Texas
Dyess Air Force Base
📍 Abilene, Texas
Home to the 7th Bomb Wing operating B-1B Lancers and the 317th Airlift Wing flying C-130J Super Hercules transports.
BAH Rates
MHA: TX297 Rates as of 2026
E-1 with Dependents$1,392/mo
E-5 with Dependents$1,674/mo
E-5 without Dependents$1,269/mo
O-3 with Dependents$2,112/mo
O-3 without Dependents$1,614/mo
Housing
View full housing guide →- On-base: Balfour Beatty Communities manages privatized housing — single-family homes, townhomes, and duplexes; neighborhood-style layout with parks and walking trails; wait lists typically 1-3 months
- Off-base (Abilene): Most families rent in south Abilene, Wylie, and the Lytle Lake area; rentals range $800-$1,800/month; BAH covers well in Abilene's affordable market
- Top pick: Wylie area — 10 min from base, excellent Wylie ISD schools, newer homes, popular with families and officers
- First-time buyers: Abilene has one of the lowest costs of homeownership in the Air Force; median home price ~$190,000 — many junior enlisted buy here
- Note: On-base housing includes all utilities, lawn care, and pest control; Balfour Beatty has invested heavily in renovations and new construction since 2019
Neighborhoods
View full neighborhoods guide →- Wylie (South Abilene) — Top school district, 10-12 min commute, newer homes built 2000s-present, popular with officers and senior NCOs, good community amenities
- Lytle Lake area — 5-8 min from base, established neighborhood with mature trees, mix of 1970s-1990s homes, quiet and well-maintained, convenient to base south gate
- Downtown Abilene — Historic homes in the Sayles Boulevard area, 15 min commute, tree-lined streets, 1920s-1950s architecture, walkable to restaurants and cultural venues
- Tye — Small town directly adjacent to base (north side), 5 min commute, very affordable, mix of older homes and mobile homes, convenient but limited amenities
Schools
View full schools guide →🏫 Elementary Schools
Dyess Elementary⭐ 5/10
Close to base
Thomas Elementary⭐ 7/10
Abilene, top-rated
Ward Elementary⭐ 6/10
Abilene
🏫 Middle Schools
Clack Middle School⭐ 5/10
Close to Dyess
Madison Middle School⭐ 6/10
Abilene
Craig Middle School⭐ 5/10
Abilene
🏫 High Schools
Cooper High School⭐ 5/10
Abilene, diverse programs
Abilene High School⭐ 6/10
Strong academics, AP courses
Wylie High School⭐ 8/10
South of Abilene, top-rated
Gates & Commute
- Main Gate (Arnold Blvd from I-20) — Primary gate, 24/7, 3-8 min peak waits (7:00-8:30 AM), direct access to flightline and headquarters
- South Gate (from FM-1750/Beltway South) — Convenient for Wylie and south Abilene residents, shorter waits, limited hours (typically 0530-1900 weekdays)
- Commercial Gate — Separate truck entrance from Arnold Blvd for large vehicles and deliveries
- Tip: Gate traffic is minimal compared to most AF bases; the Main Gate backup is rarely more than 5 minutes even at peak — the Abilene commute is one of the easiest in the Air Force
Internet Providers
- Optimum (Suddenlink) — Primary cable provider in Abilene; speeds up to 1 Gbps; covers most of the city; mixed reviews on reliability and customer service
- AT&T Fiber — Growing fiber footprint in Abilene, especially newer developments and south side; symmetrical speeds up to 5 Gbps in select areas; excellent if available
- Vexus Fiber — Newer local fiber competitor in Abilene; speeds up to 2 Gbps with competitive pricing; expanding coverage, check availability
- T-Mobile 5G Home Internet — Good coverage across Abilene; $50/month unlimited; solid backup or primary option
- Top pick: AT&T Fiber or Vexus Fiber where available for reliability and speed; Optimum cable as fallback
Shopping & Dining
- On-base: Dyess Exchange and commissary — medium-sized, well-stocked with groceries and uniforms; Shoppette and Class Six; new Exchange food court opened 2023
- South Abilene (Buffalo Gap Road) — Target, Walmart Supercenter, H-E-B (beloved Texas grocery), Home Depot, and chain dining concentrated along the main commercial corridor
- Mall of Abilene — Traditional indoor mall with Dillard's, JCPenney, H&M, and food court; also has Cinemark movie theater
- Downtown Abilene — Revitalized historic district along Cypress Street and North 1st; boutique shopping, local coffee shops, and the Frontier Texas museum store
- Dining: Perini Ranch Steakhouse in Buffalo Gap (15 min south, James Beard Award finalist), The Beehive for upscale American, Taylor County Taphouse for burgers and local craft beer, and still-dominant Rudy's BBQ
Gyms & Recreation
- Dyess Fitness Center — 24/7 access, extensive cardio and weight equipment, CrossFit box, indoor basketball court, group fitness classes, and outdoor functional fitness area
- Outdoor Recreation (ODR) — Equipment rental for camping, fishing, boating; discounted tickets to Six Flags Over Texas (2.5 hrs), Schlitterbahn, and local attractions
- Dyess AFB FamCamp — On-base RV campground with full hookups, bathhouse, and laundry; $15-25/night; ideal for visiting families or PCS stopovers
- On-base: Bowling alley, community center (event space and classes), auto hobby shop, disc golf, sports fields, and base pool (seasonal outdoor)
- Abilene State Park (20 min southwest) — Lake Abilene for fishing, swimming, and kayaking; screened shelters and cabins; hiking and mountain biking trails shaded by native pecan trees
- Day trips: Fort Worth/Dallas (2.5 hrs east) for big-city entertainment, professional sports, and DFW Airport; San Angelo (1.5 hrs); Possum Kingdom Lake (2 hrs) for boating and cliff jumping
Jobs & Spouse Employment
- On-base: AAFES, commissary, MWR, CDC — primary local employers for spouses; USAJobs for GS/WG positions in admin, logistics, and maintenance support
- Defense contractors: Boeing (B-1B sustainment), L3Harris, and M1 Support Services have on-base and Abilene-area positions
- Healthcare: Hendrick Health System (largest employer in Abilene) — nursing, allied health, and administrative roles; 10-20 min from base, multiple facilities
- Higher education: Abilene Christian University, Hardin-Simmons University, McMurry University, and Cisco College — faculty, staff, and administrative positions
- Energy: Wind and oil/gas jobs in the surrounding Big Country region; Texas is the nation's leading wind energy producer with major turbine projects near Abilene
- Remote work: Abilene's low cost of living makes remote work especially advantageous; excellent connectivity with AT&T fiber; no Texas state income tax
Local Attractions
- Frontier Texas Museum — Downtown Abilene; immersive history of the Texas frontier with holographic storytelling; excellent introduction to the region for newcomers
- Perini Ranch Steakhouse — Buffalo Gap (15 min south); legendary Texas steakhouse ranked among America's best by Food Network and Texas Monthly; the mesquite-grilled pepper steak and bread pudding are iconic
- Abilene Zoo — 20 min south; surprisingly excellent medium-sized zoo with giraffe feeding, Caribbean flamingos, and a well-designed children's zoo; great for families
- Fort Phantom Hill — 20 min north; haunting ruins of an 1850s frontier fort on the Texas Forts Trail; open sunrise to sunset, free admission, great photography
- National Center for Children's Illustrated Literature — Downtown Abilene; rotating exhibits of original artwork from acclaimed children's book illustrators; unique museum and free admission
- Buffalo Gap Historic Village — 15 min south; step into 1880s West Texas with original buildings, a courthouse, barbershop, and blacksmith; living history demonstrations on weekends
Area Maps
Photo Gallery
base
B-1B Lancer on the Dyess flight line — backbone of the 7th Bomb Wing
nature
Big Country landscape around Abilene — wide Texas skies and mesquite plains
neighborhood
Quiet suburban neighborhood in the Wylie area south of Abilene
housing
On-base family housing with Big Country views at Dyess AFB
downtown
Historic downtown Abilene with Cypress Street restaurants and shops
restaurant
Perini Ranch Steakhouse — legendary Texas mesquite-grilled steaks