Determine your BAH Rate with this Basic Allowance for Housing calculator. Plus, find the BAH tables, non-locality rates and OHA calculator.
The 2020 BAH rates tables can be found here. See the latest update on the proposed BAH Rate increase for 2021 based on the DOD Fiscal Year 2021 Budget Proposal.
Update: President approves fix to protect GI Bill benefits due to schools shifting to online classes due to the pandemic.
2020 BAH Calculator
* Enter Duty zip code and not residence zip code. BAH rates are based on duty zip code.
** Click here for the OHA calculator (Overseas Housing Allowance calculator)
Veterans, dependents, National Guard and reserves can use the MHA Calculator to see estimated monthly housing payments for the GI Bill which can differ from the BAH calculator.
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Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH)
The purpose of the BAH program is to to offset the cost of housing when you do not receive government-provided housing. A member assigned to permanent duty within the 50 United States, who is not furnished Government housing, is eligible for BAH, based on the servicemember’s paygrade, dependency status, and permanent duty station zip code.
How to Calculate BAH
The BAH allowance is set based on geographic duty location, pay grade, and dependent status.
- Enter the Duty Station ZIP code.
- Enter the service member’s pay grade.
- Enter the year. By default it is set to the current year. However, previous years are available to see previous rates or look up the current MHA rate for an E-5 dependent.
Duty Station: The place at which the member is assigned for regular duty; also, the place at which the member performs an assigned duty.
Paygrade: Paygrade is an administrative classification that determines certain rates of pay such as E-2, W-3 and O-4. Paygrade and rank are not the same. Rank refers to the order of precedence among those in different grades and within the same grade. The three main categories of rank and paygrade are Enlisted personnel, Warrant officers and Commissioned officers.
Service Years: Reflecting all service which is creditable towards longevity which ncludes active or inactive service in any of the following components: Active duty in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines Space Force and Coast Guard; National Guard, Reserves, Nurse Corps, Public Health Service (PHS). Plus, Any period of service which was creditable under any federal statute.
GI Bill BAH aka Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA)
The Department of Veterans Affairs officially calls the the GI Bill BAH a Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA). Veterans, National Guard/Reserves, military spouses and children who are also GI Bill students are all eligible to receive funds to help offset the cost of rent. Active Duty military and their spouses and children who use GI Bill benefits are NOT eligible for MHA but they are eligible for the equivalent BAH program.
MHA uses the same BAH rates but the calculations using the same data is done differently.
The MHA rate is set at a E-5 rank with dependents in the location where the majority of classes are taken, regardless of the number of dependents or rank. Students who are less than full time students (no MHA for less than 50.1% attendance) and with less than 36 months of active duty service will receive a prorated monthly amount.
A student with a Rate of Pursuit (RoP) greater than 50% can qualify for the housing allowance. RoP is a calculation the VA uses to determine a student is enrolled in more than 50% of classes compare to a full-time student.
Students who solely take online classes or attend a foreign school have separate set rates.
New BAH rates are effective on January 1 of each year but MHA rates are effective August 1 of each year. Thus, when looking up E-5 with dependent MHA rates, the previous year’s BAH rate table must be used to determine MHA for the first 7 months of the year.
The BAH rate increases are effective for all branches of the military; Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marines, Navy, Space Force and Reserve forces where applicable.
