2026 BAH calculator
Official DoD Basic Allowance for Housing by duty station, pay grade, and dependents, for 300+ military housing areas.
Pick your duty station, pay grade, and whether you have dependents to see your 2026 Basic Allowance for Housing. Rates are the official DoD/DTMO figures, updated for 2026, and are tax-free monthly amounts.
Source: DoD/DTMO 2026 BAH rate tables. Rates are monthly and tax-free.
All pay grades for ABERDEEN PROVING GROUNDS, MD
| Pay grade | With dependents | Without dependents |
|---|---|---|
| E-1 | $2,268 | $1,875 |
| E-2 | $2,268 | $1,875 |
| E-3 | $2,268 | $1,875 |
| E-4 | $2,268 | $1,875 |
| E-5 | $2,478 | $1,986 |
| E-6 | $2,742 | $2,076 |
| E-7 | $2,862 | $2,274 |
| E-8 | $2,991 | $2,538 |
| E-9 | $3,165 | $2,607 |
| W-1 | $2,760 | $2,205 |
| W-2 | $2,916 | $2,535 |
| W-3 | $3,075 | $2,619 |
| W-4 | $3,198 | $2,766 |
| W-5 | $3,348 | $2,892 |
| O-1E | $2,883 | $2,475 |
| O-2E | $3,051 | $2,592 |
| O-3E | $3,222 | $2,733 |
| O-1 | $2,517 | $2,055 |
| O-2 | $2,739 | $2,412 |
| O-3 | $3,072 | $2,643 |
| O-4 | $3,396 | $2,865 |
| O-5 | $3,630 | $2,934 |
| O-6 | $3,660 | $3,054 |
| O-7 | $3,687 | $3,108 |
How BAH works
Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) is a tax-free monthly allowance that covers off-base housing. The amount depends on your pay grade, your dependency status, and the cost of housing at your duty station, so it rises in expensive areas and falls in cheaper ones, and it changes each time you PCS to a new base.
Once you know your allowance, see what it actually buys on our base relocation guides, which pair BAH with local rents, home prices, neighborhoods, and schools. New to the process? Start with what is BAH and the rent vs buy guide. Curious which bases pay the most? See the 2026 BAH rankings.
BAH calculator FAQ
How is BAH calculated?
BAH is set by three factors: your pay grade, whether you have dependents, and your duty station’s military housing area (MHA). The Defense Department resets the rates every January using local rental-market data, so the same rank receives very different amounts in high-cost versus low-cost areas.
Is BAH taxed?
No. Basic Allowance for Housing is a non-taxable allowance, so the full amount goes toward housing. This is one reason a service member can often afford more housing than a civilian with the same total pay, because the housing portion is not reduced by income tax.
Are these the official 2026 BAH rates?
Yes. This calculator uses the official 2026 BAH rate tables published by the DoD Defense Travel Management Office (DTMO), covering more than 300 military housing areas and every pay grade, with and without dependents.
What if my rent is less than my BAH?
You keep the difference. BAH is paid at a flat rate for your pay grade, dependency status, and duty station, not based on your actual rent. If you find housing that costs less than your allowance, the extra is yours; if it costs more, you cover the difference.
Planning the move to your next base?
Get free quotes for movers, storage, auto transport, and insurance, then see what your BAH covers per base.