BAH Calculator

The Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) provides uniformed service members with equitable housing compensation based on their local cost of living. 

Determine your BAH rate with the Basic Allowance for Housing calculator.

Plus, find the BAH tables, non-locality rates and Overseas Housing Allowance (OHA) calculator.

Military BAH rates increased by 5.1% for 2022 . Here are the 2022 rates by state and military housing area.

Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH)

Service members who are assigned to permanent duty in the United States — including Alaska, Hawaii and the District of Columbia — are eligible for BAH if government or base housing is unavailable. Military pay grade, location and dependency status determine BAH rates. 

The Uniformed services include the Air Force, Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, Space Force, Public Health Service Commissioned Corps and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Officer Corps.

Veterans, dependents and National Guard and Reserves members can use the Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA) Calculator to see estimated monthly housing payments for the GI Bill, which can differ from BAH. 

Note: 2022 Basic Allowance for Housing rates will replace 2021 temporary BAH increases on Jan. 1

* BAH rates are based on duty location ZIP codes, and not residence ZIP Code. ZIP codes are determined by the U.S. Postal Service.
** Click here for the OHA Calculator

How to Calculate BAH

Here’s how to use the BAH Calculator:

1. Enter the Duty Station ZIP code.
2. Enter the service member’s paygrade.
3. Enter the year. By default, the calculator is set to the previous year. Previous years are available for historical reference.

• Duty Station: This is the location where an active-duty service member is assigned for regular duty. It is also where the member performs an assigned duty.
• Pay Grade: Pay grade is an administrative classification determining certain rates of pay, such as E-2, W-3 and O-4. Pay grade is not the same as rank, which determines the order of precedence among different grades. The three main categories of rank and pay grade are enlisted, warrant officer and commissioned officer.
• Service Years: This number reflects all years of creditable service, including active or inactive service in any the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Space Force, Coast Guard (including National Guard and Reserves), Nurse Corps, U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Officer Corps. 

GI Bill BAH: Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA)

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs officially BAH for GI Bill recipients a Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA). Veterans, National Guard and reservists, military spouses and children using the GI Bill are eligible for funds to help offset housing costs.

Active duty military members, military spouses and children who use GI Bill benefits are not eligible for MHA, but they can use BAH.

While MHA uses the same BAH rates, the calculations  differ. 

The VA sets the MHA rate at the BAH rate for an E-5 military member with dependents, according to the cost of living in in the location where the student takes classes. Having more or fewer children or a lower or higher rank does not change the student’s entitlement.

Part-time students with less than 36 months of active-duty service receive a prorated monthly amount. Students who only take online classes or attend a foreign school have separate rates.

New BAH rates go into effect on Jan. 1 of each year, but MHA rates go into effect on Aug. 1 of each year.

So, when looking up E-5 with dependent MHA rates, the previous year’s BAH rate table is used to determine MHA for the first seven months of the year.