Some troops received up to 61% more BAH in October. To counter rising market housing costs in 17 states, DOD issued automatic BAH rate increases to service members living in 28 of the most inflated military housing areas, according to a Sept. 22, 2022 memorandum from Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.
DOD enacted a similar increase in October 2021, which expired that December and did not affect 2022 BAH rates. It’s unclear whether the 2022 increased rates will carry over to bolster 2023 BAH rates.
Right now, troops are on track to receive a 4.2%BAH rate increase in 2023 to counter inflation, according to a draft of the 2023 defense budget. However, Austin directed DOD to review 2023 increase to ensure it reflects housing market fluctuations.
2022 BAH Rate Increase Chart
Here are the 2022 increases for 28 military housing areas, based on the BAH rate for an E-5 with dependents.
Location
Increased 2022 BAH Rate
Previous 2022 BAH Rate
Percent Change
Vandenburg Air Force Base, CA
$3,042
$2,097
45%
Twenty-Nine Palms, CA
$2,352
$1,461
61%
San Diego, CA
$3,792
$2,871
32%
Dover Air Force Base, DE
$2,142
$1,680
28%
Patrick Air Force Base, FL
$2,694
$1,911
41%
Miami/Fort Lauderdale, FL
$3,510
$2,535
38%
Orlando, FL
$2,550
$1,983
29%
West Palm Beach, FL
$3,054
$2,355
30%
Volusia Country, FL
$2,013
$1,713
18%
Fort Myers Beach, FL
$2,376
$1,844
29%
King’s Bay/Brunswick, GA
$1,791
$1,539
16%
Maui County, HI
$3,618
$2,838
27%
Chicago, IL
$2,709
$2,175
25%
Boston, MA
$4,188
$3,081
36%
Cape-Code-Plymouth, MA
$3,222
$2,562
26%
Martha’s Vinyard, MA
$3,366
$2,628
28%
Brunswick, ME
$1,995
$1,455
37%
Coastal Maine, ME
$2,142
1,767
21%
Fort Leonard Wood, MO
$1,164
$906
28%
Helena, MT
$1,524
$1,233
24%
Wilmington, NC
$1,845
$1,614
14%
Northern New Jersey
$3,882
$3,135
24%
Newport, RI
$2,748
$2,013
37%
Providence, RI
$2,595
$2,259
15%
Beaufort/Parris Island, SC
$2,247
$1,821
23%
Knoxville, TN
$1,845
$1,470
26%
Houston, TX
$2,124
$1,650
29%
Quantico/Woodbridge, VA
$2,529
$1,932
31%
2022 BAH Calculator (Original Rates)
2022 BAH Calculator
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* Enter duty ZIP code, which BAH rates are based on.
About half of U.S. counties (about 1,500) and ZIP codes have little to no military population. While half the ZIP codes is significant, less than 2% of service members eligible for BAH reside in these counties. To account for these service members, there are about 30 County Cost Groups (CCGs) assigned, each with similar housing costs. Use theBAH Calculator to enter your ZIP code and determine your MHA, also known as CCG. The MHAs range from ZZ510 to ZZ890 in increments of 10.
GI Bill recipients can use theMHA Calculator to see their estimated monthly payments. Active-duty service members attending school should use theBAH Calculator or BAH tables to see estimated payments.
Both BAH and MHA benefits are based on the same payment tables, but benefit amounts vary.
Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) Calculation Factors
BAH Rates are determined by three factors:
Permanent Duty Station (ZIP code)
Pay grade (not rank but may be the same)
Dependency status ( with‐dependents and without‐dependents, not the number of dependents)
BAH compensation is determined by the cost of rental housing in local markets within the US.
BAH Changes Timeline
FY 2020-2021
No changes to BAH are currently planned.
FY 2019
95% of service members’ housing costs are covered.
FY 2018
96% of service members’ housing costs are covered.
FY 2017 97% of service members’ housing costs are covered.
FY 2016
The FY 2016 NDAA authorized a growth slow-down of BAH by 1% per year until service members’ out-of-pocket housing costs 5%. The slow-down was phased in increments of 1% per year over four years, beginning with 98% in 2016.
2015
The FY 2015 NDAA authorized monthly Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) at 99% (vs. 100%) of the median rental housing costs and removed rental insurance from the computation.
By 2005
Housing allowance rates increased to eliminate median out-of-pocket housing costs for “off-base” housing. Through public-private ventures, the Department of Defense began working to renovate or eliminate and replace inadequate government housing.
Late 1990s
The Defense Department increases housing allowance rates to bring them in line with actual rental market housing costs across the country. Prior to this initiative, allowances only covered about 80% of housing costs. Military members were responsible for up to 20% of their housing costs.
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