BAH Calculator
Estimate your Basic Allowance for Housing and how much home you can afford in the Dayton area.
Enlisted
Warrant
Officer
$1,650
E-5 · with dependents
Assumes your BAH covers the whole payment on a 30-year VA loan at 6.25% with 0% down, including Ohio property tax (~1.4%) and ~$1,200/yr insurance. Your actual buying power depends on credit, debts, and your down payment.
2026 DFAS rates for ZIP 45431. Always verify at dfas.mil
How to read your number
- 1
Select your rank
Choose your military pay grade (E-1 through E-9, W-1 through W-5, or O-1E through O-7+). BAH increases with rank.
- 2
Select dependency status
Pick 'With Dependents' if you have a spouse or qualifying dependents, or 'Without Dependents' if single. BAH with dependents is significantly higher.
- 3
Review your monthly BAH
The calculator returns your 2026 BAH rate for the Wright-Patterson AFB area (ZIP 45431). This is the tax-free housing allowance you receive each month.
- 4
See your buying power
The calculator solves for the home price whose full monthly payment your BAH would cover on a 30-year VA loan with no money down, including Ohio property tax and insurance, so you can see what that means in Dayton-area neighborhoods like Fairborn, Beavercreek, Centerville, and Kettering.
BAH questions, answered
What is BAH and how is it calculated?
Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) is a tax-free monthly stipend the Department of Defense pays to active-duty service members to cover housing costs in their assigned location. Rates are calculated annually based on local rental market data, the service member's pay grade, and dependency status. BAH at Wright-Patterson AFB is based on Dayton-area median rents.
How much BAH does an E-5 with dependents get at WPAFB in 2026?
In 2026, an E-5 with dependents stationed at Wright-Patterson AFB receives $1,650 per month in BAH ($19,800 a year). Use the calculator above for your exact rate based on your specific rank.
Can BAH cover a mortgage payment in the Dayton area?
In most cases yes. For ranks E-5 and above with dependents, BAH at WPAFB typically covers a VA loan principal + interest + taxes + insurance in affordable neighborhoods like Fairborn, Huber Heights, and Riverside. Use the BAH calculator and the mortgage calculator together to model your specific scenario.
Does BAH change when you PCS to a new location?
Yes. BAH is based on the duty location, not where you actually live. If you PCS from a high-cost area to Dayton (or vice versa), your BAH will adjust to the new location's rate. There is BAH rate protection in some cases that allows you to keep the higher rate if rates drop after you arrive.
Tools that pair with this one
Your BAH goes further with the right agent.
Chris works with WPAFB families every month, and can tell you which neighborhoods your BAH actually covers. And which gate you'll want to live near.