Where to live

Where to live near Camp Lejeune

8 towns within about an hour of the main post area: drive time, rent, home values and the school district for each.

Town centers and the main post area. Dot size is population.

Quick answers

ClosestJacksonville9 min drive
Lowest median rentRichlands$798 a month
Most E-5 BAH left overRichlands$805 over a 2-bedroom
8 towns, closest first

Towns around Camp Lejeune

The green or red number is an E-5 with dependents' 2026 BAH ($1,584) minus that town's median 2-bedroom rent. Check your own pay grade.

Jacksonville, NC

9 min drive · 4.1 road mi
Median rent
$1,321
2 bedrooms
$1,146
3 bedrooms
$1,413
Home value
$210,100
People
71,279
Homes rented
61%

E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$438 a month

Camp Lejeune Schools. District facts

Piney Green, NC

17 min drive · 8.3 road mi
Median rent
$1,202
2 bedrooms
$1,138
3 bedrooms
$1,369
Home value
$227,600
People
14,078
Homes rented
34%

E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$446 a month

Onslow County Schools: 39 schools, 27,592 students, 15.7 students per teacher. District facts

Half Moon, NC

25 min drive · 12.8 road mi
Median rent
$1,210
2 bedrooms
$959
3 bedrooms
$1,335
Home value
$182,500
People
7,378
Homes rented
24%

E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$625 a month

Onslow County Schools: 39 schools, 27,592 students, 15.7 students per teacher. District facts

Swansboro, NC

25 min drive · 15.3 road mi
Median rent
$1,106
2 bedrooms
-
3 bedrooms
$1,663
Home value
$378,700
People
3,997
Homes rented
28%

E-5 BAH left over after the median rent: +$478 a month

Onslow County Schools: 39 schools, 27,592 students, 15.7 students per teacher. District facts

Richlands, NC

35 min drive · 21.7 road mi
Median rent
$798
2 bedrooms
$779
3 bedrooms
$1,917
Home value
$248,800
People
2,335
Homes rented
34%

E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$805 a month

Onslow County Schools: 39 schools, 27,592 students, 15.7 students per teacher. District facts

Cape Carteret, NC

36 min drive · 20.4 road mi
Median rent
$1,745
2 bedrooms
$1,375
3 bedrooms
$1,706
Home value
$375,700
People
2,703
Homes rented
20%

E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$209 a month

Carteret County Schools: 17 schools, 8,035 students, 13.7 students per teacher. District facts

Emerald Isle, NC

41 min drive · 23.3 road mi
Median rent
$1,704
2 bedrooms
$1,288
3 bedrooms
$1,541
Home value
$603,700
People
3,934
Homes rented
14%

E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$296 a month

Carteret County Schools: 17 schools, 8,035 students, 13.7 students per teacher. District facts

Holly Ridge, NC

43 min drive · 27.4 road mi
Median rent
$1,315
2 bedrooms
-
3 bedrooms
$1,348
Home value
$360,300
People
4,904
Homes rented
11%

E-5 BAH left over after the median rent: +$269 a month

Onslow County Schools: 39 schools, 27,592 students, 15.7 students per teacher. District facts

Where these numbers come from

  • Towns: every town, city and census place of 1,000 or more people within about an hour's drive, from the U.S. Census Bureau.
  • Drive time: from each town's center to the main post area on OpenStreetMap roads, without traffic, so rush hour runs longer.
  • Rent, home value, renters: Census American Community Survey 2020-2024 medians. They include long-time renters and utilities, so new leases usually cost more. Use them to compare towns, and the HUD rent on the BAH page for today's level.
  • Schools: the public district that covers each town's center, with size from the NCES Common Core of Data (2023-24). Confirm the school for a specific address with the district.

Updated October 12, 2026. How we get our numbers.

Camp Lejeune base guide   Camp Lejeune BAH   Other bases

FAQ

Living near Camp Lejeune

What is the closest town to MCB Camp Lejeune?

Jacksonville, NC is about 9 minutes from the main post area (4.1 road miles) without traffic.

Which town near MCB Camp Lejeune has the lowest rent?

Richlands, NC, where the Census median rent is $798 a month (rent plus utilities, 2020-2024 average). New leases usually cost more than the median, so check current listings too.

Does BAH cover rent near MCB Camp Lejeune?

For an E-5 with dependents the 2026 DoD BAH is $1,584 a month. That is at or above the Census median 2-bedroom rent in 6 of the 6 towns here with a Census figure for that size, with the most left over in Richlands, NC.

What school district serves Jacksonville?

Camp Lejeune Schools, from the NCES Common Core of Data. Always confirm the school for a specific address with the district.