2026 DoD BAH Tables
2026 BAH Rates Lookup
Look up the official 2026 Basic Allowance for Housing rate for any ZIP code or installation, across every pay grade, with and without dependents — and compare two duty stations side-by-side for PCS planning. Below is a default example; enter your own ZIP in the interactive lookup for your station's full table.
2026 BAH Example: E-5 at El Paso, TX (Fort Bliss)
Monthly 2026 rates for a Sergeant (E-5) in the El Paso, TX (Fort Bliss) military housing area — an example station; BAH is set per housing area, so your rate depends on your duty ZIP.
| Dependency Status | Monthly BAH (2026) |
|---|---|
| With dependents | $1,809.00 |
| Without dependents | $1,437.00 |
| Dependent-status difference | +$372.00 |
Official 2026 DoD rates for the El Paso, TX (Fort Bliss) housing area. BAH is non-taxable and identical across branches — only your pay grade, dependency status, and duty ZIP set it.
How Military Housing Allowance (BAH) Works: Complete Guide
By MilPayGuide · Reviewed against official rate tables · October 2026
Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) is an essential component of military compensation, designed to provide equitable housing support for active-duty service members when government quarters are not provided. Governed by 37 U.S.C. § 403 and DoD Financial Management Regulation (DoD FMR) 7000.14-R, Volume 7A, Chapter 26, BAH rates reflect current local market conditions across approximately 300 Military Housing Areas (MHAs) nationwide.
1. Local Market Data Collection
Each spring and summer, the Defense Travel Management Office (DTMO) surveys private-sector housing across all MHAs. Data collectors evaluate actual rental costs for six standard housing types: apartments, townhouses, and detached single-family residences. Utility costs (electricity, gas, water/sewage) and renter's insurance rates are factored into the total housing cost calculation.
2. Individual Rate Protection
Under 37 U.S.C. § 403(b)(6), service members are legally protected against decreasing rental markets. If rates fall in your duty area for a new year, you keep your higher existing rate for the entire duration of your assignment, preserving your ability to honor an existing lease or mortgage.
3. Dependency Status & Family Rules
BAH is split into two rate tiers: with-dependents and without-dependents. The with-dependents rate is a flat allowance based on grade and location; it does not increment per child. In dual-military marriages, both service members receive BAH, but only one member may claim minor children for the with-dependents rate.
4. Complete Tax Exemption
Under Internal Revenue Code Section 134 (26 U.S.C. § 134), qualified military housing allowances are 100% exempt from federal and state income tax and payroll taxes (FICA). This gives BAH significantly greater purchasing power than equivalent taxable civilian wages.
National Rate Distribution & Geographic Variation
Across the 299 designated military housing areas in the 2026 table, the with-dependents rate for an E-5 ranges from rural low-cost bases to major urban centers, with a national median of $2,118.00/month (unweighted average $2,290.00/mo). Rates in high-cost metropolitan areas (such as San Francisco, New York, or Boston) can exceed three times the rate of low-cost locations, ensuring purchasing parity regardless of station assignment.
Unweighted average across 299 named military housing areas — the average location, not population-weighted.
Historical BAH Growth: El Paso, TX (Fort Bliss) (2016–2026)
From 2016 to 2026, the E-5 with-dependents rate in this housing area shifted from $1,266.00 to $1,809.00 per month (+42.9% cumulative growth).
| Year | With dependents | Without dependents |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | $1,266.00 | $1,053.00 |
| 2017 | $1,335.00 | $1,053.00 |
| 2018 | $1,320.00 | $1,050.00 |
| 2019 | $1,293.00 | $1,056.00 |
| 2020 | $1,206.00 | $1,047.00 |
| 2021 | $1,320.00 | $1,110.00 |
| 2022 | $1,398.00 | $1,161.00 |
| 2023 | $1,587.00 | $1,197.00 |
| 2024 | $1,620.00 | $1,287.00 |
| 2025 | $1,773.00 | $1,425.00 |
| 2026 | $1,809.00 | $1,437.00 |
Each row is the rate published for 1 January of that year. A lower published rate never cuts what a member already stationed in the area was drawing — see how BAH rate protection works.
Department of Defense Annual Average BAH Adjustments
Each December, the Department of Defense announces the national average percentage change across all housing areas for the upcoming calendar year. Individual areas may experience changes above or below the national average based on localized housing market shifts.
| Year | Average change announced by DoD |
|---|---|
| 2026 | +4.2% |
| 2025 | +5.4% |
| 2024 | +5.4% |
| 2023 | +12.1% |
| 2022 | +5.1% |
| 2021 | +2.9% |
| 2020 | +2.8% |
| 2019 | +2.55% |
| 2018 | +0.7% |
| 2017 | +2.4% |
| 2016 | +3.4% |
Source: the Department of Defense's annual BAH rate announcements (each figure links to its release); latest rates effective 2026-01-01. A national average is not a promise for any one ZIP — an area whose rate falls is covered by individual rate protection.
Frequently Asked Questions: Military BAH Rates
- How are Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) rates determined?
- BAH rates are calculated annually by the Defense Travel Management Office (DTMO) through extensive data collection across approximately 300 Military Housing Areas (MHAs) in the United States. Data collectors sample median market rents, utility costs (electricity, natural gas, water/sewer), and renters insurance policies for six standard housing profiles ranging from one-bedroom apartments to four-bedroom single-family residences. Rates are then mapped to military pay grades and dependency status.
- What is individual BAH rate protection?
- Under 37 U.S.C. § 403(b)(6), individual rate protection shields service members from decreasing rental markets. If the published BAH rate in your military housing area drops in a new calendar year, your actual payment does not decrease as long as you maintain continuous eligibility at that duty station. The lower rate applies only to service members newly arriving at that station after the new rates take effect.
- What events trigger a reset of BAH rate protection?
- Rate protection ends and your BAH adjusts to the current published rate upon any of three qualifying events: (1) executing a Permanent Change of Station (PCS) move to a new geographic location, (2) undergoing a reduction in military pay grade, or (3) experiencing a change in dependent status (such as divorce with no remaining dependents). Getting promoted never lowers your rate; on promotion you receive the greater of the new grade's current rate or your previous protected rate.
- How does BAH work for dual-military married couples?
- When active-duty members are married to each other, both are entitled to BAH. Under DoD FMR Volume 7A, Chapter 26, if the couple has no children or dependents, both members draw BAH at the without-dependents rate for their respective grades. If the couple has one or more qualifying dependents (children), one member may draw BAH at the with-dependents rate while the other draws at the without-dependents rate. Both members cannot draw with-dependents BAH for the same dependents.
- Is BAH taxable for federal or state income taxes?
- No. Basic Allowance for Housing is an allowance, not wages, and is fully excluded from gross income under 26 U.S.C. § 134. It is exempt from federal income tax, state income tax, and FICA payroll taxes. This non-taxable status means that each dollar of BAH is equivalent to approximately $1.25 to $1.45 in taxable civilian salary, depending on your tax bracket.