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Washington, DC Metro Area (MHA DC053) housing allowance for every pay grade, with and without dependents — effective January 1, 2026.
E-5 with dependents
$3,132.00
per month · $2,832.00 without dependents
O-3 with dependents
$4,020.00
$3,531.00 without dependents
Change from 2025
+6.1%
E-5 with dependents, $2,952.00 → $3,132.00
Housing area
DC053
Washington, DC Metro Area · zip 20301
This page is the 2026 Basic Allowance for Housing table for Fort Belvoir, District of Columbia: every pay grade from E-1 to O-10, with and without dependents, as published by DTMO for the Washington, DC Metro Area housing area and effective January 1, 2026. The last column shows how each rate moved from 2025. To compare Fort Belvoir 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.
| Pay grade | With dependents | Without dependents | 2025 (with dep.) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| E-1 | $3,096.00 | $2,409.00 | $2,922.00 | +6.0% |
| E-2 | $3,096.00 | $2,409.00 | $2,922.00 | +6.0% |
| E-3 | $3,096.00 | $2,409.00 | $2,922.00 | +6.0% |
| E-4 | $3,096.00 | $2,409.00 | $2,922.00 | +6.0% |
| E-5 | $3,132.00 | $2,832.00 | $2,952.00 | +6.1% |
| E-6 | $3,759.00 | $3,057.00 | $3,459.00 | +8.7% |
| E-7 | $3,855.00 | $3,099.00 | $3,579.00 | +7.7% |
| E-8 | $3,957.00 | $3,261.00 | $3,702.00 | +6.9% |
| E-9 | $4,128.00 | $3,447.00 | $3,876.00 | +6.5% |
| W-1 | $3,780.00 | $3,096.00 | $3,480.00 | +8.6% |
| W-2 | $3,894.00 | $3,258.00 | $3,630.00 | +7.3% |
| W-3 | $4,023.00 | $3,471.00 | $3,786.00 | +6.3% |
| W-4 | $4,167.00 | $3,777.00 | $3,915.00 | +6.4% |
| W-5 | $4,350.00 | $3,876.00 | $4,068.00 | +6.9% |
| O-1E | $3,870.00 | $3,129.00 | $3,597.00 | +7.6% |
| O-2E | $4,002.00 | $3,405.00 | $3,765.00 | +6.3% |
| O-3E | $4,197.00 | $3,753.00 | $3,936.00 | +6.6% |
| O-1 | $3,213.00 | $3,054.00 | $3,018.00 | +6.5% |
| O-2 | $3,753.00 | $3,126.00 | $3,453.00 | +8.7% |
| O-3 | $4,020.00 | $3,531.00 | $3,783.00 | +6.3% |
| O-4 | $4,410.00 | $3,855.00 | $4,122.00 | +7.0% |
| O-5 | $4,692.00 | $3,909.00 | $4,359.00 | +7.6% |
| O-6 | $4,731.00 | $3,999.00 | $4,398.00 | +7.6% |
| O-7 and above | $4,770.00 | $4,071.00 | $4,434.00 | +7.6% |
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.
Your duty station sets the rate, not your address. BAH is paid for the Military Housing Area of the installation on your orders. Fort Belvoir falls in MHA DC053, Washington, DC Metro Area, the same housing area as Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, Joint Base Andrews, Pentagon and Walter Reed, so those installations pay the same table. 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 at Fort Belvoir is $300.00 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 Washington, DC Metro Area 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 District of Columbia
E-5 with dependents shown.
FAQ
Keep going
REF: DoD FMR Vol 7A, Ch 26 · 37 U.S.C. § 403, effective January 1, 2026
Official DTMO 2026 BAH Rate Tables — Washington, DC Metro Area (MHA DC053)
Results are estimates. Always verify with your finance office.