Military Relocation: Northeast Florida

A stage-by-stage breakdown of what to handle and when from the moment orders arrive through settling in at your new duty station. Covers scheduling your household goods shipment, understanding entitlements, and filing your travel voucher on time to avoid reimbursement delays.

ERA ONETEAM is the principal broker for the Cartus Broker Network in Northeast Florida, a credential that means the brokerage handles military relocation services across 185+ countries for all branches of the armed services, active and retired.

Built for service members receiving PCS orders to Naval Air Station Jacksonville, the largest Navy installation in the Southeast and third largest in the nation. Written by the brokerage that has handled military relocations in NE Florida for over four decades.

Naval Station Mayport sits at the mouth of the St. Johns River on Jacksonville's Atlantic coast, home port to a carrier strike group and approximately 15,000 active-duty personnel with 32,000 family members in the area.

The 2026 Basic Allowance for Housing rates for the Jacksonville Military Housing Area increased by an average of 4.2% over 2025. But what does your BAH actually buy in Northeast Florida? This card maps current BAH rates by pay grade and dependency status to real median home prices and rental rates across Jacksonville's neighborhoods.

NAS Jacksonville and Naval Station Mayport are 30 miles apart on opposite sides of Jacksonville — which means the "best neighborhood" depends entirely on which base you're reporting to. This card maps the top off-base neighborhoods for each installation side by side, covering commute times, price ranges, school quality, and family-friendliness. For NAS Jax families: Mandarin, Westside, Orange Park, and Ortega are the go-to areas, all within 15–20 minutes of the base. For Mayport families: Jacksonville Beach, Neptune Beach, the Kernan/Hodges corridor, and Atlantic Beach keep your commute under 25 minutes. For dual-military couples with one member at each base, the Southside and Town Center area splits the difference — about 20–25 minutes to either installation. Includes current pricing and school zone notes for each area.

The decision to live on base or off base at NAS Jacksonville or NS Mayport comes down to convenience versus space, control, and investment potential. On-base housing through Balfour Beatty Communities means zero commute, no out-of-pocket housing costs (your full BAH goes to rent), and proximity to the commissary, CDC, and base amenities.

VA loans are the single most powerful homebuying tool available to service members, veterans, and eligible surviving spouses and in a market like Jacksonville, they can be the difference between renting and owning.

We offer VA home loan programs to help you buy, build, or improve a home or refinance your current home loan—including a VA direct loan and 3 VA-backed loans. You can use these programs to buy a home or refinance a home loan only within the U.S. and its territories, including Puerto Rico and the Northern Mariana Islands. Learn more about the different programs, and find out if you can get a Certificate of Eligibility for a loan that meets your needs.

Your PCS orders say Jacksonville. You've got a report date, a DITY move or HHG shipment in progress, and a family that needs to be settled fast. This card is your first-30-days checklist.