More of this Feature • BAH Menu • Military Pay Charts

Join the Discussion U.S. Military Message Forum

Related Resources • 2005 BAH Rates • What the Recruiter Never Told You

Elsewhere on the Web • Defense Finance Web Site

Below are the rates of tax-free housing allowance (Basic Allowance for Housing, or BAH) that are provided to enlisted military personnel (with dependents) who are authorized to reside off base at government expense.

In calendar year 2004, service members living "on the economy" paid an average of 3.5 percent of the housing costs out-of-pocket. That percentage dropped to zero in calendar year 2005. Housing allowance rates are based upon rank, location, and whether or not a member has dependents.

The Department of Defense (DOD) employs Runzheimer International to collect the nation-wide housing cost data that they use to compute BAH. Additionally, DOD obtains current data from multiple sources, employing a "checks and balances" approach to ensure reliability and accuracy. Current residential vacancies, identified in local newspapers and real estate rental listings, are an important source of data. Vacancies are selected at random, and subjected to a screening process. Telephone interviews establish the availability and exact location of each unit sampled. DOD has designed the sample to obtain a statistical confidence level of 95% or higher. DOD also contacts apartment and real estate management companies to identify units for rental pricing. It is not uncommon for DOD to consult real estate professionals in a locality to obtain confirmation and additional sources of data. Where available, DOD contacts fort/post/base housing referral offices, to tap local military expertise and gain insights into the local concerns of military. Finally, DoD and the Services conduct on-site evaluations at various locations to confirm and ensure reliability and accuracy of the cost data.

Data courtesy of Department of Defense
For locations not listed above, visit the DOD BAH Interactive Database