PCS Move
BAH Rates McChord Field 2026
WATacoma, WA (MHA WA311) housing allowance for every pay grade, with and without dependents — effective January 1, 2026.
E-5 with dependents
$2,556.00
per month · $2,121.00 without dependents
O-3 with dependents
$3,123.00
$2,784.00 without dependents
Change from 2025
+1.9%
E-5 with dependents, $2,508.00 → $2,556.00
Housing area
WA311
Tacoma, WA · zip 98438
This page is the 2026 Basic Allowance for Housing table for McChord Field, Washington: every pay grade from E-1 to O-10, with and without dependents, as published by DTMO for the Tacoma, WA housing area and effective January 1, 2026. The last column shows how each rate moved from 2025. To compare McChord Field 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.
McChord Field BAH 2026 — every pay grade
| Pay grade | With dependents | Without dependents | 2025 (with dep.) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| E-1 | $2,370.00 | $2,034.00 | $2,328.00 | +1.8% |
| E-2 | $2,370.00 | $2,034.00 | $2,328.00 | +1.8% |
| E-3 | $2,370.00 | $2,034.00 | $2,328.00 | +1.8% |
| E-4 | $2,370.00 | $2,034.00 | $2,328.00 | +1.8% |
| E-5 | $2,556.00 | $2,121.00 | $2,508.00 | +1.9% |
| E-6 | $2,919.00 | $2,199.00 | $2,850.00 | +2.4% |
| E-7 | $2,994.00 | $2,376.00 | $2,922.00 | +2.5% |
| E-8 | $3,072.00 | $2,634.00 | $3,000.00 | +2.4% |
| E-9 | $3,180.00 | $2,736.00 | $3,105.00 | +2.4% |
| W-1 | $2,940.00 | $2,313.00 | $2,868.00 | +2.5% |
| W-2 | $3,024.00 | $2,631.00 | $2,955.00 | +2.3% |
| W-3 | $3,126.00 | $2,751.00 | $3,054.00 | +2.4% |
| W-4 | $3,201.00 | $2,931.00 | $3,126.00 | +2.4% |
| W-5 | $3,297.00 | $3,009.00 | $3,222.00 | +2.3% |
| O-1E | $3,006.00 | $2,553.00 | $2,931.00 | +2.6% |
| O-2E | $3,108.00 | $2,712.00 | $3,039.00 | +2.3% |
| O-3E | $3,216.00 | $2,913.00 | $3,138.00 | +2.5% |
| O-1 | $2,607.00 | $2,178.00 | $2,556.00 | +2.0% |
| O-2 | $2,916.00 | $2,496.00 | $2,847.00 | +2.4% |
| O-3 | $3,123.00 | $2,784.00 | $3,051.00 | +2.4% |
| O-4 | $3,324.00 | $2,991.00 | $3,249.00 | +2.3% |
| O-5 | $3,471.00 | $3,030.00 | $3,387.00 | +2.5% |
| O-6 | $3,501.00 | $3,102.00 | $3,417.00 | +2.5% |
| O-7 and above | $3,525.00 | $3,156.00 | $3,444.00 | +2.4% |
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 McChord Field
Your duty station sets the rate, not your address. BAH is paid for the Military Housing Area of the installation on your orders. McChord Field falls in MHA WA311, Tacoma, WA, the same housing area as Joint Base Lewis-McChord, 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 McChord Field is $435.00 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 Tacoma, WA 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 Washington
E-5 with dependents shown.
FAQ
McChord Field BAH — frequently asked questions
- What is the 2026 BAH for an E-5 at McChord Field?
- $2,556.00 per month with dependents and $2,121.00 without, effective January 1, 2026. McChord Field sits in the Tacoma, WA Military Housing Area (MHA WA311); the full table on this page lists every grade from E-1 ($2,370.00 with dependents) to O-7 and above ($3,525.00).
- What is the 2026 BAH for an O-3 at McChord Field?
- $3,123.00 per month with dependents and $2,784.00 without. Officer rates at McChord Field run from $2,607.00 for an O-1 with dependents to $3,525.00 at O-7 and above; prior-enlisted officers (O-1E to O-3E) have their own rows in the table.
- Did BAH at McChord Field go up in 2026?
- Yes. The E-5 with-dependents rate moved from $2,508.00 in 2025 to $2,556.00 in 2026 (+1.9%). 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 McChord Field depend on my zip code?
- Yes. BAH is paid for the Military Housing Area of your duty station, not where you choose to live. McChord Field's duty-station zip (98438) falls in MHA WA311, Tacoma, WA, which also covers Joint Base Lewis-McChord. 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 McChord Field taxable, and do I keep what I do not spend?
- BAH is not taxable income. If you live off base you receive the full Tacoma, WA 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 McChord Field is $2,121.00 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 — Tacoma, WA (MHA WA311)
Results are estimates. Always verify with your finance office.