BAH Calculator

Serving military families in Killeen, Harker Heights, Copperas Cove, and surrounding communities.

Know Your BAH. Find Your Home.

Trusted by 200+ military families in Central Texas.

Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) is a monthly allowance paid to eligible active-duty service members to help cover the cost of off-post housing. Your specific rate is determined by your duty station ZIP code, your pay grade, and whether you have dependents.

For service members stationed at Fort Hood, 2026 BAH rates are set for the Killeen–Temple–Fort Hood Military Housing Area (MHA code TX286).

Local Military Footprint: Proudly serving military families in Killeen, Harker Heights, Copperas Cove, and surrounding communities. Trusted by over 200+ military families in Central Texas.

2026 Texas BAH Rate Calculator
Official 2026 DoD Rates · Texas Only

2026 BAH Rate Calculator

Find your Basic Allowance for Housing rate by Texas duty station ZIP code, pay grade, and dependency status.

Military Housing Area · 2026
Monthly BAH
per month · tax-free
Annual BAH
per year
Grade: ZIP: Year: 2026
Rate Protection: Your BAH cannot decrease as long as you remain at the same duty station without a change in pay grade or dependency status. Rates adjust only upon PCS, promotion/demotion, or dependency status change. 2026 rates reflect an average national increase of 4.2%.
Verify on Official DTMO Website — travel.dod.mil

Disclaimer: BAH rates shown are for the Fort Hood / Killeen Military Housing Area (TX286) and are effective January 1, 2026. Rates are published annually by the Defense Travel Management Office (DTMO). Individual eligibility and rates may vary. Verify your current rate at travel.dod.mil. This tool is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or legal advice.

Understanding Your Results

  • Direct Compensation: Your BAH is paid directly to you and is not tied to a specific property.
  • Flexible Usage: You may use it toward a mortgage payment, rent, or other housing costs.
  • Tax Benefit: It is completely non-taxable income.
  • Purchasing Power: If you purchase a home using a VA loan, many eligible service members find their monthly mortgage payment is comparable to — or less than — their BAH rate, depending on the loan amount and terms.

2026 BAH Rate Reference Table (MHA TX286)

For service members who prefer to scan the full housing area landscape rather than use the calculator, this reference table contains every pay grade rate for the Fort Hood / Killeen area effective January 1, 2026.

Note: Annual totals can be determined by multiplying any monthly rate below by 12.

Pay Grade

Without Dependents (Monthly)

With Dependents (Monthly)

E-1

$1,116

$1,395

E-2

$1,116

$1,395

E-3

$1,116

$1,395

E-4

$1,116

$1,395

E-5

$1,359

$1,695

E-6

$1,368

$1,710

E-7

$1,404

$1,755

E-8

$1,521

$1,899

E-9

$1,557

$1,944

W-1

$1,416

$1,770

W-2

$1,476

$1,842

W-3

$1,530

$1,914

W-4

$1,617

$2,022

W-5

$1,743

$2,178

O-1E

$1,476

$1,842

O-2E

$1,593

$1,992

O-3E

$1,707

$2,133

O-1

$1,416

$1,770

O-2

$1,488

$1,860

O-3

$1,653

$2,067

O-4

$1,734

$2,166

O-5

$1,848

$2,310

O-6

$1,986

$2,484

O-7+

$2,052

$2,565

How BAH Works: The Essentials

Duty Station Centric

BAH is set by your assigned duty station — not your home of record or preferred living location.

Tax Exemption

Under federal law, BAH is completely non-taxable income.

Calculation Metrics

Baseline rates are strictly determined by three core factors: your duty station ZIP code, pay grade, and dependency status.

2026 Growth

The fiscal year 2026 national average BAH increase is 4.2% over the 2025 rates.

Market Target

BAH is designed to cover rental costs in the local civilian housing market at the 95th percentile of surveyed rents for that specific area.

Permanent Change of Station (PCS)

When a service member receives PCS orders to a new duty station, their BAH automatically adjusts to the official rate of the new location.

Dependency Status Breakdown

BAH comes in two distinct tiers: “with dependents” and “without dependents”. A dependent is generally classified as a spouse, child, or another qualified family member for whom the active-duty service member provides more than 50% of direct financial support.

Maximizing Wealth: BAH & VA Loans

Many Fort Hood service members utilize their monthly BAH allowance as a reliable housing budget benchmark when looking to purchase a home with a VA loan.

The Ownership Connection: Many service members use their BAH as a starting point when budgeting for homeownership. Because VA loans require no down payment, the primary monthly cost is the mortgage payment itself — which some buyers find aligns closely with their BAH allowance.

Meet Your Central Texas Military Specialist

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Professional Bio: Sujin Park Henson is a REALTOR® with StarPointe Realty based in Killeen, TX. Bringing a multicultural background and a specialized degree in marketing and consumer behavior, she specializes in serving military families in the Fort Hood / Killeen area. With $100M+ in career sales and 300+ families helped—including 200+ military families—she brings deep local knowledge of the Fort Hood / Killeen market to every transaction.

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Knowing your BAH rate is the first step. The next step is finding a home that fits. Sujin Park Henson has helped 200+ military families in the Fort Hood area find the right home for their needs and budget.