The Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) is based on geographic duty location, pay grade, and dependency status. The intent of BAH is to provide uniformed servicemembers accurate and equitable housing compensation based on housing costs in local civilian housing markets, and is payable when government quarters are not provided.
2009 BAH Update:
Servicemembers will receive an average 6.9 percent boost in their basic allowance for housing compensation benefit in 2009. The planned BAH average increase, starting Jan. 1, 2009, is only slightly smaller than the 2008 rate increase.
View the 2009 BAH Rate tables:
2009 BAH With Dependents (pdf)
2009 BAH Without Dependents (pdf)
Search for your BAH rate by zip code.
Since BAH reached the goal of zero out-of-pocket expense in 2007 -- for servicemembers living in civilian rented housing -- the BAH rates ar now following the cost increases of the local rental housing markets.
Although BAH rates will generally either remain stable or increase, there may be some areas that decrease due to a decreasing local rental market. However, individual rate protection will still apply. Individual rate protection prevents the decrease of a BAH rate as long as the status of a servicemember remains unchanged. The servicemember will receive any published BAH increase, but no decrease. When the new BAH rates go into effect, rate protection assures that the servicemembers typical out-of-pocket costs may be less, but never more, than upon their reporting date.
