BAH Calculator 2026
Estimate your monthly Basic Allowance for Housing based on pay grade, dependency status and your duty station’s cost of living. Compare with/without dependents rates and check partial BAH eligibility.
Basic Allowance for Housing Calculator
Select your pay grade and dependency status, then enter a cost index for your duty station to see an estimated monthly and annual BAH amount. This tool uses national-average base rates — for the exact figure tied to your specific ZIP code, check the official DTMO rate tables.
Your Details
Enter your pay grade and duty station details
O-1E, O-2E and O-3E apply to commissioned officers with prior enlisted or warrant officer service.
Applies to E1–E4 with no dependents and under 2 years of service, not in government quarters. Uses a fixed low rate instead of the location-based estimate.
100 = national average. High-cost areas like San Diego or NYC often run 140–200+; lower-cost areas can run 70–90. Check travelpay.defense.gov for your exact duty station figure.
BAH Estimate
Monthly and annual allowance, cost-adjusted for your duty station
Select your pay grade and dependency status, then click Estimate My BAH to see the breakdown.
Illustrative National-Average Monthly BAH
Approximate national-average monthly BAH (with dependents) by pay grade, before any location cost adjustment. Actual rates vary significantly by duty station — always confirm with the official DTMO tables.
| Pay Grade | Approx. Monthly (With Dep.) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| E-1 to E-3 | ~$1,600 | Junior enlisted, national average |
| E-4 to E-6 | ~$1,850 | Mid-grade enlisted |
| E-7 to E-9 | ~$2,150 | Senior enlisted |
| W-1 to W-5 | ~$2,000 | Warrant officers |
| O-1 to O-3 | ~$2,100 | Company-grade officers |
| O-4 to O-6 | ~$2,500 | Field-grade / senior officers |
BAH Calculator FAQ
Everything worth knowing about how Basic Allowance for Housing works.
Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) is a monthly U.S. military benefit that helps cover housing costs for service members who do not live in government-provided housing. The amount depends on pay grade, dependency status, and the cost of housing near the service member’s duty station.
Yes. There are two BAH rates for every pay grade and location: a “with dependents” rate and a “without dependents” rate. The with-dependents rate is higher because it assumes a larger home is needed to house a family.
No. BAH is a non-taxable allowance, meaning it is not subject to federal or state income tax. This is one reason military housing allowances can be worth more than an equivalent amount of taxable base pay.
This calculator gives a cost-adjusted estimate based on national averages. For the official, exact rate tied to your specific duty station ZIP code, use the Defense Travel Management Office’s BAH calculator at travelpay.defense.gov, which publishes the current rate tables by Military Housing Area.
Partial BAH is a reduced rate paid to certain junior enlisted service members in pay grades E1 through E4 who have no dependents and have less than two years of service, when they are not living in government quarters. It is a fixed, lower amount rather than the full location-based rate.