Hawaii
Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam
📍 Honolulu, Hawaii
Pacific Air Forces headquarters, home to the 15th Wing flying C-17 and F-22 aircraft, providing airpower across the vast Indo-Pacific region.
BAH Rates
MHA: HI004 Rates as of 2026
E-1 with Dependents$3,324/mo
E-5 with Dependents$3,909/mo
E-5 without Dependents$2,742/mo
O-3 with Dependents$4,875/mo
O-3 without Dependents$4,023/mo
Housing
View full housing guide →- On-base: Hickam Communities (managed by Hunt Military Communities) — historic tropical-style homes with lanais, modern townhomes, and new construction; wait lists 2-6 months for family housing
- Pearl Harbor side: Navy-managed housing includes Ford Island, Halsey Terrace, and Moanalua Terrace; additional options for joint families
- Off-base (Oahu economy): Hawaii housing is expensive — median home price ~$1M on Oahu; BAH is high to match but still doesn't fully cover market rate in Honolulu proper
- BAH: Adjusted annually for Hawaii's cost of living; covers most rentals in Ewa Beach, Kapolei, and Mililani areas, but Honolulu and Kailua rentals require top of BAH or out-of-pocket supplement
- Top pick: On-base at Hickam Communities for location and aloha lifestyle; off-base in Kapolei/Ewa Beach for newer homes and more space at roughly BAH rate
Neighborhoods
View full neighborhoods guide →- Salt Lake/Moanalua — Closest off-base neighborhood, 5-10 min from the Hickam gate, diverse community, convenient shopping, good for short commutes
- Ewa Beach — 20-25 min west, newer subdivisions, more affordable than Honolulu, popular with military families, good beaches, growing dining and retail scene
- Kapolei — 25-30 min west, Oahu's 'second city,' newest housing developments, excellent shopping (Ka Makana Ali'i), many military families, good schools
- Mililani — 25-30 min north (central Oahu), established suburban community, top-rated schools, cooler climate at higher elevation, longer but consistent commute via H-2
Schools
View full schools guide →🏫 Elementary Schools
Hickam Elementary (DoDEA)⭐ 7/10
On-base at Hickam
Pearl Harbor Elementary (DoDEA)⭐ 7/10
On-base, Navy family community
Mokulele Elementary (DoDEA)⭐ 7/10
On-base at JBPHH
🏫 Middle Schools
Aliamanu Middle School (DoDEA)⭐ 6/10
Near JBPHH, military families
Moanalua Middle School⭐ 6/10
Honolulu area
Aiea Intermediate School⭐ 6/10
Aiea near base
🏫 High Schools
Radford High School⭐ 5/10
Close to JBPHH, diverse
Moanalua High School⭐ 7/10
Strong performing arts and academics
Aiea High School⭐ 5/10
Near base
Gates & Commute
- Hickam Main Gate (O'Malley Boulevard) — Primary gate from Nimitz Highway, 10-20 min peak waits (6:30-8:00 AM), 24/7 operations
- Nimitz Gate — Secondary entry from Nimitz Highway near the Hickam housing area, good access for Salt Lake commuters
- Pearl Harbor Gate — Serves the Pearl Harbor side of the joint base, heavy traffic during Navy shift changes
- Note: Gate wait times spike during joint exercises, RIMPAC, and when visiting carrier groups are in port — check the JBPHH app or Facebook page for real-time updates
Internet Providers
- Hawaiian Telcom — Fiber available in most of urban Honolulu and expanding to Ewa/Kapolei; plans up to 1 Gbps symmetrical; best option for fiber-served areas
- Spectrum — Dominant cable provider across Oahu, plans up to 1 Gbps (300 Mbps upload), widely available but data caps are a common complaint
- T-Mobile/Verizon 5G Home Internet — Growing fixed wireless coverage, good for apartments and condo dwellers where wired options are limited
- Starlink — Viable option for rural Oahu locations (North Shore, Waianae) where wired infrastructure lags
- Top pick: Hawaiian Telcom Fiber where available (fast, symmetrical, reliable); Spectrum cable everywhere else
Shopping & Dining
- On-base: Navy Exchange (NEX) and Hickam Exchange — large facilities with U.S. product lines, electronics, clothing; commissary is one of the busiest in DOD
- Ala Moana Center (10 min) — Largest open-air shopping center in the world: 350+ stores including Bloomingdale's, Nordstrom, Apple, and a massive food court with Hawaii flavors
- Groceries: Commissary for American goods; off-base Foodland, Safeway, Don Quijote, and Costco (Iwilei and Kapolei locations) for local and bulk shopping
- Waikele Premium Outlets (20 min) — Designer outlet shopping; popular weekend trip for military families
- Dining: Helena's Hawaiian Food for authentic Hawaiian plate lunch, Leonard's Bakery for malasadas, and the shrimp trucks on the North Shore
Gyms & Recreation
- Hickam Fitness Center — Large facility with indoor track, weight rooms, basketball courts, pool, and group fitness classes; 24/7 access
- Outdoor Recreation (ODR) — Boat rentals, camping gear, and island adventure tours; ODR runs the Hickam Harbor marina with sailboat and kayak rentals
- On-base: Bowling alley, movie theater, Hickam Beach (calm water, great for paddleboarding), golf course (Navy-Marine Golf Course with Pearl Harbor views), swimming pools, and sports fields
- Beaches: Waikiki (10 min), Ala Moana Beach Park, Kailua/Lanikai (30 min east coast), and North Shore for big-wave surfing in winter
- Hiking: Diamond Head, Koko Head Stairs, Manoa Falls, and the Makapu'u Lighthouse Trail — all within 30-45 min of base
- Island life: Snorkeling at Hanauma Bay, surfing lessons at Waikiki, and weekend trips to Kauai, Maui, or the Big Island via cheap inter-island flights
Jobs & Spouse Employment
- On-base: NEX, commissary, MWR, CDC, and DODEA district office are major employers for spouses; USAJobs for GS positions across JBPHH commands (PACAF, PACFLT, INDOPACOM)
- Defense contractors: Booz Allen Hamilton, BAE Systems, Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin, and Hawaiian Electric all maintain large Hawaii offices supporting INDOPACOM missions
- Hawaii economy: Tourism and hospitality are the largest sectors; military spouses find work in hotels, restaurants, and retail — especially in Waikiki
- Healthcare: Tripler Army Medical Center, Queen's Medical Center, Kaiser Permanente Hawaii — large employers for medical professionals
- Remote work: Hawaii time zone (HST) is 5-6 hours behind EST and 2-3 hours behind PST — plan accordingly for mainland schedules
- Employment Readiness: Military & Family Support Center runs job fairs, federal resume workshops, and the Spouse Education and Career Opportunities program
Local Attractions
- Pearl Harbor National Memorial — USS Arizona Memorial, USS Missouri, and the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum all on-base; an essential visit for every military family
- Waikiki Beach (10 min) — Iconic crescent beach with Diamond Head backdrop; surfing, catamaran rides, and sunset hula shows
- North Shore (45 min) — Legendary surf breaks (Pipeline, Sunset Beach), shrimp trucks in Kahuku, and the laid-back country vibe of Haleiwa town
- Diamond Head Crater (15 min) — Hike to the summit for panoramic views of Honolulu, Waikiki, and the Pacific
- Kailua/Lanikai Beaches (30 min) — Consistently ranked among the world's most beautiful beaches; turquoise water, powder-soft sand, perfect for kayaking to the Mokulua Islands
- Inter-island trips: Kauai (Na Pali Coast), Maui (Road to Hana, Haleakala), and Big Island (Volcanoes National Park) are 30-45 min flights — weekend getaways on a military budget
Area Maps
Photo Gallery
base
C-17 Globemaster III on the Hickam Field flight line with Diamond Head in the distance
housing
Historic Hickam Communities housing with tropical landscaping
neighborhood
The Salt Lake/Moanalua neighborhood with easy base access
nature
Lanikai Beach on Oahu's windward coast, 30 min from base
downtown
Ala Moana Center — world's largest open-air shopping mall
restaurant
Authentic Hawaiian plate lunch with kalua pig and lau lau