Estimate 2026 BAH using duty ZIP, pay grade, and dependent status, then review entitlement limits, Partial BAH, rate protection, and member-specific exceptions.
Reviewed August 15, 2026
BAH is generally based on the member's permanent duty location rather than home address or state of legal residence. MyMilPay sends duty ZIP, grade, rate year, and dependent status to its server for a DTMO-backed lookup.
A ZIP can map to a Military Housing Area whose name differs from the city typed by the user. Review the returned MHA before relying on the amount.
BAH tables provide with-dependents and without-dependents rates. The with-dependents rate does not increase for each additional dependent.
Dependency status for housing allowance is an entitlement determination, not simply a household-size question. Confirm unusual custody, dual-military, or support situations through official guidance.
Standard locality tables do not fully explain rate protection, BAH-Partial, BAH-Diff, transit rates, OHA, reserve-component situations, or every government-quarters case. The dedicated Partial BAH guide lists the 2026 non-locality rates, but a current LES and finance-office determination still take priority over this estimate.
The calculator applies the documented temporary Abilene and Dyess AFB adjustment when the DTMO result identifies MHA TX270. Other local or member-specific adjustments are not inferred.
The Receiving BAH switch sets allowance income to zero while preserving rent, utilities, insurance, and other housing expenses. This models members who live outside government quarters without a current BAH entitlement.
A negative BAH pocket means entered housing costs exceed the allowance used in the estimate. It is a budgeting signal, not a determination that the housing choice is unauthorized.
Compare the returned amount with the current LES, verify the effective rate year, and confirm the duty ZIP belongs to the assigned installation or authorized location. Investigate differences before changing a budget or lease decision.
The service caches successful responses for reliability and may return a previously cached result if DTMO is temporarily unavailable. The page identifies lookup failures rather than silently inventing a rate.