Getting PCS orders to the Richmond area usually means 1 of 2 places: Fort Lee, south of the city in Prince George County, or Defense Supply Center Richmond in Chesterfield. Where you live should start with which gate you’ll drive through every morning.
Where should I live if I’m PCSing to Richmond VA? Most moves here are to Fort Lee or Defense Supply Center Richmond. Both are in the same 2026 BAH area, where an E-5 with dependents receives $2,358 a month. Living south of the James River keeps the drive short. Get a VA loan preapproval before you start touring.
by Daniel Yoon | eXp Realty | Richmond, Virginia
The installations in the Richmond area
Fort Lee sits in Prince George County between Petersburg and Hopewell, according to Military OneSource. It’s home to the Combined Arms Support Command (CASCOM), whose commander is also the installation commander. The post was called Fort Gregg-Adams from 2023 to 2025, and the Army restored the Fort Lee name in 2025, so you’ll still see the old name on some maps, forms, and websites.
Defense Supply Center Richmond (DSCR) is a Defense Logistics Agency site that occupies over 600 acres in southern Chesterfield County, just south of the city, per Military OneSource.
Fort Pickett (called Fort Barfoot from 2023 to 2025) is farther out, about 63 miles and 85 minutes from downtown Richmond without traffic. It’s a realistic daily drive only from the southern edge of the region.
2026 BAH for the Richmond area
Fort Lee (ZIP 23801) and DSCR (ZIP 23237) both fall in the Richmond, VA military housing area (VA301). These are the 2026 rates from the Defense Travel Management Office BAH lookup:
| Pay grade | With dependents | Without dependents |
|---|---|---|
| E-5 | $2,358 | $1,866 |
| E-7 | $2,676 | $2,163 |
| O-3 | $2,760 | $2,526 |
Look up your own grade before you set a budget, since rates change every January. If you buy, budget for property taxes, insurance, and maintenance on top of the mortgage payment.
Drive times from Fort Lee and DSCR
These estimates come from OpenStreetMap routing with no traffic. Expect longer drives at rush hour, especially on I-95 and I-295, so test your route at the time you’ll actually drive it.
| Area | To Fort Lee | To DSCR | Locality |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prince George | About 11 min | About 31 min | Prince George County |
| Colonial Heights | About 12 min | About 19 min | City of Colonial Heights |
| Chester (Chesterfield) | About 23 min | About 10 min | Chesterfield County |
| Midlothian (Chesterfield) | About 48 min | About 26 min | Chesterfield County |
| Mechanicsville (Hanover) | About 37 min | About 27 min | Hanover County |
| Glen Allen (Henrico) | About 48 min | About 34 min | Henrico County |
| Short Pump (Henrico) | About 55 min | About 34 min | Henrico County |
| Downtown Richmond | About 38 min | About 17 min | City of Richmond |
For dual-income households where 1 spouse works downtown or in the West End, Chester is often the compromise: about 10 minutes to DSCR and about 23 to Fort Lee. My Chesterfield neighborhood guide covers Chester, Midlothian, and the rest of the county.
Using a VA loan in Richmond
A VA-backed purchase loan needs no down payment as long as the price isn’t higher than the appraised value, and there’s no private mortgage insurance. With full entitlement, there’s no VA loan limit, per VA.gov. You’ll still need to qualify with the lender.
Unless you’re exempt, you’ll pay a VA funding fee. On a first-use purchase, VA.gov lists 2.15% with less than 5% down, 1.5% with 5% or more down, and 1.25% with 10% or more down. After the first use, the fee is 3.3% with less than 5% down. You don’t pay the fee if you receive VA disability compensation, among other exemptions.
BAH can count toward qualifying income. The VA Lenders Handbook tells lenders to include a military quarters allowance in effective income when it’s properly verified. Ask your loan officer how they document it. For the full process, read my guide to buying with a VA loan in Richmond.
Buying before you arrive
You can buy remotely and move straight into the house. It works best when you set it up in this order:
- Get preapproved first with a lender who closes VA loans regularly, using your orders and your current LES.
- Pick the area by commute using the table above, then narrow down by school division and budget.
- Tour by live video, not just listing photos. Ask your agent to walk the street and check road noise and the backyard.
- Keep your inspection and attend it by video. The inspector can show you what matters in real time.
- Set closing for after your report date if you can, or confirm your lender allows a power of attorney if you can’t be there.
My relocation checklist can help you plan the move.
Renting first? Know your lease rights
Virginia law lets service members end a residential lease after receiving PCS orders. Under Va. Code § 55.1-1235, you give the landlord written notice with a termination date at least 30 days after the next rent due date, and provide a copy of the orders or a letter from your commanding officer. The landlord can’t charge liquidated damages. Renting for a few months is a reasonable move if you want to learn the area before buying.
Schools and military kids
Virginia is part of the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children, which covers K-12 students and allows hand-carried records so enrollment doesn’t stall while official transcripts are sent. Your school division depends on the address, so confirm the zone for any house before you write an offer.
Tax help for disabled veterans
Under Va. Code § 58.1-3219.5, a veteran rated by the VA as 100% service-connected, permanent, and totally disabled is exempt from real estate taxes on the principal residence, including up to 1 acre of land. Apply through the locality where you buy.
FAQ
The main ones are Fort Lee in Prince George County, between Petersburg and Hopewell, and Defense Supply Center Richmond in southern Chesterfield County. Fort Pickett is farther out, about 63 miles from downtown Richmond. Fort Lee was called Fort Gregg-Adams from 2023 to 2025.
Fort Lee and DSCR are both in the Richmond, VA housing area (VA301). In 2026, an E-5 receives $2,358 with dependents and $1,866 without. An E-7 receives $2,676 or $2,163, and an O-3 receives $2,760 or $2,526. Check the DoD lookup for your grade.
Yes, as long as the price isn’t higher than the appraised value. VA-backed purchase loans don’t require private mortgage insurance, and with full entitlement there’s no VA loan limit. You still have to qualify with the lender, and you’ll pay a funding fee unless you receive VA disability compensation or qualify for another exemption.
Prince George and Colonial Heights are closest, at about 11 to 12 minutes without traffic. Chester in Chesterfield is about 23 minutes away and also about 10 minutes from DSCR. Midlothian, Glen Allen, and Short Pump are 48 minutes or more from Fort Lee without traffic.
Get a VA preapproval first, choose an area by commute, and tour homes by live video with your agent. Keep your inspection and attend it by video. If you can’t be at closing, confirm early whether your lender accepts a power of attorney.
Yes. Va. Code § 55.1-1235 lets you end the lease with written notice effective at least 30 days after the next rent due date. You must give the landlord a copy of the orders or a letter from your commanding officer, and the landlord can’t charge liquidated damages.
The short summary
- Installations: Fort Lee in Prince George and DSCR in Chesterfield share the same BAH area.
- Commute: Chester, Colonial Heights, and Prince George keep the drive short. Midlothian, Glen Allen, and Short Pump are 48 minutes or more from Fort Lee.
- Financing: VA loans need no down payment if the house appraises at the price, no mortgage insurance, and BAH can count as income.
- Renting first: Virginia lets you end a lease with PCS orders and proper notice.
Got orders to Fort Lee or DSCR? I’ll help you compare commutes, school zones, and what your BAH covers before you start touring, and I’m happy to do it all by video. Book a time at cal.com/danielyoon or call 804-896-2694. If you’re still deciding on the region, start with my Richmond relocation guide and first 30 days checklist.
General information, not legal, tax, or lending advice. Confirm BAH with the DoD lookup, loan terms with your lender, and lease questions with your installation legal office.