Which Locations Saw the Biggest Increases and Decreases in 2026 BAH Rates?

Calling all military families: it’s finally here! The Department of Defense has officially released 2026 Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) rates, and for most active duty, there’s a welcomed boost on the way.

The 2026 BAH rates reflect shifting housing markets across the country, with the majority of housing areas seeing increases designed to better match local rental trends. But while some duty stations are seeing significant jumps, others are holding steady, and a small handful will even see slight decreases.

To give a quick snapshot of what’s changed, we’ve compiled a list of the five locations with the highest BAH increases and the five locations with the lowest increases, using the rank of O-3 with dependents as an example.

As always, rates are based on rank, location, and dependent status. So make sure to get clear on your BAH rate with our 2026 Military BAH Calculator before finalizing your budgeting or PCS decisions for the new year.