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BAH Rates Fort Jackson 2026
SCColumbia/Fort Jackson, SC (MHA SC260) housing allowance for every pay grade, with and without dependents — effective January 1, 2026.
E-5 with dependents
$1,878.00
per month · $1,647.00 without dependents
O-3 with dependents
$2,232.00
$2,028.00 without dependents
Change from 2025
+0.2%
E-5 with dependents, $1,875.00 → $1,878.00
Housing area
SC260
Columbia/Fort Jackson, SC · zip 29207
This page is the 2026 Basic Allowance for Housing table for Fort Jackson, South Carolina: every pay grade from E-1 to O-10, with and without dependents, as published by DTMO for the Columbia/Fort Jackson, SC housing area and effective January 1, 2026. The last column shows how each rate moved from 2025. To compare Fort Jackson 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 Jackson BAH 2026 — every pay grade
| Pay grade | With dependents | Without dependents | 2025 (with dep.) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| E-1 | $1,812.00 | $1,479.00 | $1,812.00 | 0.0% |
| E-2 | $1,812.00 | $1,479.00 | $1,812.00 | 0.0% |
| E-3 | $1,812.00 | $1,479.00 | $1,812.00 | 0.0% |
| E-4 | $1,812.00 | $1,479.00 | $1,812.00 | 0.0% |
| E-5 | $1,878.00 | $1,647.00 | $1,875.00 | +0.2% |
| E-6 | $2,121.00 | $1,746.00 | $2,052.00 | +3.4% |
| E-7 | $2,160.00 | $1,812.00 | $2,103.00 | +2.7% |
| E-8 | $2,202.00 | $1,932.00 | $2,154.00 | +2.2% |
| E-9 | $2,310.00 | $1,995.00 | $2,265.00 | +2.0% |
| W-1 | $2,136.00 | $1,803.00 | $2,070.00 | +3.2% |
| W-2 | $2,175.00 | $1,929.00 | $2,124.00 | +2.4% |
| W-3 | $2,235.00 | $2,004.00 | $2,193.00 | +1.9% |
| W-4 | $2,340.00 | $2,121.00 | $2,295.00 | +2.0% |
| W-5 | $2,475.00 | $2,166.00 | $2,424.00 | +2.1% |
| O-1E | $2,163.00 | $1,875.00 | $2,106.00 | +2.7% |
| O-2E | $2,223.00 | $1,980.00 | $2,181.00 | +1.9% |
| O-3E | $2,361.00 | $2,109.00 | $2,313.00 | +2.1% |
| O-1 | $1,914.00 | $1,743.00 | $1,905.00 | +0.5% |
| O-2 | $2,118.00 | $1,860.00 | $2,049.00 | +3.4% |
| O-3 | $2,232.00 | $2,028.00 | $2,190.00 | +1.9% |
| O-4 | $2,517.00 | $2,151.00 | $2,463.00 | +2.2% |
| O-5 | $2,724.00 | $2,172.00 | $2,658.00 | +2.5% |
| O-6 | $2,745.00 | $2,211.00 | $2,679.00 | +2.5% |
| O-7 and above | $2,760.00 | $2,247.00 | $2,700.00 | +2.2% |
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 at Fort Jackson
Your duty station sets the rate, not your address. BAH is paid for the Military Housing Area of the installation on your orders. Fort Jackson falls in MHA SC260, Columbia/Fort Jackson, SC. 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 Jackson is $231.00 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 Columbia/Fort Jackson, SC 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 South Carolina
E-5 with dependents shown.
FAQ
Fort Jackson BAH — frequently asked questions
- What is the 2026 BAH for an E-5 at Fort Jackson?
- $1,878.00 per month with dependents and $1,647.00 without, effective January 1, 2026. Fort Jackson sits in the Columbia/Fort Jackson, SC Military Housing Area (MHA SC260); the full table on this page lists every grade from E-1 ($1,812.00 with dependents) to O-7 and above ($2,760.00).
- What is the 2026 BAH for an O-3 at Fort Jackson?
- $2,232.00 per month with dependents and $2,028.00 without. Officer rates at Fort Jackson run from $1,914.00 for an O-1 with dependents to $2,760.00 at O-7 and above; prior-enlisted officers (O-1E to O-3E) have their own rows in the table.
- Did BAH at Fort Jackson go up in 2026?
- Yes. The E-5 with-dependents rate moved from $1,875.00 in 2025 to $1,878.00 in 2026 (+0.2%). The table on this page shows the 2025 to 2026 change for every grade. Across all locations the average 2026 increase was 4.2%. If a 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 at Fort Jackson 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 Jackson's duty-station zip (29207) falls in MHA SC260, Columbia/Fort Jackson, SC. 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 at Fort Jackson taxable, and do I keep what I do not spend?
- BAH is not taxable income. If you live off base you receive the full Columbia/Fort Jackson, SC 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 at Fort Jackson is $1,647.00 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 — Columbia/Fort Jackson, SC (MHA SC260)
Results are estimates. Always verify with your finance office.