Goodfellow AFB PCS Guide: BAH Rates, Housing, Schools & San Angelo Living

BLUF (Bottom Line Up Front)

Goodfellow AFB is home to the 17th Training Wing (intelligence, fire protection, special instruments training) with 1,200 active duty personnel. This is an intelligence training mission—teaching intel analysts, linguists, and fire protection in West Texas. Low cost of living, decent schools, but remote location.

Key Numbers:

• BAH vs. Rent: Excellent fit (E5 BAH covers median 3BR house with $550-600 buffer)
• Median 3BR Rent: $1,050/month (very affordable for Texas)
• School Quality: San Angelo ISD (6-7/10) is decent, Wall ISD (7/10) is best nearby
• Remote: 3.5 hours from Austin, 3 hours from Dallas (isolation factor)

What This Guide Covers: Housing with real prices, school ratings, San Angelo West Texas intel, and intelligence training mission realities.

Want real-time data? This guide provides 2025 rates and static intel. For live housing prices, current school ratings, and personalized recommendations, use Base Navigator → (Premium)

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Quick Facts

Installation Overview:

• Official Name: Goodfellow Air Force Base
• Location: San Angelo, TX (Tom Green County) - within city limits, south side
• Size: 1,235 acres
• Population: 1,200 active duty + 3,500 total (students + civilians)
• Branch: Air Force (AETC - Air Education and Training Command), plus Army, Navy, Marines (joint intelligence training)
• Major Units: 17th Training Wing (intelligence, geospatial, signals intel, fire protection, special instruments)
• Climate: Semi-arid West Texas—HOT/dry summers (95-105°F), mild winters (35-55°F)
• Nearest Major City: San Angelo, TX (within city, 100K people), Austin, TX (3.5 hours), Dallas, TX (3 hours north)

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BAH Rates

BAH rates sourced from Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS), updated annually. See official source →

Key Insight: BAH generously covers rent in all good neighborhoods—San Angelo ISD (6-7/10) is decent. E5 BAH (~$1,600) covers median rent ($1,050) with $550 left over. This is a HIGH savings post—low cost of living + generous BAH + NO Texas state income tax = save $6,500-7,500/year.

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Housing Neighborhoods (Ranked)

🏆 Tier 1 - Best for Families (Live Here)

Southwest San Angelo (Near Bentwood Country Club):

• Median 3BR Rent: $1,100/month
• Commute: 10-15 minutes to gate
• Schools: 7/10 (San Angelo ISD—best schools)
• Vibe: Suburban, family-friendly, newer development
• Best Areas: Near Bentwood Elementary, Glenn Middle, Central High
• Why: Best schools, pocket $500/month

Wall, TX (North of San Angelo):

• Median 3BR Rent: $1,000/month
• Commute: 20-25 minutes to gate
• Schools: 7/10 (Wall ISD—best in area, small district)
• Vibe: Very small town (300 people), rural
• Why: BEST schools (7/10), pocket $600/month, rural lifestyle

On-Base Housing (Privatized - Balfour Beatty):

• Cost: Free (BAH auto-deducted)
• Wait Time: 3-6 months (moderate)
• Quality: 7-8/10 (renovated, good)
• Schools: Bus to San Angelo ISD (6-7/10)
• Why: Convenience, no commute

⚠️ Tier 2 - Livable But Research Carefully

North San Angelo:

• Median 3BR Rent: $975/month
• Commute: 15-20 minutes to gate
• Schools: 6/10 (San Angelo ISD—average)
• Vibe: Mixed neighborhoods, older areas
• Trade-off: Cheap but research areas carefully

South San Angelo (Near base):

• Median 3BR Rent: $950/month
• Commute: 5-10 minutes to gate
• Schools: 6/10 (San Angelo ISD—average)
• Vibe: Older neighborhoods, very close to base
• Trade-off: Cheap and close but schools average

❌ Tier 3 - Avoid Unless You Know What You're Doing

Downtown San Angelo:

• Some older infrastructure, limited housing options
• Schools 5-6/10

Pro Tip: Southwest San Angelo (7/10 schools, Bentwood area) is the gold standard—best schools in San Angelo, 10-15 min commute, pocket $500. Wall ISD (7/10, BEST in area, small town 300 people) pocket $600, rural lifestyle. On-base waitlist 3-6 months, quality 7-8/10, convenient. Southwest San Angelo or Wall are the winners.

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Schools

Top Elementary Schools

• Bentwood Elementary (San Angelo SW) - 7/10 - Best elementary near base
• Wall Elementary (Wall, TX) - 7/10 - Best in area (small district)
• Austin Elementary (San Angelo) - 6/10 - Decent

Top Middle Schools

• Glenn Middle (San Angelo SW) - 7/10 - Best middle school near base
• Wall Middle (Wall, TX) - 7/10 - Best in area (small district)
• Lincoln Middle (San Angelo) - 6/10 - Average

Top High Schools

• Central High School (San Angelo SW) - 7/10 - Best high school near base
• Wall High School (Wall, TX) - 7/10 - Best in area (small district)
• Lake View High School (San Angelo) - 6/10 - Average

Private Schools

• Angelo Catholic School (San Angelo) - 6/10 - Catholic (PK-8, $5K-7K/year)
• Trinity Lutheran School (San Angelo) - 6/10 - Lutheran (PK-8, $4K-6K/year)

Schools to Avoid

• Downtown San Angelo schools - 5-6/10 - Older, struggling

School District Strategy: San Angelo ISD Southwest area (7/10) is best—Bentwood Elementary, Glenn Middle, Central High (all 7/10). Wall ISD (7/10, small district in town of 300 people) is BEST in area. Private schools limited—Angelo Catholic (6/10, $5K-7K/year) or Trinity Lutheran (6/10, $4K-6K/year). Schools are solid but not exceptional.

For live school ratings and neighborhood analysis: Base Navigator →

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Local Intel (What You Actually Need to Know)

Cost of Living

Overall: -16% lower — West Texas affordability
Housing: -24% lower — BAH covers rent with $550-600 buffer
Groceries: -10% lower — Commissary + off-base savings
Utilities: +12% higher — HOT summers, AC runs constantly

Monthly Budget for E5 with 2 Kids:

• Rent (3BR off-base in Wall, TX): $1,000
• Utilities (electric + AC): $175 (summer: $235-275)
• Groceries: $735
• Gas (commute + errands): $158 (Wall is 20-25 min)
• Internet/Streaming: $82
• Kids (activities, daycare part-time): $285

Total: ~$2,435/month (summer: ~$2,535 with higher AC)
E5 BAH + BAS: ~$3,500/month (covers housing + food, pocket $965-1,065)

State Taxes

• Texas: NO state income tax (MAJOR savings)
• Sales Tax: 8.25% (state + local)
• Property Tax: High (but renters not directly impacted)

BAH Reality: E5 with dependents BAH (~$1,600) covers Wall rent ($1,000) with $600 left over. Live in Southwest San Angelo ($1,100, best schools 7/10) and pocket $500. Budget $235-275/month for summer AC (HOT West Texas summers).

Pro Tip: Southwest San Angelo or Wall ISD = sweet spot (pocket $500-600/month, 7/10 schools). NO Texas state income tax = save $2,500-3,500/year. LOW cost of living + generous BAH = save $6,500-7,500/year. Budget extra $700-900/year for summer AC spike. Use this assignment to max TSP, pay off debt.

Traffic & Commute

• Rush Hour: 7-8am, 4:30-5:30pm (minimal—small city)
• Best Routes: US-87, Knickerbocker Road, Loop 306
• Worst: None—traffic is light year-round
• Pro Tip: 5-25 minute commute from San Angelo, zero traffic jams

Commissary & BX

• Best Times: Weekday mornings, early afternoons
• Worst Times: Weekends (busier with students), paydays
• Off-Base Alternative: Walmart, H-E-B, United Supermarkets (San Angelo)

Things You Should Know

• Intelligence training mission: 17th Training Wing—teach intel analysts, linguists, geospatial intel, signals intel, fire protection
• Joint training: Air Force, Army, Navy, Marines all train here (crypto-linguists, intel analysts)
• Student-heavy: Constant flow of intelligence students (6-18 months training)
• Instructors: Most personnel are intelligence instructors (teach students, stable assignment)
• MINIMAL deployments: Instructors stay CONUS, teach intel (non-deploying assignment for most)
• Students: Mostly single young airmen/soldiers/sailors/marines (dorms on base)
• Remote location: 3.5 hours from Austin, 3 hours from Dallas (isolation)
• HOT summers: 95-105°F, dry heat
• San Angelo: Small city (100K people), limited nightlife/dating
• West Texas: Desert landscape, big sky country

Hidden Gems

• Concho River Walk (San Angelo) - Downtown riverwalk, restaurants, live music
• San Angelo State Park (adjacent to base) - 7,700 acres, hiking, biking, fishing
• International Waterlily Collection (San Angelo) - Civic League Park, beautiful
• Fort Concho National Historic Landmark (San Angelo) - 1867 frontier fort, museum
• Miss Hattie's Bordello Museum (San Angelo) - Historic bordello turned museum
• The Bluffs on the Concho (San Angelo) - Disc golf, trails, climbing
• San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts (San Angelo) - Small but decent art museum
• Austin, TX (3.5 hours) - Live music capital, UT football, nightlife

Areas to Avoid

• Some parts of downtown San Angelo at night (limited crime)

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What's It Like to Live at Goodfellow AFB?

Goodfellow AFB is home to the 17th Training Wing—the Department of Defense's premier intelligence training installation. If you're here, you're either an intelligence instructor (teaching students intelligence analysis, crypto-linguistics, geospatial intel, signals intel) or supporting operations. The mission is intelligence training—churning out intel analysts and linguists for all branches (Air Force, Army, Navy, Marines). Instructors stay CONUS (MINIMAL deployments), teach daily classes, stable assignment (3+ years). Students rotate through every 6-18 months. This is an instructor mission in West Texas—low cost of living, stable lifestyle, but remote location.

Mission Reality:

• 17th Training Wing (intelligence training): Intel analysts, crypto-linguists, geospatial intel, signals intel, fire protection
• Joint training: Air Force, Army, Navy, Marines all train here
• MINIMAL deployments: Instructors stay CONUS, teach intel (stable, non-deploying assignment)
• Students: Constant flow of intel students (6-18 months training cycles)
• Instructor lifestyle: Teach daily classes, stable 3+ year assignments
• Support/Mx: Minimal deployment tempo

Quality of Life:

• LOW cost of living: Pocket $500-600/month from BAH, save $6,500-7,500/year
• Schools: Southwest San Angelo or Wall ISD (7/10) are best
• MINIMAL deployments: Instructors stay CONUS (major quality-of-life win)
• Remote: 3.5 hours from Austin (isolation)
• San Angelo: Small city (100K people), limited nightlife/dating
• HOT summers: 95-105°F, dry heat
• Student-heavy environment: Young intel students (transient community)
• Instructor camaraderie: Tight-knit intel community, teaching culture

The Good:

• LOW cost of living (pocket $500-600/month, save $6,500-7,500/year)
• NO Texas state income tax (save $2,500-3,500/year, major win)
• MINIMAL deployments (instructors stay CONUS, stable lifestyle)
• Southwest San Angelo or Wall ISD schools decent (7/10)
• Instructor camaraderie (intel teaching culture, tight-knit community)
• San Angelo State Park (adjacent to base, 7,700 acres, hiking/biking)
• Concho River Walk (downtown, restaurants, live music)
• Austin 3.5 hours (live music capital, UT football, entertainment)
• LOW traffic (5-25 min commute)

The Not-So-Good:

• Remote location (3.5 hours from Austin, 3 hours from Dallas, isolation)
• San Angelo is small (100K people, limited nightlife/dating)
• HOT summers (95-105°F, AC runs constantly)
• Student-heavy environment (transient community, young intel students)
• Schools are 6-7/10 (decent but not great)
• West Texas desert landscape (not for everyone)

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Cost of Living Breakdown

Cost of Living

Overall: -16% lower — West Texas affordability
Housing: -24% lower — BAH covers rent with big buffer
Groceries: -10% lower — Commissary saves 20-30%
Utilities: +12% higher — HOT summers, AC runs constantly

Monthly Budget for E5 with 2 Kids:

• Rent (3BR off-base in Wall, TX): $1,000
• Utilities (electric + AC): $175 (summer: $235-275)
• Groceries: $735
• Gas (commute + errands): $158
• Internet/Cable: $82
• Childcare (part-time): $285
• Car Insurance: $108 (TX is moderate)
• Misc (restaurants, entertainment): $115

Total: ~$2,658/month (summer: ~$2,758 with higher AC)
E5 BAH + BAS: ~$3,500/month (covers housing + food, pocket $742-842)

BAH Coverage: E5 BAH (~$1,600) covers Wall rent ($1,000) with $600 left over. Live in Southwest San Angelo ($1,100, best schools 7/10) and pocket $500. On-base is free (BAH auto-deducted).

Savings Potential: HIGH—pocket $500-600/month in good neighborhoods. NO Texas state income tax saves $2,500-3,500/year (major win). Low cost of living + generous BAH = save $6,500-7,500/year. Budget extra $700-900/year for summer AC spike. This is a wealth-building assignment—max TSP, pay off debt, build emergency fund.

Pro Tips:

• Southwest San Angelo or Wall ISD = sweet spot (pocket $500-600/month, 7/10 schools)
• NO Texas state income tax = save $2,500-3,500/year (major win)
• Commissary saves 20-30% vs off-base (Walmart, H-E-B)
• LOW cost of living = save $6,500-7,500/year (max TSP contributions)
• Budget extra $700-900/year for summer AC (HOT West Texas summers)

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Spouse Employment & Family Life

Job Market Reality: San Angelo (100K people) has a small-city economy—Angelo State University, healthcare, oil/gas, retail, and military. Civilian jobs exist but lower-paying than major metros. Remote work is growing—many spouses work remotely.

Top Spouse Employers:

1. Healthcare: Shannon Medical Center (RN $54K-68K, admin $28K-42K)
2. On-Base Contractors: BAE Systems, CACI (intel, IT - $42K-58K)
3. Education: San Angelo ISD, Wall ISD, Angelo State (teachers start $42K)
4. Angelo State University: Staff, admin ($26K-42K)
5. Retail: Walmart, Target, Sunset Mall (manager $28K-38K)
6. Remote Work: Growing market ($42K-68K)

Average Spouse Salaries:

• Healthcare (RN): $54,000-68,000
• On-base contractor (intel/IT): $42,000-58,000
• Teaching (TX): $42,000-54,000
• University staff: $26,000-42,000
• Remote work (varies): $42,000-68,000

Military Spouse Preference:

• Goodfellow AFB has NAF jobs (CDC, fitness, MWR)
• Airman & Family Readiness has job assistance programs
• MyCAA grants available for education/certifications
• San Angelo job market small—remote work recommended

Childcare Situation:

• CDC Waitlist: 3-6 months (moderate wait, instructor-stable community)
• Off-Base Daycare: $90-130/week per child (affordable)
• FCC (Family Child Care): On-base home providers, $80-120/week
• School-Age: Before/after school programs $55-95/week

For Families:

• Schools: Southwest San Angelo or Wall ISD (7/10) are best
• Activities: San Angelo State Park (adjacent), Concho River Walk, Fort Concho museum, Austin (3.5 hours)
• Support: Strong military community, instructor families (stable, non-deploying lifestyle)

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Common Questions About Goodfellow AFB

Q: Is Goodfellow AFB a good duty station? A: YES, if you value MINIMAL deployments, LOW cost of living, and NO state income tax. Instructors stay CONUS (stable lifestyle, teach intel), pocket $500-600/month from BAH, save $6,500-7,500/year, NO Texas income tax (save $2,500-3,500/year), Southwest San Angelo or Wall ISD schools decent (7/10). Trade-offs: remote (3.5 hours from Austin, isolation), San Angelo is small (100K people, limited nightlife), HOT summers (95-105°F), schools are 6-7/10 (decent but not great). GREAT for intel instructors wanting stable assignment focused on saving money.

Q: Should I live on-base or off-base? A: Off-base is better for most. Southwest San Angelo (7/10 schools, best) 10-15 min commute, pocket $500. Wall ISD (7/10, BEST schools, small town 300 people) 20-25 min, pocket $600. On-base waitlist 3-6 months, quality 7-8/10, convenient. Both options solid—choose based on preference (schools vs extra cash).

Q: How bad are the deployments? A: MINIMAL for instructors. Intelligence instructors stay CONUS—teach intel analysts, crypto-linguists, geospatial intel, signals intel daily (non-deploying assignment). This is a MAJOR quality-of-life win. Stable 3+ year assignments, family-friendly lifestyle. Support/Mx also minimal deployments. This is one of the most stable assignments in the Air Force.

Q: Can my spouse find work? A: Yes, but limited. San Angelo (100K people) has healthcare (RN $54K-68K), on-base contractors ($42K-58K), teaching ($42K-54K), Angelo State staff ($26K-42K). Remote work is best bet ($42K-68K). Job market is small-city—lower pay than major metros. Plan for remote work or on-base NAF jobs.

Q: Is San Angelo boring? A: Depends. San Angelo (100K people) is small city—limited nightlife/dating. Concho River Walk (restaurants, live music), San Angelo State Park (7,700 acres, hiking/biking), Fort Concho museum. Austin 3.5 hours (live music capital, UT football). Good for families focused on saving money, stable lifestyle. Not for entertainment seekers. You'll drive to Austin for big-city experiences.

Q: How hot does it get? A: HOT. West Texas summers: 95-105°F, dry heat. AC runs constantly. Electric bills spike ($235-275/month peak). Mild winters (35-55°F). Budget extra $700-900/year for summer AC. HOT but dry (tolerable vs Gulf Coast humidity).

Q: Can I save money at Goodfellow? A: YES. This is a HIGH savings post. Pocket $500-600/month from BAH, NO Texas state income tax (save $2,500-3,500/year), LOW cost of living = save $6,500-7,500/year. Max your TSP, pay off debt, build emergency fund. One of the best savings assignments in CONUS.

Q: What's the intel training like? A: Joint environment. Air Force, Army, Navy, Marines all train here. Instructors teach intelligence analysis, crypto-linguistics, geospatial intel, signals intel, fire protection. Students here 6-18 months. If you're an intel instructor, you'll teach daily classes, stable 3+ year assignment. Strong intel community, teaching culture.

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Next Steps: Your PCS Toolkit

This guide gave you the local intel. Now use our premium tools to execute:

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Official Resources & References

This guide synthesizes data from official Department of Defense sources. For additional information:

• Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) - Official military pay and allowances
• Joint Travel Regulations (JTR) - PCS entitlements and regulations
• MilitaryOneSource - Free 24/7 counseling and family support
• Defense Travel Management Office - Official BAH rates and per diem

Last verified: 2025-01-15. Garrison Ledger is an independent resource and is not affiliated with the Department of Defense.