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 ($1,542) minus that town's median 2-bedroom rent. Check your own pay grade.
E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$312 a month
Mascoutah Community Unit School District 19: 5 schools, 4,207 students, 15.1 students per teacher. District facts
E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$378 a month
Shiloh Village School District 85 (high school: O'Fallon Township High School District 203): 2 schools, 569 students, 15.4 students per teacher. District facts
E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$378 a month
Lebanon Community Unit School District 9: 2 schools, 529 students, 11.3 students per teacher. District facts
E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$275 a month
O'Fallon Community Consolidated School District 90 (high school: O'Fallon Township High School District 203): 7 schools, 3,982 students, 18.3 students per teacher. District facts
E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$590 a month
Mascoutah Community Unit School District 19: 5 schools, 4,207 students, 15.1 students per teacher. District facts
E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$490 a month
Belleville School District 118 (high school: Belleville Township High School District 201): 11 schools, 3,358 students, 13.2 students per teacher. District facts
E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$358 a month
Wolf Branch School District 113 (high school: Belleville Township High School District 201): 2 schools, 795 students, 13.9 students per teacher. District facts
E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$475 a month
Freeburg Community Consolidated School District 70 (high school: Freeburg Community High School District 77): 2 schools, 794 students, 14.7 students per teacher. District facts
E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$399 a month
St. Louis City School District: 68 schools, 18,284 students, 12.6 students per teacher. District facts
E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$241 a month
University City School District: 7 schools, 2,672 students, 11.7 students per teacher. District facts
Updated October 12, 2026. How we get our numbers.
Mascoutah, IL is about 17 minutes from the main post area (8.1 road miles) without traffic.
Belleville, IL, with about 41,370 people, 24 minutes from the main post area. Bigger towns usually mean more rentals, schools and jobs to choose from.
St. Louis, MO, where the Census median rent is $997 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 $1,542 a month. That is at or above the Census median 2-bedroom rent in 10 of the 10 towns here with a Census figure for that size, with the most left over in New Baden, IL.
Mascoutah Community Unit School District 19, with 5 schools and 4,207 students (15.1 students per teacher), from the NCES Common Core of Data. Always confirm the school for a specific address with the district.