onboarded now.

12

PCS Battle Buddy™

A personal housing plan for Fort Richardson (Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson)

Tell your Battle Buddy about your family. It weighs Army data, local schools, neighborhoods and BAH to suggest where to look.

  • Neighborhood picks matched to your budget
  • School options for your kids' grades
  • Commute and BAH trade-offs, explained
PCS Battle Buddy · Housing recommendation

Where should we live near Fort Richardson (Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson)?

Tell your Battle Buddy about your family and get tailored neighborhood and school picks.

13

Your PCS timeline

From orders to keys — one platform

The phases every family runs when PCSing to Fort Richardson (Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson). MilitaryPCS follows you through every step.

Start my PCS plan
  1. 01
    Phase 1

    Orders received

    Save this base, set your report date, and start your PCS binder.

  2. 02
    Phase 2

    Discover the area

    Explore neighborhoods, schools, off-base life and BAH.

  3. 03
    Phase 3

    Find housing

    Rent or buy with a VA-savvy team. Military clause protected.

  4. 04
    Phase 4

    Plan the move

    HHG, PPM, storage and pet transport — all in one checklist.

  5. 05
    Phase 5

    Execute the move

    Track HHG shipments, TLE and en-route lodging.

  6. 06
    Phase 6

    Land & unpack

    In-processing, utilities, school enrollment, DEERS updates.

  7. 07
    Phase 7

    Settle in

    Community, spouse employment, kids' activities, healthcare.

  8. 08
    Ongoing

    Ready for the next PCS

    Your MilitaryPCS profile follows you to the next duty station.

14

From the community

Real reviews from families at Fort Richardson (Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson)

Honest takes from spouses and service members who've been through it.

Be the first to share

Family reviews for this base go live once verified. If you're stationed here or PCSed here, share your experience to help the next family.

Guides written with families

Every review is verified before it's published, and families who live here help keep this guide accurate.

Community corrections

See something outdated about Fort Richardson (Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson)? Families who live here help keep this guide accurate.

Sign in to suggest a correction
15

Installation resources

Official & community links for Fort Richardson (Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson)

Curated in-processing, MWR, family readiness and off-base essentials.

In-processing checklist

Official installation overview, in-processing and reporting instructions.

Family readiness (MFRC/FRG)

Branch family support program for spouses and dependents.

MWR & recreation

Gyms, pools, outdoor rec, tickets and on-base discounts.

Base directory

Main gate, housing office, DEERS/ID card, medical and key phone numbers.

School liaison officer

Enrollment support and school transition help through DoDEA / MCEC.

Spouse employment

MSEP employers, remote work and licensing portability via MySECO.

Why MilitaryPCS

One platform. Everything for your PCS.

Military-verified pros

Every realtor, LO, agent and inspector is vetted for military experience.

PCS Battle Buddy™

Base-specific answers 24/7 — free to start.

Military clause by default

Rentals flagged with mil-clause protection.

Follows every move

Your profile carries to the next duty station.

Military family

Plan your next PCS with base-specific tools and verified pros.

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Home services pro

Join the verified network and get matched with PCS families.

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Local business

Verify as military-owned and get discovered by the community.

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