How Much BAH Do You Actually Get?
Select your installation, pay grade, and dependency status. We'll show your monthly BAH and translate it into real purchasing power with a VA loan in DC, Maryland, and Virginia.
Look Up Your BAH
2026 BAH rates for military installations across DC, Maryland, and Virginia.
Common Questions
BAH, VA Loans, and Buying a Home in the DMV
Yes. BAH is considered stable, reliable income by most lenders. Because it's tax-free, lenders typically gross it up by 25% for qualifying purposes. So if your BAH is $3,000/month, it counts as $3,750 in gross income on your mortgage application. This significantly increases your purchasing power compared to taxable income alone.
It depends on your rank and where you buy. For an E-5 with dependents stationed in DC, 2026 BAH is $3,132/month. That can support a purchase price in the low-to-mid $400s with a VA loan at current rates. Officers and senior enlisted often see BAH above $3,700, which opens up homes in the $500K-$600K+ range. Add a spouse's income and the numbers change significantly.
Your BAH adjusts to the rate at your new duty station. If you PCS from DC to a lower-cost area, your BAH drops, but you still own the home. This is why it's important to budget conservatively and not max out your BAH on a mortgage payment. Many service members keep their DMV home as a rental and collect rent that exceeds the mortgage.
Yes. If you live in government housing (on-base), your BAH is forfeited to cover housing costs. You only receive BAH when living off-base. This is one reason buying makes sense for many service members in the DMV. You're spending the BAH either way, but buying builds equity you keep when you PCS.
The Department of Defense surveys rental costs in each Military Housing Area (MHA) annually. The DC MHA includes the Pentagon, Fort Belvoir, Andrews, Walter Reed, and other installations in the immediate DC metro. Rates are published each January and stay fixed for the calendar year, regardless of mid-year rent changes.
Absolutely. If your spouse earns income, you can combine both incomes on a joint mortgage application. Your BAH (grossed up 25%) plus your spouse's gross income creates the total qualifying picture. For dual-military couples, both BAH amounts count. This is how many military families in the DMV afford homes in the $500K-$700K range.
The VA funding fee is a one-time charge (2.15% for first use, 3.30% for subsequent use with $0 down) that can be financed into the loan. It does slightly increase your monthly payment. However, if you have a service-connected disability rating of 10% or higher, the funding fee is waived entirely. Purple Heart recipients are also exempt.
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