When you make a permanent change of station move inside the United States, the only regular part of your pay that changes is the Basic Allowance for Housing. Basic pay and BAS stay the same. BAH switches from the old housing area’s rate to the new one, and the difference can be thousands of dollars a year in either direction.
When the rate changes
- Before you leave, you are paid BAH for your old duty station.
- While you travel, you keep the old station’s rate. If you have dependents, BAH continues through the move.
- On the day you report to the new duty station, BAH switches to the rate for the new station’s ZIP code.
The rate is tied to the duty station, not to where you choose to live. If you report to a base in one housing area and rent a home in a cheaper area next door, you still receive the duty station’s rate.
Real 2026 examples
These are monthly changes for an E-5 with dependents, using 2026 rates.
| Move | Old BAH | New BAH | Change a month | Change a year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Bragg, NC to San Diego, CA | $1,806 | $3,975 | +$2,169 | +$26,028 |
| Fort Hood, TX to Tacoma, WA | $1,695 | $2,556 | +$861 | +$10,332 |
| Norfolk, VA to Camp Lejeune, NC | $2,430 | $1,584 | −$846 | −$10,152 |
| San Diego, CA to Fort Bragg, NC | $3,975 | $1,806 | −$2,169 | −$26,028 |
A drop in BAH after a move is not a pay cut in the usual sense, because housing near the new base should also cost less. But leases, car payments and other fixed costs do not shrink on their own, so it is worth planning for.
Rate protection does not move with you
Individual rate protection keeps your BAH from falling when the yearly rate for your area goes down. It only applies while you stay at the same duty station. A PCS ends it. At the new base you receive the current rate for that area, even if a member who arrived years earlier is being paid more under protection. See how BAH rate protection works.
If your family does not move with you
Some moves are unaccompanied, or the family stays behind for a while, for example to finish a school year. Depending on your orders, you may be able to keep BAH based on where your family lives, or on your old duty station, instead of the new one. Rules differ by situation, so ask your finance office before you sign a lease.
Moves overseas
If you move to a duty station outside the United States, you generally stop receiving BAH for that station and receive the Overseas Housing Allowance instead, if you live off base. A member with dependents who stay in the United States may receive BAH for the family’s location.
Before you move
- Look up the new rate on the BAH lookup using the ZIP code of the new duty station.
- Put the two bases side by side with compare BAH, for your exact grade and years of service.
- Check rents near the new base for a home that suits your family, and compare them with the new BAH.
- Recalculate your monthly budget with the total pay calculator.