Calculate your Military Housing Area allowance breakdown and estimated rental budget.
— Select a common Duty Station —
San Diego, CA (Camp Pendleton/Naval Base)
Norfolk, VA (Naval Station)
JBLM, WA (Tacoma/Lewis-McChord)
San Antonio, TX (Lackland AFB)
Honolulu, HI (Pearl Harbor)
Washington DC Area
Enter your specific rate based on rank/zip if not using auto-fill.
Gross Monthly Allowance:
Total Annual Benefit:
Daily Prorated Rate:
Est. Operational Costs (Utilities + Ins. + Commute):
Recommended Max Rent (Budget Cap):
*Budget Cap = MHA Rate minus utilities, insurance, and commuting costs.
Understanding Military Housing Area (MHA) Rates
The Military Housing Area (MHA) defines the geographic boundaries used to calculate the Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) for uniformed service members in the United States. Unlike a standard salary, MHA rates are variable, designed to offset the cost of housing in specific local civilian rental markets. This calculator helps service members determine their effective purchasing power and set a realistic budget for rent and utilities based on their assigned rate.
How MHA Rates Are Determined
The Department of Defense (DoD) collects rental data annually for approximately 300 MHAs across the country. This data includes the cost of rent and utilities for various housing profiles, ranging from apartments to single-family detached homes.
Your specific rate is determined by three primary factors:
Duty Station Zip Code: The MHA is tied to your permanent duty station, not necessarily where you choose to live.
Pay Grade: Higher ranks are allocated allowances for larger housing profiles.
Dependency Status: Service members with dependents receive a higher rate calculated to support family housing needs.
Using the Calculator for Budgeting
Many service members make the mistake of applying their entire MHA/BAH rate toward rent. However, this allowance is intended to cover rent and utilities. Additionally, the DoD formula typically absorbs a small percentage of out-of-pocket expenses (up to 5% cost-sharing).
Recommended Budget Cap: To avoid financial strain, subtract estimated utilities, renter's insurance, and commuting costs from your total MHA rate. The result is your "Safe Rent Limit," ensuring you do not overspend on a lease at the expense of other living costs.
Prorated Rates for PCS Moves
When moving between duty stations (PCS), your housing allowance may be prorated based on the days you check out of your old command and check into your new one. The Daily Prorated Rate shown in the calculator is useful for estimating partial payments during transition periods (calculated as Monthly Rate รท 30).
// Pre-defined sample rates (Approximate 2024 E-5 with Dependents for demo purposes)
// In a real application, these would come from an API.
function autoFillRate() {
var selector = document.getElementById("sampleLocation");
var rateInput = document.getElementById("monthlyRate");
var selectedValue = selector.value;
if (selectedValue && selectedValue !== "0") {
rateInput.value = selectedValue;
} else {
rateInput.value = "";
}
}
function calculateMHA() {
// 1. Get Input Values
var rateInput = document.getElementById("monthlyRate").value;
var utilInput = document.getElementById("utilityCost").value;
var insInput = document.getElementById("rentersInsurance").value;
var daysInput = document.getElementById("commuteDays").value;
var fuelInput = document.getElementById("fuelCost").value;
// 2. Validate and Parse Numbers
var monthlyRate = parseFloat(rateInput);
var utilities = parseFloat(utilInput);
var insurance = parseFloat(insInput);
var commuteDays = parseFloat(daysInput);
var fuelCost = parseFloat(fuelInput);
// Check for valid rate
if (isNaN(monthlyRate) || monthlyRate <= 0) {
alert("Please enter a valid Monthly MHA/BAH Rate.");
return;
}
// Default empty optional fields to 0
if (isNaN(utilities)) utilities = 0;
if (isNaN(insurance)) insurance = 0;
if (isNaN(commuteDays)) commuteDays = 0;
if (isNaN(fuelCost)) fuelCost = 0;
// 3. Perform Calculations
var annualBenefit = monthlyRate * 12;
var dailyRate = monthlyRate / 30; // DoD standard uses 30-day basis for proration
var totalCommuteCost = commuteDays * fuelCost;
var totalMonthlyCosts = utilities + insurance + totalCommuteCost;
var remainingBudget = monthlyRate – totalMonthlyCosts;
// 4. Format Output (Currency formatting)
var formatter = new Intl.NumberFormat('en-US', {
style: 'currency',
currency: 'USD',
minimumFractionDigits: 0,
maximumFractionDigits: 0,
});
var formatterDec = new Intl.NumberFormat('en-US', {
style: 'currency',
currency: 'USD',
minimumFractionDigits: 2,
maximumFractionDigits: 2,
});
// 5. Update DOM
document.getElementById("resGross").innerHTML = formatter.format(monthlyRate);
document.getElementById("resAnnual").innerHTML = formatter.format(annualBenefit);
document.getElementById("resDaily").innerHTML = formatterDec.format(dailyRate);
document.getElementById("resCosts").innerHTML = "-" + formatter.format(totalMonthlyCosts);
// Color coding result
var netElem = document.getElementById("resNet");
netElem.innerHTML = formatter.format(remainingBudget);
if (remainingBudget < 0) {
netElem.style.color = "#e53e3e"; // Red if negative
netElem.innerHTML += " (Deficit)";
} else {
netElem.style.color = "#2c5282"; // Blue if positive
}
// Show results
document.getElementById("result").style.display = "block";
}