The cost of living in the National Capital Region can vary significantly, depending upon where you choose to live, i.e., Maryland, Virginia or the District of Columbia. Other factors include the size and type of apartment, townhouse, or single family home you choose, the type of heating fuel, the distance between your home and duty location, the mode of transportation you use to get to and from work, etc.
Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) is based on geographic duty location (ZIP code of duty location), pay grade, and dependency status. The intent of BAH is to provide uniformed service members accurate and equitable housing compensation based on housing costs in local civilian housing markets, and is payable when government quarters are not provided.
Who is eligible for BAH?
A member assigned to permanent duty within the 50 United States, who is not furnished government housing, is eligible for a Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH), based on the member's dependency status at the permanent duty station ZIP Code. A member stationed overseas (except in Hawai’i and Alaska), including U.S. protectorates, who is not furnished government housing, is eligible for an Overseas Housing Allowance (OHA) based on the member's dependency status. If a member is serving an UNACCOMPANIED overseas tour, the member is eligible for BAH at the ‘with dependents’ rate, based on the dependent's U.S. residence ZIP Code, plus FSH at the OCONUS PDS, if the member is not furnished government housing overseas.
See the chart below for rates for the Washington DC Metro area.
Andrews AFB 2007 BAH Rate Chart
| Grade |
Rate |
Grade |
Rate |
| WITHOUT |
DEPENDENTS |
WITH |
DEPENDENTS |
| E-1 |
$ 1234.00 |
E-1 |
$1657.00 |
| E-2 |
$ 1234.00
|
E-2 |
$ 1657.00
|
| E-3 |
$ 1234.00
|
E-3 |
$ 1657.00
|
| E-4 |
$ 1234.00
|
E-4 |
$ 1657.00
|
| E-5 |
$ 1429.00
|
E-5 |
$ 1789.00
|
| E-6 |
$ 1542.00
|
E-6 |
$ 2058.00
|
| E-7 |
$ 1666.00
|
E-7 |
$ 2126.00
|
| E-8 |
$ 1842.00
|
E-8 |
$ 2201.00
|
| E-9 |
$ 1925.00
|
E-9 |
$ 2322.00
|
| O-1E |
$ 1789.00
|
O-1E |
$ 2141.00
|
| O-2E |
$ 1907.00
|
O-2E |
$ 2234.00
|
| O-3E |
$ 2058.00
|
O-3E |
$ 2368.00
|
| O-1 |
$ 1524.00
|
O-1 |
$ 1820.00
|
| O-2 |
$ 1743.00
|
O-2 |
$ 2052.00
|
| O-3 |
$ 1961.00
|
O-3 |
$ 2245.00
|
| O-4 |
$ 2133.00
|
O-4 |
$ 2518.00
|
| O-5 |
$ 2179.00
|
O-5 |
$ 2179.00
|
| O-6 |
$ 2248.00
|
O-6 |
$ 2731.00
|
| O-7 |
$ 2293.00
|
O-7 |
$ 2763.00
|
| |
|
|
|