The Coast Guard has two main Oahu units: Base Honolulu on Sand Island, at 400 Sand Island Pkwy., and Air Station Barbers Point at Kalaeloa Airport on the west side. The air station has about 200 to 250 people and flies MH-65E helicopters and HC-130J aircraft. The two are on opposite sides of Honolulu, so where you live depends a lot on which one you report to.
Housing
- Coast Guard family housing on Oahu is mostly at Kia’i Kai Hale, in the Red Hill and Aliamanu area, run by Island Palm Communities. The Coast Guard’s 2021 relocation handbook listed 318 homes there.
- There are also a few Coast Guard-owned command quarters at Wailupe and Diamond Head.
Where people live off base
For Air Station Barbers Point, Kapolei, Ewa Beach and Makakilo are all a short drive away. For Base Honolulu on Sand Island, Salt Lake, Kalihi and Aiea are closer.
| Area | Single-family median | Condo median | Average rent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ewa Beach / Kapolei (Ewa Plain) | $950,000 | $610,000 | $3,811 (Ewa Beach) |
| Makakilo | $1,030,000 | $524,500 | not available |
| Salt Lake / Moanalua | $1,225,000* | $450,050* | not available |
| Kalihi | $1,084,363* | $360,000* | not available |
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. Ewa Beach’s average asking rent was about $3,800 in October 2026, so an E-5 with dependents is just under the average there. Condos in Kalihi and Salt Lake are the most affordable buys near Sand Island.
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
- Base Honolulu relocation handbook, U.S. Coast Guard, June 2021
- Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point, Wikipedia
- 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
- Ewa Beach rental market trends, Zillow, updated Oct. 26, 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
- 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.