Where to live

Where to live near NAS Whidbey Island

6 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

ClosestWhidbey Island Station0 min drive

Biggest nearbyOak Harbor24,362 people

Lowest median rentMount Vernon$1,405 a month

Most E-5 BAH left overMount Vernon$713 over a 2-bedroom

6 towns, closest first

Towns around NAS Whidbey Island

The green or red number is an E-5 with dependents' 2026 BAH ($2,073) minus that town's median 2-bedroom rent. Check your own pay grade.

Whidbey Island Station, WA

0 min drive · 0 road mi

Median rent: $1,875
2 bedrooms: $1,859
3 bedrooms: -
Home value: -
People: 2,027
Homes rented: 100%

E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$214 a month

Oak Harbor School District: 12 schools, 5,814 students, 16.9 students per teacher. District facts

Oak Harbor, WA

13 min drive · 7.2 road mi

Median rent: $1,645
2 bedrooms: $1,533
3 bedrooms: $1,789
Home value: $461,200
People: 24,362
Homes rented: 53%

E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$540 a month

Oak Harbor School District: 12 schools, 5,814 students, 16.9 students per teacher. District facts

Anacortes, WA

25 min drive · 11.4 road mi

Median rent: $1,702
2 bedrooms: $1,685
3 bedrooms: $2,062
Home value: $696,700
People: 17,966
Homes rented: 30%

E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$388 a month

Anacortes School District: 8 schools, 2,621 students, 18.5 students per teacher. District facts

Burlington, WA

38 min drive · 22.3 road mi

Median rent: $1,746
2 bedrooms: $1,706
3 bedrooms: $2,144
Home value: $466,400
People: 10,003
Homes rented: 55%

E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$367 a month

Burlington-Edison School District: 9 schools, 3,336 students, 16.4 students per teacher. District facts

Mount Vernon, WA

42 min drive · 23.4 road mi

Median rent: $1,405
2 bedrooms: $1,360
3 bedrooms: $2,116
Home value: $472,300
People: 35,377
Homes rented: 40%

E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$713 a month

Mount Vernon School District: 14 schools, 6,441 students, 16.2 students per teacher. District facts

Stanwood, WA

58 min drive · 35.2 road mi

Median rent: $1,766
2 bedrooms: $1,807
3 bedrooms: $2,009
Home value: $593,100
People: 8,373
Homes rented: 38%

E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$266 a month

Stanwood-Camano School District: 11 schools, 4,861 students, 19.3 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 Whidbey Island base guide NAS Whidbey Island BAH Other bases

FAQ

Living near NAS Whidbey Island

What is the closest town to NAS Whidbey Island?

Whidbey Island Station, WA is about 0 minutes from the main post area (0 road miles) without traffic.

What is the biggest town near NAS Whidbey Island?

Oak Harbor, WA, with about 24,362 people, 13 minutes from the main post area. Bigger towns usually mean more rentals, schools and jobs to choose from.

Which town near NAS Whidbey Island has the lowest rent?

Mount Vernon, WA, where the Census median rent is $1,405 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 Whidbey Island?

For an E-5 with dependents the 2026 DoD BAH is $2,073 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 Mount Vernon, WA.

What school district serves Whidbey Island Station?

Oak Harbor School District, with 12 schools and 5,814 students (16.9 students per teacher), from the NCES Common Core of Data. Always confirm the school for a specific address with the district.