BAH Calculator (Basic Allowance for Housing)
Estimate 2026 Basic Allowance for Housing by pay grade, dependents, and ZIP cost zone. Includes total compensation stack.
FINANCEEstimate your 2026 Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) by pay grade, dependent status, and ZIP cost zone. Shows how BAH integrates with base pay and BAS into a US service member's total cash compensation.
BAH is tax-free, paid only when living off-base. At a 22% combined federal+state marginal rate, $2,000/month BAH equals about $2,560/month in pre-tax W-2 pay. Rates vary by ZIP code (DoD adjusts annually based on civilian rental markets), pay grade (E-1 through O-10), and with vs without dependents (with-dependents ~15-17% higher).
BAH Calculator (Basic Allowance for Housing)
Estimate your 2026 Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) by pay grade, dependent status, and ZIP code zone. Includes how BAH integrates with base pay and the with-vs-without dependents difference.
Compensation Stack
How BAH Works
Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) is a tax-free monthly stipend paid to US service members to offset housing costs when government quarters are not provided. It varies by three factors: your pay grade (E-1 through O-10), whether you have dependents (the "with-dependents" rate is roughly 15-25% higher), and your duty station ZIP code. The DoD publishes new BAH rates every January based on civilian rental market data.
Because BAH is tax-free, the effective value is higher than the dollar amount suggests. At a 22% combined federal+state marginal rate, $2,000/month BAH equals about $2,560/month in pre-tax W-2 pay - or roughly $30,720 of gross salary equivalent per year. This is why total compensation for service members in high-BAH areas (San Diego, DC, Hawaii) can rival civilian salaries that look much higher on paper.
BAH is paid only when you live off-base. On-base housing eliminates the cash payment in exchange for the unit. Geographical bachelor (Geo Bach) rules apply when family stays at one location and the member moves: the member typically draws the BAH for the family location, not the duty station. BAH does not adjust mid-month for changes - it locks at the start of the month based on duty location.
Rates shown are estimates. Always check official DoD BAH tables at travel.dod.mil for your exact ZIP and pay grade. State law, dual-military couples, and rate protection rules can substantially change actual payments.