Basic Allowance for Housing
Housing allowance is set by military housing area, pay grade and whether you have dependants. Enter a ZIP and a grade to see both rates side by side.
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Questions people ask
- Why does my town show a different area name?
- BAH is set by military housing area, not by town. A housing area covers a whole region, so a ZIP in a suburb resolves to the name of the metro or the nearby installation. The rate is right even when the name looks wrong.
- Does the rate go up with more children?
- No. There are exactly two rates — with dependants and without. One dependant and six pay the same.
- Is BAH taxable?
- It is generally treated as a non-taxable allowance. Your finance office can confirm for your own circumstances.
- Can my BAH be cut if rates fall?
- Individual rate protection generally prevents a decrease while your status, grade and location stay the same. A change in any of those can change the rate.
- When do rates change?
- Annually, taking effect on 1 January. This tool shows the most recent year loaded, and the year is stamped on the result above.
These tools give estimates, not decisions. Only the VA can decide a rating, a claim or eligibility — see VA.gov. Veterans Alliance is privately run and is not part of the Department of Veterans Affairs. Nothing here costs anything, and you should never pay anyone to file a claim or obtain a Certificate of Eligibility.