BAH Calculator 2026

BAH is based on the median rental cost of 6 housing profiles (1BR apartment up to 4BR detached single-family home) in each Military Housing Area, surveyed annually by DoD's housing market analysis contractor. Each pay grade is mapped to one of the housing profiles. Rates are published in mid-December and effective January 1. Beginning in FY23, BAH is set to cover 95% of typical housing costs — the member is expected to absorb the remaining ~5%.

Look up the official rate at the DTMO BAH Rate Lookup (linked above). The published table covers approximately 300 Military Housing Areas across the 50 states. For overseas duty stations you receive Overseas Housing Allowance (OHA) instead, which is paid in two parts: a housing component reimbursed against actual rent up to a cap, and a utility/recurring maintenance allowance.

With-dependents BAH is typically 18–22% higher than without-dependents at the same grade and location. Having any qualifying dependent — spouse, child, or court-ordered support obligation — triggers the with-dependents rate. Both rates correspond to the same housing profile within a market, but DoD policy assumes dependents need slightly more square footage / amenities.

Partial BAH is paid to service members who are without dependents and assigned to government quarters (barracks). It's a small flat amount ($13–$50/month depending on grade) that has not been adjusted in years. Partial BAH is essentially a token recognition that barracks-housed members may still incur some housing-related costs.

Duty station ZIP code, not home of record or state of legal residence. If your dependents live in another city, you generally receive BAH for the duty station. There are exceptions — BAH-Diff (when paying child support but living in government quarters), BAH transit, and limited "secondary dependent" situations. See JTR Chapter 10.

BAH has individual-rate protection: if you don't move and don't change dependent status, your rate cannot decrease while you remain at the same duty station — even if the published market rate drops. New arrivals get the new rate. So a decrease usually means: (1) a PCS to a lower-cost location, (2) you lost a dependent (divorce, child aged out), or (3) you re-enlisted under a new grade adjustment that triggered a rate recalc.

Yes. The BAH rate is set to cover rent plus typical utilities (electric, gas, water, sewer, trash, basic internet) within a market. The methodology builds in a utility component from annual surveys conducted by the DoD housing-market analysis contractor.

BAH II (also called BAH-RC) is a flat national rate paid to Guard / Reserve members on active duty for 30 days or less, members in transit between PCS stations without dependents at the new location, and certain trainees. Rates are non-locality and set in the BAH II table. It is significantly lower than locality BAH at most CONUS locations.

OHA covers overseas duty stations: Germany, Italy, UK, Japan, Korea, Spain, and others. Unlike BAH, OHA reimburses your actual rent up to a cap, plus a utility/recurring maintenance allowance (~$200–$700/month depending on country and family size) and a one-time move-in housing allowance (MIHA) to cover deposits and rental agent fees. OHA fluctuates with exchange rates and is recalculated quarterly.

Generally no — junior single enlisted members (E-1 through E-4 with less than 3 years of service) are typically required to live in barracks. Living off-base requires command authorization. Some installations grant blanket exceptions for waiting lists or in markets where BAH > the housing cost. Always check with command and finance before signing a lease.

No. BAH is excluded from gross income under 26 USC 134 (qualified military benefits). It does not appear on your W-2 Box 1. The tax-free advantage is worth roughly 22–28% of the BAH amount depending on your marginal federal rate plus state — meaning the BAH "feels" 25–30% richer than an equivalent civilian housing stipend.

Since FY23, BAH only covers ~95% of typical market rent by policy — service members are expected to absorb the remaining ~5%. In several mid-cost markets (Pensacola, Charleston, San Antonio, JBLM, Honolulu) the effective 2026 gap still runs 4–12% (see the BAH gap table above). 2026 rates caught up materially in Miami and Norfolk, where the published BAH now exceeds typical 2-BR rent. This remains a documented stressor on junior enlisted families and is the subject of recurring legislative pressure.

Per the JTR, one spouse may claim with-dependents BAH (typically the senior member, since the rate often goes up with grade) and the other receives without-dependents BAH. Combined, this is usually more than either drawing single rates. Detailed rules: JTR 050202; consult finance for your specific case.

BAH starts the day you report to a duty station (and is paid in arrears with the next mid-month / end-of-month LES cycle). It stops the day you depart. During PCS, BAH continues at the losing station rate until you sign in at the gaining station, with overlapping periods reconciled by finance.

No — BAH continues at your home-station rate while you are deployed. You may also receive Family Separation Allowance ($250/mo) if dependents remain at home. BAH stops only on a PCS or change of dependent status, not on TDY or deployment.