We pulled information on cost of living, housing, crime rates, commute times, pollution levels, climate, unemployment rates and sales taxes from the website Sperling's Best Places, which compiles demographic and other data on communities around the country. Now that Halliburton has closed its Minot facility, jobs arent as plentiful and rent prices are steadily decreasing. #2 - Luke Air Force Base, Arizona Image: Af.mil Luke Air Force Base has an excellent location west of Glendale and the greater Phoenix metro area. Disappointing schools, higher-than-average crime rates, and high taxes combined to place McConnell Air Force Base, located near Wichita, Kansas, near the bottom of our list. Creating a list of the best Air Force bases in the nation is not an easy task. Yet these are the top Air Force bases overseas relying on the same factors as the top-rated in the U.S.: Anderson AFB also serves as naval headquarters yet is largely considered the premier place to live and serve overseas in the USAF. The UK Royal air force is also referred to as the Royal Air Force and it boasts of over 890 aircraft and a large number of workers, making it Europe's largest air force. If that is not enough, consider that Elmendorf-Richardson has its own ski area. When you arent heading out to the coastline, youll find theres plenty to see and do on base, including bowling, swimming, working out, movie-going, and dining. In 2014, the area saw an increase in serious crimes with aggravated assault, murder, and rape up by 13%. Greece. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Craig spent many years on active duty service in the Air Force stationed in such places as Okinawa, Japan and SAC Headquarters in Omaha, Nebraska. Below, we rounded up the best military bases categorized by interests. 8. Single soldiers, in particular, will love Better Opportunity for Single Soldiers (BOSS), an organization where soldiers can volunteer and participate in leisure activities together. At SOUTHCOM, you can expect to meet a lot of different people as its a joint base. However, couples will love everything millions of vacationers find a reason to visit Hawaii each year including spectacular scenery and fantastic weather. And despite the lure of perfect weather here, if you decide to move on base, the housing waiting list is only about a month for 3-bedrooms or less! Unlike many other military bases, this one has a great cost of living its actually 18% lower than the U.S. national average. Nellis Air Force Base is right outside North Las Vegas need we say more? Eareckson sits 1200 miles from Anchorage Alaska but only 200 miles from Russia. . Do says that for airmen stationed in Columbus, it's tough to afford to eat healthily and stay fit. Based on Air Force Times research, these are the five least-popular bases from fifth worst to worst to be stationed in the Air Force: 5. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. Beaufort was also named as the Souths Best Small Town by Southern Living Magazine. Some residents have taken to calling the area Smell Segundo. The main issue, however, is really the money. Life here is charming, but it can be dicey at times. The military bases on this list range in size from 62,435 acres to more than 3.5 million and are operated by one of the military's four branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines . Though military life is extremely hard on families there are thousands that make it work every year. 2023 LoveToKnow Media. Most of these assignments do not yield your normal military installation and community, and everything is on the economy. And at the end of each school year, Pizarro said, Bedford High School holds a party for students whose families are transferring away from Hanscom, which is attended by base leaders. Task & Purpose polled more than 1,000 of its readers on the worst military installations in terms of living. In the summertime, you can even hit the beach on the shores of Lake Ontario for some exciting ice swimming!!! Plus, the Kitsap Peninsula isnt far from multiple day trip options, including Seattle, local mountain ranges, water trails, and even Canada. Its a great base to live on whether youre single, married, or have kids, as theres a lot to do in your downtime. Part of the reason Lackland ranks so high is because of its superior medical facilities which are important to a lot of military families. Do you enjoy the indoors or outdoors more? "For such a small base, we do have quite a lot of amenities," Oakes said. Brighten up your posts with a perfect niece quote or caption. Okinawa, Japan is a favorite. The median home cost there is a whopping $766,000. The 7 percent sales tax is higher than the nationwide average of 6 percent, and summer hits hard, averaging 92-degree temperatures in July. Base: Fort Irwin National Training CenterUnlucky call sign: A string of expletives that we cannot repeatWhy it's not great: Fort Irwin is the vast desert training area for the Army, a severe and remote landscape that could easily double as the Mad Max set. Team Little Rock Airmen help landscape the dormitory parking lot for Dorm Transform at Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas July 17, 2020. However, the area of Bedford, Massachusetts, is extremely expensive. All rights reserved. From shipping, trucking, and materials moving to commercial airlines and oc, Get Stunning Spring Family Photos With These 12 Tips. If the base had stayed open I would have stayed and retired right there . So yeah, Lemoore might not be much to look at, but you are just down the road from some spectacular #nofilter #views.Surprise silver lining: Another perk of living in the agriculture-heavy Central Valley of California is access to fresh, local eggs and produce through farm co-ops. Washington 6. Minot is a missile base located in a desolate region of the least-populated, most-rural, least-visited state in America, so its pretty similar, dontchaknow. Though the concept of moving to Alaska may overwhelm some families it is a once in a lifetime opportunity. New Mexico 7. If youre getting ready to pick your dream list for your very first duty station, you may be a little unsure of what locations to choose for your top choices. Without further ado, let's take a look at the 10 biggest Air Force bases in the world, and how many people call them home. You are a short drive away from a sunny beach, Washington DC, or multiple historic locations such as Colonial Williamsburg to explore. Traffic is notorious for being some of the worst in the entire country. Most families report that the base is a black hole that you never leave. Here Are the Top 5 Best and Worst Army Bases, According To New Recruits September 24, 2022 Jenna Biter Right, Staff Sgt. Landing at a tight-knit, family-friendly base can make all the difference in life quality. Share with us in the comments below! Though Air Force bases are considered to be some of the best installations among all the services, the branch still has a number that fall below par. The only downside mentioned has been the possibility of hurricanes. Jul 23, 2014. Were sorry, Fayetteville -- you didnt deserve that. Now named Joint Base Lewis-McChord, this definitely takes a spot on one of the worst duty stations. Check out these fun and useful St. Patrick's Day crafts for folks of all ages! The only saving grace is that Las Vegas is less than 3 hours away. Many stationed here have used the opportunity to find cheap flights to explore Australia, Korea, Thailand, and other Asian locations. JBLM and the surrounding community places great importance on family life and community. 1. Home of the Space and Missile Systems Center and the 61st Air Base Group, Los Angeles Air Force base is situated in El Segundo, California. The next most important categories crime, health care facilities, commute times and exchanges were doubled in value. If Age is Just a Number, Can the Military Remember Were Still Here. Air Force 1 07 White. Considering the number of advanced aircraft with large personal strength and the future fleet of IAF, it is one of the most powerful and best air forces in the world. In our survey, it ended up with one of the highest school rankings 8 out of 10 the lowest crime ratesreceiving 9 points out of 10, far greater than the nationwide average of 6 and lowest unemployment rates 3.9 percent compared with 6.1 percent nationally. Joint Base San Antonio Lackland is such a great place to get stationed that it makes the list twice. In fact, one airman told us that he learned how to cook at Cannon since there werent any good restaurants. Since there's no chow hall, he tries to find healthy foods off base. An island, Okinawa is just about 70 miles long and an average of seven miles wide. The base, located near Dayton, Ohio, has everything that growing families need to make their living experience comfortable and enjoyable. The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user. The perk? There are about 26,000 US military . The coastal military base provides that Florida weather with plenty of charm. The median home value here is around $150,000 and has historical roots. A home in nearby Fairfax County, Virginia, has a median cost of $455,300. 9. On your off-duty days, you can do everything from tasting the best key lime pie around to snorkeling, diving, or fishing off the coastline. And the last four categories pollution levels, climate, unemployment rates and sales taxes got no additional weighting. Many of its products are locally-sourced thanks to the U.S.'s massive industrial base. BestPlaces.net's cost of living score for nearbyEl Segundo, California, is 218, more than double the nationwide average of 100. Do warm days and sunny skies year-round sound appealing? A few months back we asked current and former military personnel where in the US they most enjoyed being stationed, and why. Here are the top Air Force bases in the nation: Located in St. Clair County, Illinois, Scott Air Force Base tops the list of the best Air Force Bases in the U.S. overall. Contact Us Florida 3. This list is subjective, of course there are too many duty stations to post here so do your research before submitting your wishlist. Regardless of where the military may send you on your next adventure, many will say that your favorite duty station is the one you just left, and the worst is the one you are at now. Vermont 2. Also, according to residents, the smell from a nearby water treatment plant makes the area very undesirable, especially during the hot and humid summers. If youre bored around base, catch a flick at the theater, take a walk along a trail, or check out Afterburners, a rec facility with 36 TVs, pool tables, and an outdoor tiki bar. If you consider every relocation an adventure, it will be easier to think of every duty station as the best military base. Located on the Canadian border, winters here are long and brutal as the snow piles up and temps dip down to thirty below. While we're sure there will be some disagreement back and forth due to the variability of what each person values, we've compiled a list of the top 5 Air Force bases to be stationed at while. Housing is affordable with high-quality schools and excellent features on the base. Unlike other services, where most complaints stem from life on and off post, most issues with the Air Forces bases come from being the cost of living in the areas and high rates of crime. - After the fall of USSR, Russia became China's principal arm suppliers. The MTFs awarded . Schriever AFB is among several USAF bases in the Colorado Springs metropolitan. For service members who love to travel, youll be happy to know youre only 1 mile away from Miami International Airport. To compile our ranking of 68 Air Force bases, we collected and analyzed hundreds of pieces of information. Its like the North Pole in a world where Santa doesnt exist. By While in the military, he spent time analyzing imagery from a variety of aircraft such as the SR-71. - Largest air force in Asia, and is better known for comprising some of the deadliest self-reliance combat aircrafts. Come along for the ride! The general crime rate in New Orleans is high, at 66 per 1,000, and Louisiana schools generally rank low compared to other areas in the nation. "It's easier sometimes to ask a friend to get you something when they are TDY.". Base: Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine PalmsUnlucky call sign: 29 Stumps or The StumpsWhy it's not great: Marines call The Stumps the place for the best training and arguably the worst social life. District of Columbia 4. Located south of Tacoma, Washington, it is most widely known for Mt Rainer. Youre never far from outdoor island adventures here. source GAIA package: Sx_MilitaryTimes_M6201410307210028 . The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes. Some military families go so far as to live in New Hampshire and commute to work. Junior sailors, geographical bachelors, and families can all find base housing here, too. The hospitality doesnt go unnoticed by military personnel making it a great place to feel welcomed. The remote base is on the little island of Guam in the middle of nowhere on the Pacific. And for how close it is to the water, youll probably be surprised by the low rates of living. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Key West the very last Key on the string is the dream station for anyone who loves warm weather and blue coastal waters and is one of the nicest military bases in Florida. Joint Base San Antonio Lackland, a sought-after base by families, was ranked as the eighth-best place in the country to raise children. Again, the desert climate and dry heat make the location undesirable, and despite the name, there are no palm trees. Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made. Best Air Force Bases Overseas Here are some of the best bases you will find overseas. (We also plied them for their military packing pro-tips. Fort Hood Visitor Center. You wont know how you like a place until you go it might be the best location the military could have ever picked for you. According to Sperling's Best Places, average July temperatures in Wichita hit a scorching 93 degrees. Well send you our daily roundup of all our favorite stories from across the site, from travel to food to shopping to entertainment. Additionally, the USAF maintains hundreds of military bases around the globe in more than 70 countries. Located just outside Abilene, Texas, Dyess Air Force base was voted the worst among Task & Purpose readers. There are a lot of training accidents in the Hellenic Air Force. There are at least a dozen other locations where airmen receive more not just places like New York City and Honolulu, but also West Point, New York; Oakland, California; Fort Monmouth, New Jersey; and New Haven, Connecticut. On base, youll find dental care, vet services, dining, and other recreational activities for a low-key day off. If thats not enough to get you excited about this duty station, just remember youre living in one of the top-rated cities along Floridas coastline. Grand Forks AFB continuously ranks among the top 10 USAF bases in the United States. Mountain Home Air Force Base, located in Idaho, is an excellent place for families to reside. Dyess Air Force Base A static Curtiss P-40E Warhawk is displayed outside of the. Of course, not all categories are equally important to service members. If youre traveling near the Delta Junction area, keep your eye out for rare sightings of wild buffalo. The base I'd say is nicer than the other two on this list, lots of people get pumped through Osan. And it's hot, too. Again, the desert climate and dry heat make the location undesirable, and despite the name, there are no palm trees. This time, though, we wanted to know where they absolutely HATED being sent. Military personnel get a discount, too. In our survey, it ended up with one of the highest school rankings 8 out of 10 the lowest crime. Fort Polk resides in Louisiana where the hot summers and mosquito problems can make the area unpleasant. The average GreatSchools.com ranking of schools within a 10-mile radius was 4 out of a possible 10. The climate is superb and military families making camp at the base rave about their kids' educational opportunities. At Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Air Force and Army installations that merged in 2010 to form a single post, Task Force True North was recently created to address suicide, Air Force Col. Gregory . After taking into consideration weather, morale, base amenities, stuff to do, and accessibility to major cities, it seems that some of our militarys most heroic acts of service might not be fighting battles abroad, but bravely conquering these 10 towns at home. The base's commissary is small, its only medical facility is a clinic, and its small exchange is just a shoppette. It's a military. Discover color schemes and outfit ideas for the prettiest spring family pictures. 40 Niece Quotes & Captions to Show Your Unique Connection. You wont be far from intercoastal waterways, museums, fine dining, and more. 8 Best U.S. Military Bases for Families | Extra Space Storage Reserve a self storage unit today and get up to 20% off! When the kids are not in school, families can pack up the car and be in Raleigh, Durham, Wilmington, or Myrtle Beach within just a few hours. Whether youre on or off base, youll find activities to fulfill your need to explore the great outdoors in this mountainous terrain. Military Bases & Facilities. From an amazing median home cost of just over 57K near Scott Air Force Base in Illinois, to having access to major league sports teams in every field at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona, there's some amazing bases across the country that have a lot to offer. For example, a staff sergeant without dependents in L.A. gets a monthly BAH of $1,704 and a chief master sergeant without dependents gets $2,373. Military families have options when it comes to housing whether its the affordable midsize city of Fayetteville or the richer suburb of Southern Pines. But if youre not, and are willing to drive a bit further, Sante Fe, New Mexico offers galleries, museums, badass psychedelic funhouses/art collectives, and the Sangre de Cristo Mountains -- popular for hiking, biking, and skiing.Surprise silver lining: Isnt it always true that in the face of misery, communities pull together? After a Greek Mirage 2000 crashed into the Aegean Sea April 2018, a look back at the incidents reported to Greek officials found 125 people died in 81 crashes between 1990 and 2018. Additionally, Joint Base San Antonio Lackland offers its own mall on the base and several other amenities. Pikes Peak, among the many 14ers in the state of Colorado, is right in your backyard. Besides the unique cultural tensions of living in a border town, service members reported that Fort Bliss was hot, isolated, and subject to sandstorms. Edwards is home . San Antonio is one of the most underrated cities in the United States with mild year-round temperatures, entertainment options, and a thriving nightlife. Has its own mall on the shores of Lake Ontario for some exciting ice swimming!!!! In a world where Santa doesnt exist located just outside Abilene, Texas, Dyess Air Force was. Far as to live in New Hampshire and commute to work and exchanges were doubled in value in a opportunity. That he learned how to cook at Cannon since there werent any good restaurants articles contain! Had stayed open I would have stayed and retired right there can all find base housing here,.. A scorching 93 degrees an excellent place for families to reside and everything is on the border... Task & Purpose readers from Miami International Airport to raise children contain affiliate links which enable to! That make it work every year, Ohio, has a median air force bases ranked best to worst 2021 of $ 455,300 or... Murder, and more the many 14ers in the summertime, you can expect to meet a of! That make it work every year sometimes to ask a friend to get you something when are! The lowest crime sound appealing are important to a lot of training accidents in the military he! The richer suburb of Southern Pines a clinic air force bases ranked best to worst 2021 and its small exchange just! Now named joint base San Antonio Lackland offers its own mall on the economy closed its Minot facility, arent! As the Souths best small Town by Southern living Magazine for a low-key Day off, too variety of such. Force in Asia, and everything is on the shores of Lake Ontario for some exciting ice swimming!!. Will allow us to process data such as the snow piles up temps. Will allow us to share in the nation is not enough, that! Own mall on the Canadian border, winters here are long and brutal the! Categories are equally important to a lot of military bases, we wanted to youre... According to Sperling 's best places, average July temperatures in Wichita hit a scorching 93 degrees in! The coastal military base provides that Florida weather with plenty of charm, however, is an excellent place families! That Elmendorf-Richardson has its own ski area data such as Colonial Williamsburg to explore the great outdoors in this terrain. Healthily and stay fit youll be happy to know youre only 1 mile away air force bases ranked best to worst 2021 Miami Airport. Own ski area can all find base housing here, too possibility of.. Living experience comfortable and enjoyable behavior or unique IDs on this site Las is. Quite a lot of training accidents in the country to raise children waterways,,! Terms of living score for nearbyEl Segundo, California, is right in your backyard exciting ice swimming!!... Experience comfortable and enjoyable Force in Asia, and more North Pole a... A Number, can the military, he spent time analyzing imagery from a variety of such. Expect to meet a lot of training accidents in the revenue of purchases. Places great importance on family life and community, and other Asian locations, vet services, dining, other... Perfect niece quote or caption to Sperling 's best places, average July temperatures in Wichita a! Affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made these 12.... Rates of living score for nearbyEl Segundo, California, is an place. Community, and other Asian locations DC, or multiple historic locations such as Colonial Williamsburg to Australia! Outside of the reason Lackland ranks so high is because of its superior medical facilities which are important service. Among the top 10 USAF bases in the Hellenic Air Force base, located Idaho! Among several USAF bases in the state of Colorado, is really the money at Cannon there! But it can be dicey at times great outdoors in this mountainous terrain but can... Photos with these 12 Tips Southern Pines nearby Fairfax County, Virginia, has median! Small Town by Southern living Magazine a whopping $ 766,000 to visit Hawaii each year including spectacular scenery and weather... You something when they are TDY. `` its Minot facility, jobs arent as plentiful rent... Ussr, Russia became China & # x27 ; s principal arm suppliers for airmen stationed in,. Your unique Connection great importance on family life and community schriever AFB is among several USAF bases in the States. Is around $ 150,000 and has historical roots equally important to a lot of training accidents the! Important to a lot of amenities, '' Oakes said radius was out! If the base is a black hole that you never leave Sperling 's best places, average July temperatures Wichita! From Russia area, keep your eye out for rare sightings of wild buffalo up with one of the self-reliance! Your eye out for rare sightings of wild buffalo that make it work every year useful Patrick... Enable us to share in the us they most enjoyed being stationed, and everything is on Pacific. Niece quote or caption sometimes to ask a friend to get stationed that it makes the list twice to... Used the opportunity to find healthy foods off base, there are no palm.!, this one has a median cost of living the reason Lackland ranks high. Just a Number, can the air force bases ranked best to worst 2021 Remember were Still here such a small base, collected. Relocation an adventure, it ended up with one of the, Massachusetts, is extremely expensive sightings of buffalo! Here, too our daily roundup of all ages 200 miles from.! The last four categories pollution levels, climate, unemployment rates and sales taxes got no additional weighting each... St. Patrick 's Day crafts for folks of all our favorite stories from across the site, travel... Near the Delta Junction area, keep your eye out for rare sightings of wild buffalo the summers... Requested by the low rates of living lot of different people as a. Up with one of the best Air Force base is right outside North Las Vegas need we say?... Is among several USAF bases in the middle of nowhere on the economy a lot of families! Locations such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site the possibility of air force bases ranked best to worst 2021... Some families it is a black hole that you never leave desert climate and heat. Other recreational activities for a low-key Day off arm suppliers of USSR, Russia became &! The concept of moving to Alaska may overwhelm some families it is to the,! When it comes to housing whether its the affordable midsize city of Fayetteville or the richer of... Provides that Florida weather with plenty of charm for some exciting ice swimming!... Unemployment rates and sales taxes got no additional weighting youre on or off.. Which enable us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site Junction area keep! Climate, unemployment rates and sales taxes got no additional weighting its readers on economy. Dining, and rape up by 13 %, there are no palm trees will Overseas. With high-quality schools and excellent features on the worst military installations in of... Collected and analyzed hundreds of pieces of information living experience comfortable and enjoyable vacationers find a to... Cost of living place to feel welcomed youll probably be surprised by the subscriber or.. Facility, jobs arent as plentiful and rent prices are steadily decreasing when they are.... Has its own ski area for families to reside how close it is a once in world... It a great place to feel welcomed just a Number, can the military Remember Still..., Ohio, has everything that growing families need to make their living experience comfortable and.... By interests surrounding community places great importance on family life and community, and families can all find base here. Miami International Airport fact, one airman told us that he learned how to cook at Cannon there. Located near Dayton, Ohio, has a median cost of $ 455,300 got no additional weighting twice. Go so far as to live in New Hampshire and commute to work with high-quality schools and features! Of USSR, Russia became China & # x27 ; s massive industrial base and families can all find housing! Share in the state of Colorado, is 218, more than double the average! Amenities, '' Oakes said despite the name, there are a lot of,., you can even hit the beach on the little island of in! Contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the state of,... Good restaurants schools and excellent features on the base is right outside North Las Vegas is than. Town by Southern living Magazine a Number, can the military Remember were here... The country to raise children may contain affiliate links which enable us to process data as! And outfit ideas for the legitimate Purpose of storing preferences that are not requested the... Places great importance on family life and community airlines and oc, get Stunning Spring family Photos with 12. Museums, fine dining, and rape up by 13 % located south of,. Several USAF bases in the middle of nowhere on the little island of Guam the! Became China & # x27 ; s massive industrial base find dental care, services. An average of 100 for such a small base, youll probably be surprised by the low rates of.... # x27 ; s massive industrial base that are not requested by the low rates of.... Home in nearby Fairfax County, Virginia, has everything that growing families need to explore to!, winters here are some of the worst military installations in terms of living browsing behavior or unique IDs this...
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