Oklahoma
Vance Air Force Base
📍 Enid, Oklahoma
Home to the 71st Flying Training Wing, Vance is a major undergraduate pilot training base producing Air Force and allied nation pilots annually.
BAH Rates
MHA: OK001 Rates as of 2026
E-1 with Dependents$1,032/mo
E-5 with Dependents$1,209/mo
E-5 without Dependents$921/mo
O-3 with Dependents$1,524/mo
O-3 without Dependents$1,107/mo
Housing
View full housing guide →- On-base: Vance Family Housing managed by Hunt Military Communities — 500+ homes; mix of single-family and duplexes; wait lists typically 1-2 months; student pilots in dorms, permanent party get housing priority
- Off-base (Enid): BAH goes extremely far here; typical 3BR rental $750-$1,200/month; one of the most affordable housing markets of any CONUS AFB
- Top pick: West Enid (near base) — 5-10 min to gate, newer homes along W Owen K Garriott/Cleveland area, Enid Public Schools, the most popular area for Vance families
- North Enid: 10-15 min to base, newer subdivisions, growing area, good school options, popular with families wanting newer construction
- Country living: Many permanent party airmen buy homes on acreage within 15-25 min of base; rural Oklahoma land is very affordable
- Note: Oklahoma weather can be extreme — hot summers (100°F+), cold winters with occasional ice storms, and tornado season (April-June); storm shelters recommended
Neighborhoods
View full neighborhoods guide →- West Enid — Closest to Vance, 5-10 min commute, mix of older and newer homes, convenient to shopping on W Garriott, most military-populated area, Enid High zone
- North Enid — 10-15 min to base, newer subdivisions (1990s-2010s), Chisholm Public Schools zone (excellent small district), growing popularity with SNCOs and officers
- Downtown Enid — Historic buildings renovated into loft apartments, 10 min to base, emerging entertainment district with restaurants and bars at the Enid Brewing Company complex, popular with young single airmen
- Waukomis — 15 min south, small rural town, affordable, good small schools (Waukomis Public Schools), quiet country living close to base
- Pond Creek — 20 min north, small farming community, very affordable, Pond Creek-Hunter Schools, popular with those wanting maximum value and rural lifestyle
Schools
View full schools guide →🏫 Elementary Schools
Eisenhower Elementary⭐ 5/10
Enid, close to base, military-friendly
Prairie View Elementary⭐ 5/10
Enid, strong community
Chisholm Elementary⭐ 6/10
North Enid, smaller district
Hoover Elementary⭐ 4/10
Enid
🏫 Middle Schools
Dewitt Waller Middle School⭐ 4/10
Enid, large middle school
Emerson Middle School⭐ 4/10
Enid
Chisholm Middle School⭐ 5/10
North Enid, popular for base families
🏫 High Schools
Enid High School⭐ 5/10
Enid, diverse, AP programs available
Chisholm High School⭐ 6/10
North Enid, smaller, strong community
Oklahoma Bible Academy⭐ 6/10
Private option, college prep
Gates & Commute
- Main Gate (W Owen K Garriott Road) — Primary 24/7 entrance off US-412/Garriott Road, 2-5 min peak waits (rarely backs up), visitor center for pass processing
- South Gate — Off US-81 near the flight line, limited hours (typically 0600-1800 weekdays), convenient for airfield operations access
- Note: Gate traffic is essentially non-existent; Enid has minimal congestion and Vance's medium size keeps gates flowing freely even at shift change
- Tip: Vance is a compact base; everything is within 5-10 minutes once on base; most personnel bike or walk between facilities during good weather
Internet Providers
- Suddenlink (Optimum) — Dominant cable provider for Enid; speeds up to 1 Gbps; reliable and widely available throughout the city
- AT&T — DSL and limited fiber in Enid; speeds 25-100 Mbps depending on location; less competitive than Suddenlink
- Pioneer Telephone Cooperative — Fiber in some rural areas surrounding Enid; excellent symmetrical speeds where available
- T-Mobile 5G Home Internet — Decent coverage in Enid; speeds 40-150 Mbps; viable for short-term housing
- Starlink — Excellent option for rural acreage properties outside city limits where wired options are limited
- Top pick: Suddenlink for most in-town locations; Pioneer fiber or Starlink for rural properties
Shopping & Dining
- On-base: Vance Exchange (BX) and commissary; shoppette and food court serving the permanent party and student population
- W Owen K Garriott corridor — Enid's main commercial strip with Walmart Supercenter, Target, chain restaurants, and services along the US-412 corridor
- Oakwood Mall — Enid's indoor mall with JCPenney and 50+ retailers; 10-15 min from base; the regional shopping hub for northwest Oklahoma
- Downtown Enid — Historic square with local boutiques, coffee shops, the Enid Brewing Company & Eatery, and the renovated Gaslight Theatre for live performances
- Groceries: On-base commissary; off-base Walmart Supercenter, Jumbo Foods (local chain), and United Supermarkets for groceries
- Dining: Callahan's Pub & Grille (downtown Enid favorite), Napoli's Italian Restaurant, On the Sidewalk Bar & Grill, and the Enid Brewing Company; for BBQ, try Swadley's in Enid
Gyms & Recreation
- Vance Fitness Center — Well-equipped gym with cardio, weight room, functional fitness, group classes, basketball court; 24/7 access for active duty
- Outdoor Recreation — Camping gear, hunting/fishing licenses (Oklahoma has excellent deer, quail, and pheasant hunting), boating equipment, and ODR trips to OKC and Tulsa
- On-base: Bowling alley, golf course (Pheasant Run Golf Course — 18 holes on base), swimming pool (seasonal outdoor), sports fields, and community center
- Leonardo's Children's Museum (downtown Enid) — Hands-on science and art museum with Adventure Quest outdoor castle playground; a gem for families with young kids
- Government Springs Park (downtown) — Historic park with walking trails, pond, and the Dillingham Memorial Garden; site where the Chisholm Trail cowboys once watered their herds
- Day trips: Oklahoma City (1.5 hrs south), Wichita KS (2 hrs north), Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge (2 hrs), and Tulsa (2.5 hrs)
Jobs & Spouse Employment
- On-base: AAFES, commissary, MWR, CDC — primary local employers for spouses; USAJobs for GS/WG positions supporting the training wing mission
- Defense contractors: Northrop Grumman (primary contractor for most Vance support functions), CAE USA (flight simulators), and aircraft maintenance contractors
- Enid economy: Agriculture (wheat, cattle), healthcare (Integris Bass Baptist Health Center, St. Mary's Regional Medical Center), education (Enid Public Schools, Northwestern Oklahoma State University), and the base
- Remote work: Very common for Vance spouses given limited local professional market; Central time zone; solid internet for remote positions
- Employment Readiness: Airman & Family Readiness Center with job search assistance; Oklahoma Employment Security Commission has an Enid office
- Note: Enid's professional job market is modest; many spouses work on-base, in healthcare, education, or remotely; Vance's proximity to OKC (1.5 hrs) enables some commuting for broader opportunities
Local Attractions
- Leonardo's Children's Museum — In downtown Enid: hands-on science, art, and discovery exhibits plus Adventure Quest, a three-story outdoor wooden castle playground; one of Oklahoma's best children's museums
- Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center — On the site of the 1893 Land Run: immersive exhibits on Oklahoma settlement, pioneer life, and the dramatic story of the Cherokee Strip; the Humphrey Heritage Village is a living-history pioneer town
- Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge — 2 hours south: free-roaming bison, elk, and Texas longhorn cattle; Mount Scott summit drive, excellent hiking, rock climbing, and the Holy City of the Wichitas
- Oklahoma City — 1.5 hours south: Bricktown entertainment district, Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum, National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, and OKC Thunder NBA basketball
- Great Salt Plains State Park — 45 min north: the only place in the world to dig for selenite crystals with hourglass inclusions; also a 8,700-acre saltwater lake for fishing and boating
- Wichita, Kansas — 2 hours north: Exploration Place science museum, Old Cowtown Museum (living history), Botanica gardens, and the Wichita Art Museum
Area Maps
Photo Gallery
base
T-6A Texan II four-ship formation over Vance AFB — training the next generation of pilots
base
T-38C Talon supersonic trainers on the Vance flight line ready for student sorties
base
T-38 Talon sortie chart tracking daily student pilot training missions at Vance
neighborhood
Enid community 'Partner in the Sky' program — strong town-base relationship
housing
Northrop Grumman contractor maintaining Vance fleet vehicles — base support operations
downtown
Vance-trained pilot couple selected to fly the B-2 Spirit — the pride of Vance training