JBMDL is the only tri-service installation in the Department of Defense, and that creates a housing reality most PCS guides do not explain clearly enough. Which side you report shapes where you live, which schools your kids attend, and how long your daily commute runs. Get that answer from your gaining unit before you start searching.
Explore Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst Housing GuideMcGuire and Dix sit together in Burlington County, roughly 30 miles southeast of Philadelphia. Lakehurst operates in Ocean County, closer to the Jersey Shore and physically separated from McGuire-Dix by several miles. Both sections are part of the same joint base under one command, but they function as distinct daily environments. Families who choose a Burlington County neighborhood for a Lakehurst assignment regularly describe the commute as longer than they expected.
Always verify your specific section worksite before choosing an off-base community to avoid unnecessary daily commute delays across the installation.
Moving trucks and commercial vehicles use different gates than personnel vehicles. McGuire-Dix commercial traffic uses Checkpoint 9 and Lakehurst commercial traffic uses its designated commercial gate, both on weekday schedules only. Confirm gate access for your moving company before your household goods delivery date.
South Jersey pricing stays manageable compared to the northern New Jersey suburbs and Shore communities. Burlington County is genuinely accessible at most enlisted pay grades.
Most enlisted families with dependents receive allowances in the high $2,000s to mid $3,000s per month, reflecting New Jersey's above-average housing costs. Rates held strong in 2026 for the JBMDL MHA.
$200,000 to $300,000 for mid-grade enlisted using a VA loan in Burlington County. Mount Laurel and Marlton push $300,000 to $400,000.
Slightly above national average. New Jersey property taxes rank among the highest in the country and vary meaningfully by municipality.
JBMDL falls under its own Military Housing Area, and BAH reflects the New Jersey market's above-average baseline. The rate covers comfortable rentals in Browns Mills, Mount Holly, and Bordentown without a significant out-of-pocket gap at most enlisted pay grades. Buyers should account specifically for New Jersey property taxes before finalizing a purchase budget, since they vary by town and can add several hundred dollars per month to carrying costs that a simple principal-and-interest calculation does not capture. Verify your exact BAH rate at the DoD BAH Rate Lookup using ZIP code 08641 before setting any housing budget.
Book the All American Inn as soon as travel dates are confirmed. McGuire-Dix lodging is at (609) 754-4667 and Lakehurst lodging is at (732) 323-2266. Summer availability requires a reservation well in advance, and calling 1-888-AFLODGE connects you to the centralized booking line.
Arriving at JBMDL with three things already decided saves most families their first stressful week: which section you report to, which school district your kids will attend, and whether you have confirmed lodging. Families who sort those three questions before the moving truck leaves their last duty station consistently describe a calmer first month.
For Mount Holly, Bordentown, and Marlton.
For Mount Laurel and Marlton newer construction.
Depending on town and commute distance.
Moves noticeably faster June through August.
A financially accessible military market by East Coast standards. VA loan buyers at Burlington County prices compete without the cash reserves that northern New Jersey or Shore communities demand.
Our agents know Browns Mills, Mount Holly, Bordentown, Marlton, and the broader Burlington and Ocean County markets from real experience working with JBMDL families. They understand the section question, the school district comparison, and how to structure a VA loan offer in a market where pricing makes ownership realistic at most mid-grade pay grades.
"Our agent asked us which section we were reporting to before asking anything else. That question alone showed us she understood JBMDL in a way the other agents we talked to did not."
"We were leaning toward Marlton before our agent walked us through what Bordentown actually offered at a lower price point. We ended up with more house, a better school situation, and money left over each month."
"First time buying with a VA loan and we had no idea how it would go in a New Jersey market. Our agent had done this with JBMDL families before and it showed at every step."
Everything you need to know about military housing and PCSing near the base
