Where to live

Where to live near NAS Key West

4 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

ClosestKey West11 min drive
Lowest median rentCudjoe Key$1,864 a month
Most E-5 BAH left overCudjoe Key$2,033 over a 2-bedroom
4 towns, closest first

Towns around NAS Key West

The green or red number is an E-5 with dependents' 2026 BAH ($3,969) minus that town's median 2-bedroom rent. Check your own pay grade.

Key West, FL

11 min drive · 1.9 road mi
Median rent
$2,220
2 bedrooms
$2,445
3 bedrooms
$2,813
Home value
$852,400
People
25,720
Homes rented
51%

E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$1,524 a month

Monroe County School District: 25 schools, 8,908 students, 14.6 students per teacher. District facts

Stock Island, FL

17 min drive · 4.6 road mi
Median rent
$2,013
2 bedrooms
$2,041
3 bedrooms
$1,859
Home value
$517,500
People
4,162
Homes rented
72%

E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$1,928 a month

Monroe County School District: 25 schools, 8,908 students, 14.6 students per teacher. District facts

Big Coppitt Key, FL

28 min drive · 11.4 road mi
Median rent
$2,420
2 bedrooms
$2,332
3 bedrooms
$2,753
Home value
$534,500
People
3,109
Homes rented
37%

E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$1,637 a month

Monroe County School District: 25 schools, 8,908 students, 14.6 students per teacher. District facts

Cudjoe Key, FL

42 min drive · 21.5 road mi
Median rent
$1,864
2 bedrooms
$1,936
3 bedrooms
$2,750
Home value
$857,400
People
2,492
Homes rented
21%

E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$2,033 a month

Monroe County School District: 25 schools, 8,908 students, 14.6 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.

NAS Key West base guide   NAS Key West BAH   Other bases

FAQ

Living near NAS Key West

What is the closest town to NAS Key West?

Key West, FL is about 11 minutes from the main post area (1.9 road miles) without traffic.

Which town near NAS Key West has the lowest rent?

Cudjoe Key, FL, where the Census median rent is $1,864 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 NAS Key West?

For an E-5 with dependents the 2026 DoD BAH is $3,969 a month. That is at or above the Census median 2-bedroom rent in 4 of the 4 towns here with a Census figure for that size, with the most left over in Cudjoe Key, FL.

What school district serves Key West?

Monroe County School District, with 25 schools and 8,908 students (14.6 students per teacher), from the NCES Common Core of Data. Always confirm the school for a specific address with the district.