PCS Move
BAH Rates Fort Chaffee/Fort Smith, AR 2026
ARFort Chaffee/Fort Smith, AR (MHA AR012) housing allowance for every pay grade, with and without dependents — effective January 1, 2026.
E-5 with dependents
$1,263.00
per month · $996.00 without dependents
O-3 with dependents
$1,962.00
$1,527.00 without dependents
Change from 2025
n/a
2025 table not on file for this MHA
Housing area
AR012
Fort Chaffee/Fort Smith, AR
This page is the 2026 Basic Allowance for Housing table for Fort Chaffee/Fort Smith, AR, Arkansas: every pay grade from E-1 to O-10, with and without dependents, as published by DTMO for the Fort Chaffee/Fort Smith, AR housing area and effective January 1, 2026. To compare Fort Chaffee/Fort Smith, AR 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.
Fort Chaffee/Fort Smith, AR BAH 2026 — every pay grade
| Pay grade | With dependents | Without dependents |
|---|---|---|
| E-1 | $1,173.00 | $879.00 |
| E-2 | $1,173.00 | $879.00 |
| E-3 | $1,173.00 | $879.00 |
| E-4 | $1,173.00 | $879.00 |
| E-5 | $1,263.00 | $996.00 |
| E-6 | $1,680.00 | $1,260.00 |
| E-7 | $1,785.00 | $1,338.00 |
| E-8 | $1,893.00 | $1,419.00 |
| E-9 | $2,028.00 | $1,521.00 |
| W-1 | $1,701.00 | $1,278.00 |
| W-2 | $1,827.00 | $1,371.00 |
| W-3 | $1,965.00 | $1,524.00 |
| W-4 | $2,052.00 | $1,701.00 |
| W-5 | $2,166.00 | $1,809.00 |
| O-1E | $1,803.00 | $1,353.00 |
| O-2E | $1,944.00 | $1,458.00 |
| O-3E | $2,070.00 | $1,674.00 |
| O-1 | $1,320.00 | $1,077.00 |
| O-2 | $1,677.00 | $1,341.00 |
| O-3 | $1,962.00 | $1,527.00 |
| O-4 | $2,199.00 | $1,785.00 |
| O-5 | $2,370.00 | $1,842.00 |
| O-6 | $2,388.00 | $1,944.00 |
| O-7 and above | $2,400.00 | $1,974.00 |
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 Fort Chaffee/Fort Smith, AR
Your duty station sets the rate, not your address. BAH is paid for the Military Housing Area of the installation on your orders. Fort Chaffee/Fort Smith, AR falls in MHA AR012, Fort Chaffee/Fort Smith, AR. 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 Fort Chaffee/Fort Smith, AR is $267.00 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 Fort Chaffee/Fort Smith, AR 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 Arkansas
E-5 with dependents shown.
FAQ
Fort Chaffee/Fort Smith, AR BAH — frequently asked questions
- What is the 2026 BAH for an E-5 in Fort Chaffee/Fort Smith, AR?
- $1,263.00 per month with dependents and $996.00 without, effective January 1, 2026. Fort Chaffee/Fort Smith, AR sits in the Fort Chaffee/Fort Smith, AR Military Housing Area (MHA AR012); the full table on this page lists every grade from E-1 ($1,173.00 with dependents) to O-7 and above ($2,400.00).
- What is the 2026 BAH for an O-3 in Fort Chaffee/Fort Smith, AR?
- $1,962.00 per month with dependents and $1,527.00 without. Officer rates in Fort Chaffee/Fort Smith, AR run from $1,320.00 for an O-1 with dependents to $2,400.00 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 Fort Chaffee/Fort Smith, AR set?
- DoD sets the Fort Chaffee/Fort Smith, AR 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 Fort Chaffee/Fort Smith, AR depend on my zip code?
- Yes. BAH is paid for the Military Housing Area of your duty station, not where you choose to live. Fort Chaffee/Fort Smith, AR's duty-station zip falls in MHA AR012, Fort Chaffee/Fort Smith, AR. 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 Fort Chaffee/Fort Smith, AR taxable, and do I keep what I do not spend?
- BAH is not taxable income. If you live off base you receive the full Fort Chaffee/Fort Smith, AR 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 Fort Chaffee/Fort Smith, AR is $996.00 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 — Fort Chaffee/Fort Smith, AR (MHA AR012)
Results are estimates. Always verify with your finance office.