📍 BAH Rates by Military Base 2026

Official Housing Allowance Rates for 30 Major Installations

Mil-Multiplier › BAH Calculator › BAH by Base

Select any installation below to view complete 2026 BAH rates for every rank, with and without dependents. Rates shown are monthly BAH with dependents for E-5 and E-7. Sorted highest to lowest.

Camp Pendleton
Oceanside, CA
E-5: $3,963 E-7: $4,494
MHA CA024
Naval Base San Diego
San Diego, CA
E-5: $3,975 E-7: $4,446
MHA CA038
Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam
Honolulu, HI
E-5: $3,663 E-7: $4,098
MHA HI408
Joint Base Andrews
Camp Springs, MD
E-5: $3,132 E-7: $3,855
MHA DC053
Marine Corps Base Quantico
Quantico, VA
E-5: $2,955 E-7: $3,228
MHA VA296
MacDill Air Force Base
Tampa, FL
E-5: $2,709 E-7: $3,066
MHA FL066
Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson
Anchorage, AK
E-5: $2,874 E-7: $3,045
MHA AK404
Joint Base Lewis-McChord
Tacoma, WA
E-5: $2,556 E-7: $2,994
MHA WA311
Eglin Air Force Base
Valparaiso, FL
E-5: $2,433 E-7: $2,841
MHA FL056
Fort Wainwright
Fairbanks, AK
E-5: $2,436 E-7: $2,610
MHA AK405
Naval Station Norfolk
Norfolk, VA
E-5: $2,430 E-7: $2,604
MHA VA298
Fort Stewart
Hinesville, GA
E-5: $2,310 E-7: $2,493
MHA GA080
Fort Carson
Colorado Springs, CO
E-5: $2,358 E-7: $2,487
MHA CO046
Peterson Space Force Base
Colorado Springs, CO
E-5: $2,358 E-7: $2,487
MHA CO046
Naval Station Mayport
Jacksonville, FL
E-5: $2,181 E-7: $2,283
MHA FL058
Nellis Air Force Base
Las Vegas, NV
E-5: $2,070 E-7: $2,268
MHA NV212
Naval Air Station Pensacola
Pensacola, FL
E-5: $1,863 E-7: $2,256
MHA FL064
Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay
Kings Bay, GA
E-5: $2,133 E-7: $2,250
MHA GA074
Fort Campbell
Clarksville, TN
E-5: $1,815 E-7: $2,244
MHA KY106
Fort Gordon
Augusta, GA
E-5: $1,890 E-7: $2,190
MHA GA073
Joint Base San Antonio
San Antonio, TX
E-5: $1,869 E-7: $2,112
MHA TX285
Fort Drum
Watertown, NY
E-5: $1,665 E-7: $2,103
MHA NY225
Fort Bragg
Fayetteville, NC
E-5: $1,806 E-7: $2,094
MHA NC182
Fort Hood
Killeen, TX
E-5: $1,695 E-7: $2,070
MHA TX286
Fort Benning
Columbus, GA
E-5: $1,716 E-7: $2,004
MHA GA075
Fort Rucker
Daleville, AL
E-5: $1,572 E-7: $1,929
MHA AL002
Fort Polk
Leesville, LA
E-5: $1,218 E-7: $1,872
MHA LA115
Fort Riley
Junction City, KS
E-5: $1,314 E-7: $1,845
MHA KS100
Cannon Air Force Base
Clovis, NM
E-5: $1,365 E-7: $1,695
MHA NM207
Fort Sill
Lawton, OK
E-5: $1,233 E-7: $1,587
MHA OK237

What Is BAH and Why Does It Vary by Base?

Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) is a tax-free monthly payment to service members who live off-base. The amount varies dramatically by location because the Department of Defense surveys actual rental housing costs in each Military Housing Area annually. A duty station in San Diego or Honolulu will have BAH rates 2-3x higher than a base in rural Oklahoma or Louisiana — reflecting the real difference in what it costs to rent a home in each area.

This page covers the 30 most populated military installations across all branches. Each base page shows the complete BAH rate table for every rank from E-1 to O-7, including warrant officers and prior-enlisted officers, with both dependent and without-dependent rates. All data is sourced from official DFAS (Defense Finance and Accounting Service) rate tables for 2026.

How to Use These Pages

If you're PCSing to a new duty station, click on that installation to see exactly what your BAH will be. Compare it to your current base to understand how your housing budget will change. If you're transitioning out of the military, knowing your BAH rate helps you understand the true value of your compensation package — use the Mil-Multiplier Compensation Calculator to see the full picture. For any ZIP code not covered by these base pages, use the BAH Calculator to look up rates directly.

Understanding BAH Rate Differences

The highest BAH rates in 2026 are at installations near major coastal metropolitan areas — Camp Pendleton and Naval Base San Diego (both in the San Diego MHA) lead with E-7 rates above $4,400/month with dependents. Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Hawaii follows closely. At the other end, installations in rural areas like Fort Sill, Oklahoma and Fort Polk, Louisiana have E-7 rates below $1,900/month. The difference is entirely driven by local housing costs — an E-7 receives the same base pay regardless of location, but their BAH can vary by over $2,500/month depending on where they're stationed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which military base has the highest BAH?

San Francisco and surrounding Bay Area bases have the highest 2026 BAH rates, with an E-5 with dependents receiving over $4,200/month. Other high-BAH locations include Monterey CA, San Diego, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, and Washington DC area bases. BAH rates directly correlate with local housing costs.

What is the average BAH rate in 2026?

The national median BAH for an E-5 with dependents in 2026 is approximately $2,100/month. However, BAH ranges dramatically — from under $1,200/month at rural installations to over $4,200/month in major metro areas. Your specific rate depends on your rank, dependency status, and duty station ZIP code.

Does BAH change every year?

Yes, BAH rates are recalculated annually and take effect January 1st. Rates can go up or down based on local housing cost surveys, though the DOD has a rate protection policy that prevents your BAH from decreasing as long as you maintain the same rank, dependency status, and duty station.

Is BAH taxable?

No, BAH is completely tax-free. It is not included in your taxable income on your W-2. This makes BAH significantly more valuable than equivalent civilian housing money — $2,500/month in tax-free BAH would require approximately $3,300-$3,700 in pre-tax civilian salary.