2026 BAH Rates for JBSA
Official Basic Allowance for Housing for Joint Base San Antonio — Randolph, Fort Sam Houston, Lackland & Camp Bullis. Effective January 1, 2026.
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2026 JBSA BAH Rate Table
Monthly rates for the San Antonio, TX Military Housing Area (TX285), all pay grades.
| Pay Grade | With Dependents | Without Dependents |
|---|---|---|
| Enlisted | ||
| E-1 | $1,728/mo | $1,359/mo |
| E-2 | $1,728/mo | $1,359/mo |
| E-3 | $1,728/mo | $1,359/mo |
| E-4 | $1,728/mo | $1,359/mo |
| E-5 | $1,869/mo | $1,500/mo |
| E-6 | $2,094/mo | $1,596/mo |
| E-7 | $2,112/mo | $1,731/mo |
| E-8 | $2,121/mo | $1,920/mo |
| E-9 | $2,157/mo | $1,977/mo |
| Warrant Officers | ||
| W-1 | $2,109/mo | $1,692/mo |
| W-2 | $2,118/mo | $1,917/mo |
| W-3 | $2,130/mo | $1,986/mo |
| W-4 | $2,178/mo | $2,085/mo |
| W-5 | $2,280/mo | $2,097/mo |
| Officers — Prior Enlisted | ||
| O-1E | $2,115/mo | $1,866/mo |
| O-2E | $2,124/mo | $1,965/mo |
| O-3E | $2,196/mo | $2,082/mo |
| Officers | ||
| O-1 | $1,905/mo | $1,584/mo |
| O-2 | $2,091/mo | $1,827/mo |
| O-3 | $2,127/mo | $2,007/mo |
| O-4 | $2,307/mo | $2,088/mo |
| O-5 | $2,457/mo | $2,100/mo |
| O-6 | $2,475/mo | $2,103/mo |
| O-7 & above | $2,490/mo | $2,112/mo |
Source: Defense Travel Management Office (DTMO), 2026 BAH rates for MHA TX285, effective January 1, 2026, verified against the official DTMO BAH Rate Lookup. DoD publishes one rate for O-7 and above — O-8, O-9, and O-10 receive the O-7+ rate. Always confirm your individual entitlement with your finance office.
One Rate, Four Installations
BAH is set by your duty station ZIP, not where you live — so a home in New Braunfels, Schertz, or Cibolo gets the same JBSA rate as one right outside the gate.
JBSA-Randolph
Universal City — closest to Schertz, Cibolo & New Braunfels
JBSA-Fort Sam Houston
Northeast San Antonio — Army medicine & Army North
JBSA-Lackland
Southwest San Antonio — Air Force basic training
JBSA-Camp Bullis
Northwest San Antonio — field training area
JBSA BAH — Frequently Asked Questions
What is the 2026 BAH rate for JBSA?
JBSA falls in the San Antonio, TX Military Housing Area (TX285). 2026 rates range from $1,359/month (E-1 to E-4 without dependents) to $2,490/month (O-7 and above with dependents). An E-5 with dependents receives $1,869/month and an O-3 with dependents receives $2,127/month.
Is BAH the same at Randolph, Fort Sam Houston, Lackland, and Camp Bullis?
Yes. All four Joint Base San Antonio installations share one Military Housing Area (TX285), so your rate is identical no matter which gate you report to.
Does my BAH change if I live in New Braunfels, Schertz, or Cibolo?
No. BAH is based on your permanent duty station ZIP code, not where you live. If you are stationed at JBSA and buy in New Braunfels, Schertz, Cibolo, Converse, Garden Ridge, or Seguin, you receive the same JBSA rate — so choosing a town with lower prices or taxes stretches that allowance further.
What if BAH goes down after I arrive?
Individual rate protection keeps you at the higher rate as long as you remain at the same duty station with the same dependency status and do not drop in grade. If rates rise, you get the increase. Your rate resets to the current table only when you PCS, lose rank, or change dependency status.
Can I use BAH to qualify for a VA loan?
Yes. VA lenders count BAH as income when you have orders to or are stationed in the area, and because BAH is non-taxable, many lenders gross it up when calculating your debt-to-income ratio. Talk to a VA-experienced lender early — pre-approval tells you exactly what your BAH plus base pay supports.
When do new BAH rates come out?
DoD typically announces new BAH rates in mid-December, and they take effect January 1. The rates on this page are effective January 1, 2026, and I update the table every January.
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