Marine Corps Base Hawaii sits on the Mokapu Peninsula on Oahu’s windward side, between Kailua and Kaneohe, about 12 miles northeast of Honolulu. The main gate is at the end of H-3, and Mokapu Road is the other way in. This page covers on-base housing, the towns nearby, what they cost and how far BAH goes.
On-base housing
- Family housing is run by Ohana Military Communities, managed by Hunt, with 2,156 homes at MCBH.
- The Family Housing office is at 1571 Lawrence Rd. on base.
- We didn’t find published wait times for Marine housing. Ask the housing office when you get orders.
Where people live off base
The two towns next to the base are Kailua and Kaneohe. Kailua is the beach town and the most expensive area near any Oahu base. Kaneohe is larger, a bit less expensive, and right at the H-3 on-ramp, which makes it easier to get over the mountains to Honolulu.
| Area | Single-family median | Condo median | Average rent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kaneohe | $1,299,000 | $675,000 | $3,560 |
| Kailua | $1,740,000 | $780,000 | $5,700 |
Medians are by Honolulu Board of Realtors region for the 12 months through August 2026, from Locations Hawaii. Rows marked * are first-quarter 2026 figures from Fidelity National Title, because the 12-month figure wasn’t published for that area. Rents are Zillow’s average asking rent across all listing types, not a median, and change week to week. For the whole island, the September 2026 median was $1,110,000 for a single-family home and $523,000 for a condo.
How far BAH goes
For 2026, Oahu BAH is $3,333 a month for E-1 through E-4 with dependents, $3,663 for an E-5, $3,912 for an E-6 and $4,428 for an O-3. Kaneohe’s average asking rent was about $3,600 to $3,900 in recent months and Kailua’s about $5,700. An E-5 with dependents lands close to the Kaneohe average and well under Kailua’s, which is why a lot of Marine families end up in Kaneohe or on base.
Schools
There are no DoDEA schools in Hawaii. Mokapu Elementary is the only school on base. The Hawaii Department of Education also lists Aikahi and Kainalu elementaries, Kailua Intermediate and Kalaheo High among the windward schools with many military families. Your address decides which school your kids attend.
See all bases and statewide numbers on our Hawaii military housing guide, every grade on the Hawaii BAH rates page, or how VA loans work here on our VA loans in Hawaii page.
Sources
- Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Wikipedia
- Marine Corps Base Hawaii housing, Military OneSource
- Oahu real estate market holds steady in August 2026, Locations Hawaii, Sept. 5, 2026
- Oahu stats, first quarter 2026, Fidelity National Title & Escrow of Hawaii
- Oahu monthly market report, September 2026, Honolulu Board of Realtors
- Kaneohe rental market trends, Zillow, updated Aug. 15, 2026
- Honolulu rental market trends (includes nearby Aiea and Kailua averages), Zillow, updated Oct. 4, 2026
- 2026 BAH rates by Hawaii county (Honolulu, Kauai, Hawaii, Maui pages), FedRateCalc, checked Oct. 25, 2026
- MCB Hawaii education, Military OneSource
- Military families, Hawaii State Department of Education
General information as of October 2026, not legal, tax or financial advice. Confirm rates and rules with your housing office, your lender and the VA before you make a decision.