BAH Calculator – Instantly calculate your housing allowance based on duty location, rank and dependents. Our simple tool shows your exact BAH entitlement by pay grade and family status.
Calculate your housing allowance in seconds. Simply enter your military rank, duty station zip code, and dependency status into our BAH calculator to find your exact monthly and yearly rates.
What is BAH?
Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) is a financial benefit provided to military members to help cover their housing costs when government or base housing is unavailable.
BAH is given to members in the following services:
- Air Force
- Army
- Navy
- Marine Corps
- Coast Guard
- Space Force
Other eligible recipients include the Public Health Service and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
The amount of BAH a service member receives depends on several factors:
- Pay grade – Higher ranks get higher BAH rates
- Dependency status – Members with dependents get a higher rate
- Duty station – BAH varies by geographic location and housing costs
BAH rates are adjusted annually based on housing market data for different areas. Rates typically increase year to year.
Members who receive BAH can use it to cover costs like:
- Rent
- Mortgage
- Utilities
- Deposits
The goal of BAH is to provide equitable compensation so military members can afford housing comparable to civilian counterparts in their area.
How BAH rates are determined
The Department of Defense (DoD) collects housing market data each year across over 300 military housing markets to calculate BAH rates.
Key data points collected include:
- Median rents
- Median home prices
- Average utilities costs
This raw housing data is verified with:
- Local real estate professionals
- Military housing offices
- Installation leadership
Once validated, the DoD uses the data to set the BAH rates for each military housing market.
Rates are adjusted based on:
- Fluctuations in home prices and rents
- Rank, through the pay grade system
- Number of dependents
BAH aims to cover 95% of housing expenses on average. However, service members may pay above or below BAH on their housing depending on individual choices.
On January 1 every year, the new BAH rates take effect. Rates typically increase, but can decrease if housing costs fall significantly in an area.
How to BAH calculate Works
To determine your individual BAH rate, you need to use the BAH calculator available on military pay sites.
To get an accurate BAH calculator, you must enter:
- Duty station zip code – This determines the geographic housing market
- Pay grade – Officer, enlisted, etc.
- Dependency status – With or without dependents
Based on these factors, the Bah calculator will provide:
- Your monthly BAH entitlement
- Yearly BAH total
- Median housing prices for your area
You can also view historical rates by changing the year in the Bah calculator.
In addition to the Bah calculator, you can find BAH rates through:
- Official military pay tables
- Your finance office
- Housing office
Be sure to use your duty station zip code, not your personal residence zip code, when looking up rates.
See the latest pay tables with all BAH rates for each rank and dependent status here.
Types of BAH
There are several types of BAH available depending on your situation:
- With dependents – Higher rate for members with dependents
- Without dependents – Lower rate for members without dependents
- Partial BAH – Reduced BAH for members in government housing
- BAH RC/T – Flat rate for reserve/National Guard on active duty
- BAH-Diff – Extra BAH based on dependent child support payments
BAH With and Without Dependents
This is the standard BAH program. Your dependency status determines whether you get the higher “with dependents” rate or lower “without” rate.
Partial BAH
For members in government quarters, this provides a reduced BAH amount to offset utilities and other costs.
BAH RC/T
A flat, non-locality based BAH for reserve component members on active duty for 30 days or less.
BAH-Diff
An additional BAH amount above normal entitlements for members paying child support who are assigned single-type quarters.
Consult your finance office for help determining which BAH type applies to your situation.
BAH Rules and Policies
There are important rules and policies that govern BAH entitlements:
- Rate protection – The BAH grandfather clause prevents your rate from decreasing due to market fluctuations as long as your stay at your current duty station.
- Dual military couples – Spouses each get BAH, but only one can receive the with dependents rate if they have children. It goes to the higher ranking spouse.
- MHA – Veterans, spouses, and dependents using the GI Bill get a Monthly Housing Allowance similar to BAH.
- Housing allowance waivers – Allowances can be waived so members keep prior duty station BAH rates temporarily after PCS moves. Waivers approved for reasons like:
- Waiting for family to move
- Completing medical treatment
- Finishing school term
- Overseas BAH – Members stationed overseas get Overseas Housing Allowance (OHA) instead of BAH. Rules can differ.
Consult with your housing office or finance office for guidance on special BAH circumstances.
Finding Your BAH Rate
There are a few ways to look up your specific BAH rate:
- BAH calculator – Available on military pay websites, allows you to enter duty location, rank, and dependents to get your exact rate.
- Military pay tables – Published on official sites, show the current BAH rates for each pay grade and dependency status for all duty locations.
- Finance office – Your installation’s finance office can look up and explain current BAH rates.
- Housing office – The base housing office is knowledgeable on BAH programs and entitlements.
When researching your rate, be sure to have these key details:
- Your pay grade
- Number of dependents
- Duty station zip code
With this information, you can use the resources above to find your exact BAH amount.
Online BAH calculators offer the most convenient way to get your rate. But you can also refer to published pay tables or talk to finance/housing offices.
Updating your knowledge on BAH programs is key when you experience a change in rank, dependents, or duty location.