PCS Move
BAH Rates Durham/Chapel Hill, NC 2026
NCDurham/Chapel Hill, NC (MHA NC180) housing allowance for every pay grade, with and without dependents — effective January 1, 2026.
E-5 with dependents
$2,118.00
per month · $1,770.00 without dependents
O-3 with dependents
$2,517.00
$2,289.00 without dependents
Change from 2025
n/a
2025 table not on file for this MHA
Housing area
NC180
Durham/Chapel Hill, NC
This page is the 2026 Basic Allowance for Housing table for Durham/Chapel Hill, NC, North Carolina: every pay grade from E-1 to O-10, with and without dependents, as published by DTMO for the Durham/Chapel Hill, NC housing area and effective January 1, 2026. To compare Durham/Chapel Hill, NC with other duty stations, or to see what a lease leaves in your pocket, use the BAH calculator; if you are moving mid-month, the prorated BAH calculator splits the old and new rate across the paycheck.
Durham/Chapel Hill, NC BAH 2026 — every pay grade
| Pay grade | With dependents | Without dependents |
|---|---|---|
| E-1 | $1,995.00 | $1,602.00 |
| E-2 | $1,995.00 | $1,602.00 |
| E-3 | $1,995.00 | $1,602.00 |
| E-4 | $1,995.00 | $1,602.00 |
| E-5 | $2,118.00 | $1,770.00 |
| E-6 | $2,391.00 | $1,878.00 |
| E-7 | $2,436.00 | $1,998.00 |
| E-8 | $2,484.00 | $2,178.00 |
| E-9 | $2,631.00 | $2,250.00 |
| W-1 | $2,409.00 | $1,965.00 |
| W-2 | $2,454.00 | $2,175.00 |
| W-3 | $2,520.00 | $2,262.00 |
| W-4 | $2,673.00 | $2,394.00 |
| W-5 | $2,868.00 | $2,445.00 |
| O-1E | $2,439.00 | $2,115.00 |
| O-2E | $2,508.00 | $2,235.00 |
| O-3E | $2,703.00 | $2,382.00 |
| O-1 | $2,160.00 | $1,869.00 |
| O-2 | $2,388.00 | $2,082.00 |
| O-3 | $2,517.00 | $2,289.00 |
| O-4 | $2,931.00 | $2,430.00 |
| O-5 | $3,231.00 | $2,451.00 |
| O-6 | $3,258.00 | $2,496.00 |
| O-7 and above | $3,279.00 | $2,538.00 |
Source: Official DTMO 2026 BAH Rate Tables, effective January 1, 2026. DTMO publishes one rate for O-7 through O-10. All rates verified from official DTMO 2026 BAH Rate Excel spreadsheet downloaded from travel.dod.mil. Last verified: 2026-03-22. Verify your exact rate on the official DTMO BAH lookup.
How BAH works in Durham/Chapel Hill, NC
Your duty station sets the rate, not your address. BAH is paid for the Military Housing Area of the installation on your orders. Durham/Chapel Hill, NC falls in MHA NC180, Durham/Chapel Hill, NC. Renting in a cheaper zip nearby does not lower it and a pricier one does not raise it.
With dependents is one rate; without is another. At E-5 the gap in Durham/Chapel Hill, NC is $348.00 a month. Dependency status is what is on your record, so a change (marriage, a child, a divorce) changes the column you are paid from.
Rates are reset every January and protected on the way down. DoD sets each MHA from local rental-market data, publishes in December and pays the new table from January 1 (the 2026 average increase across all areas was 4.2%). If the published rate for Durham/Chapel Hill, NC ever falls, individual rate protection keeps members already at the station on the higher rate as long as they stay (DoD FMR Vol 7A, Ch 26).
BAH is tax-free and yours to keep. Off base you receive the full rate and keep what you do not spend on rent and utilities. In government or privatized housing the allowance goes to the housing provider. While you are still house-hunting after a PCS, the TLE calculator covers temporary lodging and the DLA calculator shows the one-time move-in allowance for your grade.
BAH rates elsewhere in North Carolina
E-5 with dependents shown.
FAQ
Durham/Chapel Hill, NC BAH — frequently asked questions
- What is the 2026 BAH for an E-5 in Durham/Chapel Hill, NC?
- $2,118.00 per month with dependents and $1,770.00 without, effective January 1, 2026. Durham/Chapel Hill, NC sits in the Durham/Chapel Hill, NC Military Housing Area (MHA NC180); the full table on this page lists every grade from E-1 ($1,995.00 with dependents) to O-7 and above ($3,279.00).
- What is the 2026 BAH for an O-3 in Durham/Chapel Hill, NC?
- $2,517.00 per month with dependents and $2,289.00 without. Officer rates in Durham/Chapel Hill, NC run from $2,160.00 for an O-1 with dependents to $3,279.00 at O-7 and above; prior-enlisted officers (O-1E to O-3E) have their own rows in the table.
- How is the BAH rate in Durham/Chapel Hill, NC set?
- DoD sets the Durham/Chapel Hill, NC rate each year from local rental-market data for the MHA, publishes it in December and applies it from January 1. Across all locations the average 2026 increase was 4.2%. If a published rate ever drops, individual rate protection means members already at the station keep the higher rate as long as they stay (DoD FMR Vol 7A, Ch 26).
- Does my BAH in Durham/Chapel Hill, NC depend on my zip code?
- Yes. BAH is paid for the Military Housing Area of your duty station, not where you choose to live. Durham/Chapel Hill, NC's duty-station zip falls in MHA NC180, Durham/Chapel Hill, NC. Living in a cheaper zip nearby does not lower your rate; living in a pricier one does not raise it. Confirm your exact rate on the official DTMO BAH lookup.
- Is BAH in Durham/Chapel Hill, NC taxable, and do I keep what I do not spend?
- BAH is not taxable income. If you live off base you receive the full Durham/Chapel Hill, NC rate for your grade and dependency status and keep whatever you do not spend on rent and utilities; if you live in government or privatized housing the allowance goes to the housing provider. Members without dependents receive the without-dependents column, which in Durham/Chapel Hill, NC is $1,770.00 at E-5.
Keep going
Housing + PCS tools
REF: DoD FMR Vol 7A, Ch 26 · 37 U.S.C. § 403, effective January 1, 2026
Official DTMO 2026 BAH Rate Tables — Durham/Chapel Hill, NC (MHA NC180)
Results are estimates. Always verify with your finance office.