The Pacific Missile Range Facility at Barking Sands is a Navy base on Kauai’s west side, about five nautical miles northwest of Kekaha. It covers about 2,385 acres. It’s a small base on a quiet part of a small island, and housing there works differently than on Oahu.
Housing
- There are about 70 family homes on base, part of the Navy’s Ohana Military Communities neighborhoods.
- Off base, the nearby towns are Kekaha and Waimea. The rest of the island’s housing is a long drive east toward Lihue.
BAH on Kauai
PMRF is in the Kauai housing area (HI414), which pays more than Oahu at every grade. For 2026, Kauai BAH is $3,588 a month for E-1 through E-4 with dependents, $3,798 for an E-5, $4,266 for an E-6 and $4,662 for an O-3.
What homes cost on the west side
Very few homes sell on the west side, so medians jump around. Kekaha’s single-family median was $875,000 in July 2026, from just three sales. Island-wide, the September 2026 median was $1,490,000 for a single-family home and $726,500 for a condo. We didn’t find reliable west side rent data. Ask the base housing office and local property managers what’s actually available.
Property taxes
If you buy and qualify, Kauai County has a home exemption of $220,000 to $260,000 depending on age, and veterans rated 80% or more disabled pay only the $150 minimum tax on their home. Details are on our VA loans in Hawaii page.
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
- Pacific Missile Range Facility, Wikipedia
- Navy housing, JB Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Commander, Navy Installations Command
- Statewide housing statistics, September 2026, Title Guaranty
- Kauai residential sales report, September 2026, Title Guaranty
- Kauai market report, July 2026, Island Properties
- Kauai stats, first quarter 2026, Fidelity National Title & Escrow of Hawaii
- 2026 BAH rates, Kauai County, FedRateCalc
- Exemption and tax relief information, County of Kauai
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.