Nevada
Creech Air Force Base
📍 Indian Springs, Nevada
The Air Force's hub for remotely piloted aircraft operations, hosting MQ-9 Reaper squadrons conducting worldwide intelligence and strike missions.
BAH Rates
MHA: NV033 Rates as of 2026
E-1 with Dependents$1,761/mo
E-5 with Dependents$2,178/mo
E-5 without Dependents$1,614/mo
O-3 with Dependents$2,748/mo
O-3 without Dependents$2,097/mo
Housing
View full housing guide →- On-base: Very limited — Creech is primarily a duty station, not a housing base; a small number of dormitories for unaccompanied personnel; no family housing on base
- Off-base (Northwest Las Vegas / Centennial Hills): Primary commuting area, 35-45 min commute; master-planned communities with newer homes; rentals $1,500-$2,500/month; BAH covers well
- Off-base (Providence / Skye Canyon): 30-35 min, newer construction with modern amenities, popular with Creech families, growing rapidly with schools and parks being added
- Off-base (Summerlin): 40-50 min, upscale master-planned community with top-rated schools, extensive parks and trails, higher home prices ($400K-$700K+), longer commute
- Note: Everyone commutes to Creech — the base is remote by design; the drive is mostly highway on US-95 with scenic desert and mountain views; carpooling and vanpools are common
Neighborhoods
View full neighborhoods guide →- Centennial Hills (NW Las Vegas) — 35-45 min commute, largest concentration of Creech families, newer homes 2000s-2020s, good schools (Centennial HS), extensive retail along US-95 corridor
- Providence / Skye Canyon — 30-35 min, newest master-planned communities in NW Vegas, modern floor plans, community pools and parks, growing school infrastructure, closest option to base
- Summerlin — 40-50 min, premier Las Vegas master-planned community, top-rated schools (Palo Verde HS), 150+ parks, Red Rock Canyon views, higher prices but premium quality of life
- Aliante / North Las Vegas — 35-40 min, more affordable option, good schools at a lower price point, Aliante master-planned community with casino, golf course, and parks
- Indian Springs (town) — 5 min from gate, very small desert community of ~1,000, extremely limited housing but zero commute; very basic amenities, no grocery store
Schools
View full schools guide →🏫 Elementary Schools
Indian Springs Elementary⭐ 3/10
Local school, very small, K-5
Bilbray Elementary⭐ 6/10
NW Las Vegas, many base families commute here
Carl Elementary⭐ 5/10
Centennial Hills area, military-friendly
O'Roarke Elementary⭐ 6/10
NW Las Vegas, solid reputation
🏫 Middle Schools
Indian Springs Middle/High⭐ 2/10
Local combined school, very small
Saville Middle School⭐ 5/10
NW Las Vegas, common for base commuters
Cadwallader Middle School⭐ 5/10
Centennial Hills area
🏫 High Schools
Indian Springs Middle/High⭐ 2/10
Local combined school, few programs
Arbor View High School⭐ 6/10
NW Las Vegas, strong academics for commuters
Centennial High School⭐ 7/10
NW Las Vegas, magnet programs, top-rated
Gates & Commute
- Main Gate (US-95 / Creech AFB exit) — The only public gate, 24/7, 0-5 min waits (remote location means no significant traffic), the gate is a few miles off US-95
- Tip: The gate is remote — you'll drive 3+ miles from the highway to the gate through starkly beautiful desert; don't be alarmed, you're on the right road
- Note: Creech is a small, focused installation — the developed area is compact; the RPA mission operates 24/7 so the base is always active
- Commute: The 35-45 min drive from NW Vegas along US-95 is mostly 65-75 mph highway with minimal traffic outside of occasional construction; beautiful mountain and desert scenery
Internet Providers
- Cox Communications — Primary cable provider in Las Vegas; speeds up to 1 Gbps; widely available and reliable in NW communities
- CenturyLink (Quantum Fiber) — Fiber available in parts of NW Las Vegas and Summerlin; symmetrical speeds up to 940 Mbps
- T-Mobile 5G Home Internet — Excellent coverage across Las Vegas metro; unlimited at $50/month; strong speeds
- Verizon 5G Home Internet — Also excellent coverage; competitive with T-Mobile
- Starlink — Popular for the few families living in Indian Springs or very rural areas north of Vegas
- Top pick: CenturyLink/Quantum Fiber where available; Cox reliable everywhere; T-Mobile excellent backup/alternative
Shopping & Dining
- On-base: Very limited — small shoppette for essentials; no commissary or full Exchange; most shopping is done off-base in Las Vegas
- Centennial Center (NW Las Vegas, 35 min): Walmart Supercenter, Target, Sam's Club, Costco, and the Centennial Center shopping plaza with major retailers and chain restaurants
- Groceries: Albertsons, Smith's (Kroger), WinCo Foods, La Bonita (excellent Hispanic grocer), and multiple farmers markets including the Downtown Summerlin farmers market
- Dining: Las Vegas is a dining capital — everything from world-class restaurants on the Strip to local gems in Summerlin and Centennial Hills; Echo & Rig (Summerlin steakhouse), Honey Salt (farm-to-table), and the countless options in Chinatown (Spring Mountain Road)
- Downtown Summerlin (40-45 min): Outdoor lifestyle center with Nordstrom Rack, Trader Joe's, lululemon, Apple Store, restaurants, and the Las Vegas Ballpark (home of the Aviators)
- The Strip (45-55 min): Some of the world's best shopping — Forum Shops at Caesars, The Shops at Crystals (ultra-luxury), Fashion Show Mall, and Grand Canal Shoppes at The Venetian
Gyms & Recreation
- Creech AFB Fitness Center — Small but well-equipped 24/7 facility with cardio, free weights, and functional fitness; serves the smaller permanent-party population well
- On-base: Limited MWR facilities; the base is primarily a mission-focused installation — recreation is concentrated in Las Vegas
- Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area (30 min from NW Vegas) — World-class rock climbing (thousands of routes), 13-mile scenic drive, hiking trails from easy to extreme, mountain biking, and stunning desert landscapes
- Mount Charleston / Lee Canyon (60-75 min from NW Vegas) — Escape the desert heat at 8,000+ feet; Lee Canyon Ski Resort for winter skiing/snowboarding, summer hiking among bristlecone pines, and the Mount Charleston Lodge
- Lake Mead National Recreation Area (45-60 min) — America's largest reservoir; boating, jet skiing, fishing, houseboat rentals, kayaking the Black Canyon, and the stunning Hoover Dam
- The Las Vegas Strip (45-55 min) — World-class entertainment: Cirque du Soleil, residencies (Adele, Garth Brooks, U2 at Sphere), 100+ shows, and experiences you literally cannot find anywhere else
Jobs & Spouse Employment
- On-base: Limited civilian positions — AAFES shoppette, small MWR operation; USAJobs for GS/WG positions supporting the 432nd Wing RPA mission
- Defense contractors: General Atomics (Reaper manufacturer), Northrop Grumman, L3Harris, and multiple ISR support contractors — strong demand for cleared IT, intelligence analysis, and aviation/RPA technical professionals
- Las Vegas hospitality/entertainment: MGM Resorts, Caesars Entertainment, Wynn, and dozens of casino-resorts — massive employer across hospitality, management, IT, marketing, and countless roles; the convention industry is world-scale
- Las Vegas economy: Growing tech and logistics sectors — Amazon, Zappos, and numerous data centers; healthcare (multiple hospital systems, Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center); rapidly diversifying beyond gaming
- Remote work: Exceptional for Creech spouses — Pacific time zone works well for West Coast roles; excellent internet infrastructure; Nevada has no state income tax, maximizing take-home pay
- Employment Readiness: Airman & Family Readiness Center at Creech and Nellis AFB (30 min) provide job search support; Las Vegas has a dynamic job market with a low barrier to entry in hospitality and service sectors
Local Attractions
- The Las Vegas Strip (45-55 min) — It needs no introduction: Bellagio fountains, the Sphere, world-class dining, nightlife, and entertainment; living near (but not in) the Strip is the best of both worlds
- Red Rock Canyon (30 min) — Calico Hills sandstone formations, world-class rock climbing (5.4 to 5.14), the 13-mile scenic loop, and desert wildlife including bighorn sheep and Gila monsters
- Valley of Fire State Park (1 hr) — Nevada's oldest and largest state park; stunning red Aztec sandstone formations, 2,000-year-old petroglyphs at Atlatl Rock, and the Fire Wave trail — otherworldly landscapes
- Hoover Dam (1 hr) — Engineering marvel of the 1930s; powerplant tour, walk across the Mike O'Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge 900 feet above the Colorado River, and Lake Mead boat tours
- Death Valley National Park (2 hrs) — The hottest place on Earth; Badwater Basin (282 ft below sea level), Artist's Palette, Zabriskie Point, and some of the most extreme and beautiful landscapes in the world
- Zion National Park (2.5 hrs, Utah) — Angel's Landing, The Narrows, and the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive; one of the most spectacular national parks in the system, making an incredible weekend trip from Las Vegas
Area Maps
Photo Gallery
base
Creech AFB in the Nevada desert — hub for RPA operations
base
MQ-9 Reaper — the Air Force's premier remotely piloted aircraft at Creech
neighborhood
Red Rock Canyon — world-class hiking and climbing minutes from Las Vegas
nature
Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area — Calico Hills sandstone formations
downtown
The Las Vegas Strip at dusk — 45 minutes from Creech AFB
restaurant
Echo & Rig Butcher and Taphouse — a Summerlin dining favorite