When 2027 BAH Rates Come Out
The 2027 Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) rates have not been published. As of early October 2026, the Department of Defense (DoD) had not announced a release date. BAH rates are normally published in December and take effect January 1. At Rank and Pay, we publish BAH rate guides and a BAH calculator. Every dollar figure below comes from the 2026 announcement because no 2027 figure exists yet.
The 2026 cycle is the closest reference point. The 2026 rates were announced on Thursday, December 11, 2025, and took effect January 1, 2026, as reported by Air Force Times. DoD has not said whether the 2027 announcement will follow the same calendar. Treat December as the usual window, with no fixed 2027 day.
The table sets the published 2026 facts beside the 2027 status as of early October 2026.
| Item | 2026 BAH Rates | 2027 BAH Rates |
|---|---|---|
| Announcement date | Thursday, December 11, 2025 | Not announced |
| Effective date | January 1, 2026 | Not announced (January 1 is the usual start) |
| Average change | 4.2% increase | Not published |
| Norfolk, Virginia, E-5 with dependents | $2,430 a month | Not published |
| Estimated total cost | $29.9 billion for about 1 million service members | Not published |
If you need a 2027 dollar figure for a lease or a budget today, no official number exists. Use your 2026 rate as the planning figure. Rate protection keeps that amount from dropping while you stay in the same area and your status does not change.
The December pattern is the best guide only until DoD announces a 2027 date. Once DoD announces one, that date replaces the usual pattern.
How BAH Rates Are Set
BAH rates are set from local rental housing costs, priced separately for each military housing area. DoD collects rental cost data for 299 military housing areas, including Alaska and Hawaii. It then calculates a rate for each pay grade, with and without dependents.
The rates are based on the housing choices of civilians with comparable incomes. Officials price six housing profiles, defined by type of dwelling and number of bedrooms.
That method means three facts decide your monthly BAH:
- Your military housing area, one of the 299 that DoD prices
- Your pay grade
- Whether you have dependents
Because every area is priced from its own rental data, your 2027 change can differ from the national average. In 2026, the Norfolk, Virginia, rate for an E-5 with dependents rose 4.5% while the national average was 4.2%. For the full mechanics, see our BAH explainer and our BAH by branch page.
Rate Protection If 2027 BAH Rates Drop in Your Area
BAH rate protection lets you keep receiving your previous amount when the rate for your area goes down, as long as you stay in that area. Members who see a lower rate are not penalized, and their BAH eligibility continues without interruption.
Protection can end when your status changes. Three changes can end it:
- A permanent change of station (PCS) move
- A reduction in pay grade
- A change in dependency status
Suppose the published 2027 rate for your area comes in below what you receive in 2026. If you stay in that area with no status change, you keep the 2026 amount. If a PCS move, a drop in pay grade, or a dependency change happens, the protection on that older amount can end.
Before a planned status change, look up the rate tied to your new situation in the DoD BAH calculator so you know the new monthly figure in advance.
BAH and the 2027 Pay Raise Are Separate
Your BAH comes from local rental data, and the annual basic pay raise does not set it. A 2027 pay raise figure applies to basic pay. Your BAH follows rental costs in your military housing area, priced for your pay grade and dependency status.
The 2027 pay raise has its own page: see our 2027 military pay raise guide for that figure. For how BAH is handled at tax time, read our guide on whether BAH is taxable. The rest of our pay guides sit on the military pay hub.
What the 2026 Update Looked Like
The 2026 BAH update raised rates by an average of 4.2%, below the 2025 average increase of 5.4%, according to the Air Force Times report. Officials estimated $29.9 billion in housing allowances for about 1 million service members in 2026.
Norfolk, Virginia, E-5 Example
In Norfolk, Virginia, an E-5 with dependents receives $2,430 a month in 2026, up $105 from $2,325 in 2025. That is a 4.5% increase ($105 ÷ $2,325), slightly above the 4.2% national average.
Whether BAH Rises in 2027
Published data cannot answer this yet, because DoD has released no 2027 average and no 2027 rate for any area. The 2026 average increase was 4.2% and the 2025 average was 5.4%, but those results do not set the 2027 number. Each area's 2027 rate will come from that area's rental data, so your change may land above or below the national average DoD reports.
Rate protection limits the downside. If your area's 2027 rate comes in lower, you keep your previous amount while you stay in that area and your status does not change.
What to Do Before 2027 BAH Rates Post
You can prepare now with four steps:
- Look up your 2026 rate in the DoD BAH calculator using your duty station's ZIP (Zone Improvement Plan) code, and write it down as your starting figure.
- Write down the three inputs behind your rate: your military housing area, your pay grade, and whether you have dependents.
- If a PCS move, a reduction in pay grade, or a change in dependency status is coming, look up the rate for your new situation in the DoD BAH calculator, because rate protection can end with those changes.
- Open the DoD BAH calculator again in December, when BAH rates are normally published, and compare the 2027 figure with your 2026 amount.
On this site, our BAH calculator and BAH rates and lookup page cover rate lookups as well. Bookmark the DoD BAH calculator today and check it in December for your 2027 BAH rates.
This page is general information, not legal or financial advice. Your finance office can confirm your own entitlement, and the DoD BAH calculator shows the published rate for your ZIP code.