The Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) is a United States military regulation that provides for housing expenses incurred by service members, with or without families, when government quarters are not provided. BAH rates are determined by the service member's paygrade, duty station location (based on ZIP code), and dependency status (with or without dependents). The Department of Defense (DoD) updates these rates annually, with the 2024 rates reflecting changes in local rental markets across the country.
The BAH calculator helps you estimate your potential BAH entitlement for 2024. You'll need to input your paygrade (e.g., E5 for a non-commissioned officer, O3 for a junior officer), your duty station's ZIP code to pinpoint the local housing market, and whether you have dependents. The "Housing Allowance Type" option allows you to see the range of BAH rates, from the lowest to the highest based on actual rental costs in that area. This provides a more comprehensive view of the financial support you can expect for housing.
It's important to note that this calculator provides an estimate. Actual BAH rates can vary slightly, and it's always best to consult official military pay charts or your local finance office for the most accurate and up-to-date information. BAH is designed to cover average rental costs for a private-sector dwelling.
function calculateBAH() {
var paygradeInput = document.getElementById("paygrade").value.toUpperCase();
var dutyStationZip = document.getElementById("dutyStationZip").value;
var dependencyStatus = parseInt(document.getElementById("dependencyStatus").value);
var housingAllowanceType = document.getElementById("housingAllowanceType").value;
var resultDiv = document.getElementById("result");
// Basic validation for ZIP code
if (isNaN(parseInt(dutyStationZip)) || dutyStationZip.length !== 5) {
resultDiv.innerHTML = "Please enter a valid 5-digit ZIP code.";
return;
}
// — Placeholder for actual BAH data —
// In a real-world scenario, you would fetch this data from a database or API.
// For this example, we'll use a simplified, hardcoded structure.
// The structure would typically be:
// BAH_RATES[zipCode][paygrade][dependencyStatus][allowanceType]
// Example: BAH_RATES["90210"]["E5"]["0"]["BAH_Median"] = 2500.00
var BAH_RATES_2024 = {
"90210": { // Beverly Hills, CA
"E1": {"0": {"BAH_Lowest": 1800, "BAH_Median": 2100, "BAH_Highest": 2500}, "1": {"BAH_Lowest": 2000, "BAH_Median": 2400, "BAH_Highest": 2900}},
"E5": {"0": {"BAH_Lowest": 2200, "BAH_Median": 2600, "BAH_Highest": 3100}, "1": {"BAH_Lowest": 2500, "BAH_Median": 3000, "BAH_Highest": 3600}},
"O3": {"0": {"BAH_Lowest": 2800, "BAH_Median": 3300, "BAH_Highest": 3900}, "1": {"BAH_Lowest": 3100, "BAH_Median": 3700, "BAH_Highest": 4400}},
"W2": {"0": {"BAH_Lowest": 2500, "BAH_Median": 3000, "BAH_Highest": 3600}, "1": {"BAH_Lowest": 2800, "BAH_Median": 3400, "BAH_Highest": 4100}}
},
"20310": { // Pentagon, VA (Arlington, VA area)
"E1": {"0": {"BAH_Lowest": 1600, "BAH_Median": 1900, "BAH_Highest": 2200}, "1": {"BAH_Lowest": 1800, "BAH_Median": 2100, "BAH_Highest": 2500}},
"E5": {"0": {"BAH_Lowest": 1900, "BAH_Median": 2300, "BAH_Highest": 2700}, "1": {"BAH_Lowest": 2200, "BAH_Median": 2600, "BAH_Highest": 3100}},
"O3": {"0": {"BAH_Lowest": 2400, "BAH_Median": 2900, "BAH_Highest": 3400}, "1": {"BAH_Lowest": 2700, "BAH_Median": 3200, "BAH_Highest": 3800}},
"W2": {"0": {"BAH_Lowest": 2100, "BAH_Median": 2600, "BAH_Highest": 3100}, "1": {"BAH_Lowest": 2400, "BAH_Median": 2900, "BAH_Highest": 3500}}
},
"00501": { // Federal Building, Holtsville, NY (Long Island)
"E1": {"0": {"BAH_Lowest": 1700, "BAH_Median": 2000, "BAH_Highest": 2300}, "1": {"BAH_Lowest": 1900, "BAH_Median": 2200, "BAH_Highest": 2600}},
"E5": {"0": {"BAH_Lowest": 2000, "BAH_Median": 2400, "BAH_Highest": 2800}, "1": {"BAH_Lowest": 2300, "BAH_Median": 2700, "BAH_Highest": 3200}},
"O3": {"0": {"BAH_Lowest": 2500, "BAH_Median": 3000, "BAH_Highest": 3500}, "1": {"BAH_Lowest": 2800, "BAH_Median": 3300, "BAH_Highest": 3900}},
"W2": {"0": {"BAH_Lowest": 2200, "BAH_Median": 2700, "BAH_Highest": 3200}, "1": {"BAH_Lowest": 2500, "BAH_Median": 3000, "BAH_Highest": 3600}}
}
// Add more ZIP codes and paygrades as needed
};
var paygradeData = BAH_RATES_2024[dutyStationZip] ? BAH_RATES_2024[dutyStationZip][paygradeInput] : null;
if (!paygradeData) {
resultDiv.innerHTML = "BAH data not available for the provided paygrade and ZIP code combination. Please try another.";
return;
}
var bahRate = paygradeData[dependencyStatus] ? paygradeData[dependencyStatus][housingAllowanceType] : null;
if (bahRate === null || bahRate === undefined) {
resultDiv.innerHTML = "BAH data not available for the selected dependency status or housing allowance type for this location and paygrade.";
return;
}
var formattedBahRate = bahRate.toLocaleString(undefined, { minimumFractionDigits: 2, maximumFractionDigits: 2 });
resultDiv.innerHTML = "Estimated 2024 BAH Rate: $" + formattedBahRate;
}
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font-family: sans-serif;
max-width: 700px;
margin: 20px auto;
padding: 20px;
border: 1px solid #ddd;
border-radius: 8px;
background-color: #f9f9f9;
}
.bah-calculator-wrapper h2 {
text-align: center;
color: #333;
margin-bottom: 25px;
}
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}
.input-group input[type="text"],
.input-group select {
padding: 10px;
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border: none;
border-radius: 5px;
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cursor: pointer;
transition: background-color 0.3s ease;
margin-top: 10px;
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button:hover {
background-color: #0056b3;
}
.result-display {
margin-top: 25px;
padding: 15px;
background-color: #e9ecef;
border: 1px solid #ced4da;
border-radius: 5px;
text-align: center;
font-size: 1.2rem;
font-weight: bold;
color: #495057;
}
.calculator-explanation {
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font-size: 0.95rem;
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}
.calculator-explanation h3 {
color: #333;
margin-bottom: 10px;
}