10 towns within about an hour of the main post area: drive time, rent, home values and the school district for each.
The green or red number is an E-5 with dependents' 2026 BAH ($2,754) minus that town's median 2-bedroom rent. Check your own pay grade.
E-5 BAH left over after the median rent: +$1,741 a month
Cape May City School District (high school: Lower Cape May Regional School District): 1 schools, 160 students, 6.4 students per teacher. District facts
E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$1,133 a month
Lower Township School District (high school: Lower Cape May Regional School District): 4 schools, 1,438 students, 10.7 students per teacher. District facts
E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$1,759 a month
Middle Township School District: 4 schools, 2,672 students, 12 students per teacher. District facts
E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$1,179 a month
Lower Township School District (high school: Lower Cape May Regional School District): 4 schools, 1,438 students, 10.7 students per teacher. District facts
E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$1,149 a month
Wildwood City School District: 3 schools, 818 students, 10.6 students per teacher. District facts
E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$1,627 a month
Wildwood Crest Borough School District: 1 schools, 230 students, 6.8 students per teacher. District facts
E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$1,880 a month
Middle Township School District: 4 schools, 2,672 students, 12 students per teacher. District facts
E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$1,379 a month
North Wildwood City School District: 1 schools, 173 students, 6.2 students per teacher. District facts
E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$1,249 a month
Pleasantville City School District: 6 schools, 3,772 students, 11.7 students per teacher. District facts
E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$1,563 a month
Atlantic City School District: 11 schools, 6,401 students, 10.4 students per teacher. District facts
Updated October 12, 2026. How we get our numbers.
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Cape May, NJ is about 7 minutes from the main post area (2.6 road miles) without traffic.
Villas, NJ, with about 9,735 people, 12 minutes from the main post area. Bigger towns usually mean more rentals, schools and jobs to choose from.
Wildwood Crest, NJ, where the Census median rent is $957 a month (rent plus utilities, 2020-2024 average). New leases usually cost more than the median, so check current listings too.
For an E-5 with dependents the 2026 DoD BAH is $2,754 a month. That is at or above the Census median 2-bedroom rent in 9 of the 9 towns here with a Census figure for that size, with the most left over in Cape May Court House, NJ.
Cape May City School District, with 1 schools and 160 students (6.4 students per teacher), from the NCES Common Core of Data. Always confirm the school for a specific address with the district.