2026 Military BAH Calculator
Look up Basic Allowance for Housing by permanent duty-station ZIP code, pay grade, and dependency status. Compare PCS locations, then connect the allowance to a complete VA buying-power and residual-income analysis.
Find the monthly housing allowance tied to the assignment
Select the Northeast Florida or Southeast Georgia military housing area, pay grade, and dependency status. The calculation runs directly on this page.
Location, pay grade, and dependency status drive the rate
BAH is designed to provide housing compensation based on local civilian rental markets when government quarters are not provided.
Permanent duty station
The location used for BAH is generally the permanent duty station. Choosing to live in another county or farther from the installation does not automatically change the applicable rate.
Military pay grade
Rates vary by enlisted, warrant officer, and commissioned officer pay grade. Select the service member’s current grade for the year being evaluated.
Dependency category
The system generally distinguishes between with-dependents and without-dependents rates. It does not ordinarily increase for each additional dependent.
Individual rate protection
Eligible members can be protected from a published rate decrease while their duty station, pay grade, and dependency status remain unchanged.
BAH is the starting point—not the complete housing decision
Jacksonville, NAS Jacksonville, and Naval Station Mayport
Service members assigned to NAS Jacksonville or Naval Station Mayport frequently compare homes across a wide geographic area. The same assignment may lead a household to consider Jacksonville, Jacksonville Beach, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Orange Park, Fleming Island, Middleburg, St. Johns, Ponte Vedra, St. Augustine, Yulee, Fernandina Beach, or other communities throughout Northeast Florida.
The applicable BAH may remain tied to the duty station, while the real cost of homeownership changes considerably by location. Property taxes, homeowners insurance, flood-zone exposure, homeowner association dues, commute time, tolls, school-zone preferences, new-construction incentives, and utility costs can materially change the mortgage payment and household budget.
Duval County
Duval County includes Jacksonville and the Beaches communities. It provides access to both major naval installations, a broad resale market, new-construction corridors, and many different commute patterns. A BAH amount should be evaluated against the complete principal, interest, taxes, insurance, flood insurance, and association payment rather than compared only with an advertised sales price.
St. Johns County
St. Johns County is often considered for newer communities, school access, and locations south of Jacksonville. The commute to NAS Jacksonville or Mayport can vary substantially by neighborhood and traffic pattern. Property tax treatment, CDD assessments, HOA dues, insurance, and new-construction incentives should be incorporated into the VA buying-power analysis.
Clay County
Orange Park, Fleming Island, Oakleaf, Middleburg, and surrounding Clay County communities are frequently evaluated by households assigned to NAS Jacksonville. The western side of the metro can provide a different balance of commute, lot size, taxes, insurance, and purchase price.
Nassau County and Kings Bay
Nassau County—including Yulee, Callahan, and Fernandina Beach—can serve families connected to Mayport, Jacksonville, or Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay. Cross-border military moves between Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia require careful review of duty-station BAH, state taxes, commute, insurance, and lender licensing.
How military housing allowance affects mortgage qualification
Can BAH count as qualifying income?
BAH may be used in VA mortgage qualification when the allowance is properly documented, the borrower is eligible to receive it, and the income is expected to continue under VA and lender requirements. The lender reviews military pay statements, orders, duty station, dependency status, expected separation date, reenlistment or continuance documentation when needed, and the complete income profile.
BAH is generally non-taxable income
Because qualifying military allowances may be non-taxable, the lender may be permitted to apply a gross-up when calculating qualifying income. The exact treatment depends on the income source, documentation, tax status, lender policy, and automated underwriting findings. A BAH lookup by itself does not determine the final qualifying income used on a loan application.
BAH does not equal maximum mortgage payment
The BAH amount is not a mortgage approval and does not establish the maximum safe payment. VA underwriting also considers base pay, BAS and other eligible income, monthly liabilities, residual income, credit history, assets, entitlement, occupancy, property eligibility, and the total proposed housing expense.
PCS orders can change the analysis
A future assignment may change BAH, state taxes, commute, and the housing market. When a borrower is purchasing before a PCS, the lender must establish the applicable income and occupancy scenario. Use the comparison function to understand the allowance difference, then review the actual orders and timing with a VA-experienced mortgage professional.
Continue the homebuying analysis
Use BAH as one verified input, then evaluate residual income, remaining entitlement, and Certificate of Eligibility information.
VA Buying Power Calculator
Estimate residual income and compare it with the applicable VA regional guideline.
Open Buying Power Calculator →0%VA 0% Down Purchasing Power
Estimate how much home remaining entitlement may support with no down payment.
Calculate Remaining Buying Power →COECertificate of Eligibility
Understand what the COE contains and request assistance obtaining or reviewing it.
Learn About the COE →Basic Allowance for Housing questions
What is Basic Allowance for Housing?
BAH is housing compensation for eligible uniformed service members when government quarters are not provided. Rates are based primarily on duty-station housing costs, pay grade, and dependency status.
Which ZIP code should I enter?
Use the permanent duty-station ZIP code associated with the assignment. The home address or county where you choose to live may be different.
Does the number of dependents change the BAH amount?
BAH generally uses two categories: with dependents and without dependents. The number of dependents does not normally create additional rate levels.
Can BAH be used to qualify for a VA mortgage?
Potentially. BAH must be documented, expected to continue, and acceptable under VA and lender requirements. Final qualifying income may differ from the displayed allowance.
Does buying in St. Johns, Clay, Nassau, or Duval County change the BAH rate?
Usually not by itself. The BAH location is generally based on the permanent duty station. The county where the home is located can change taxes, insurance, HOA or CDD charges, flood costs, and commute expenses.
What happens if published BAH rates decrease?
Individual rate protection may prevent a service member from receiving a lower rate when duty station, pay grade, and dependency status remain unchanged. The servicing finance office controls the actual entitlement.
Should I use BAH as my target mortgage payment?
No. BAH is an income component, not a recommended payment ceiling. A complete budget and VA qualification analysis should account for all income, debts, residual income, taxes, insurance, maintenance, reserves, and PCS risk.
Turn the BAH number into a complete VA homebuying strategy
Douglas can review military income, BAH, debts, entitlement, residual income, housing costs, commute, and the Northeast Florida market before you commit to a property.
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