BAH 2026 · housing area
BAH at Fort Hood (Killeen) for 2026
The 2026 housing allowance of the housing area the DTMO file calls Fort Hood, one of the lowest-cost large posts, with the other Texas installations beside it.
BAH 2026 in Fort Hood
E-5 with dependents
$1,695
| Per year, tax free | $20,340 |
| Without dependents | $1,530 |
| Difference | $165 |
An E-5 with dependents at Fort Hood receives $1,695 a month of BAH in 2026 and $1,530 without dependents, while a married E-7 receives $2,070 and a married O-3 $2,340. These are the rates of the Fort Hood, TX housing area (TX286) in the Defense Travel Management Office file, 38 ZIP codes in Central Texas around Killeen, Harker Heights, Copperas Cove, Belton and Temple. The area sits near the bottom of the national scale: it ranks 243 of 338 for the E-5 rate with dependents, and the E-5 family rate is barely above the junior enlisted rate of $1,662. The steps between grades are larger higher up: an E-7 receives $375 more than an E-5, and an E-9 $2,409. For soldiers coming from coastal assignments, the allowance falls sharply, but so does the rent it is designed to cover.
Checked by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · How we calculate
Fort Hood BAH by grade
| Grade | With dependents | Without dependents |
|---|---|---|
| E-1 | $1,662 | $1,374 |
| E-4 | $1,662 | $1,374 |
| E-5 | $1,695 | $1,530 |
| E-6 | $1,920 | $1,626 |
| E-7 | $2,070 | $1,668 |
| E-8 | $2,238 | $1,746 |
| E-9 | $2,409 | $1,806 |
| W-1 | $1,938 | $1,665 |
| W-2 | $2,139 | $1,743 |
| W-3 | $2,346 | $1,812 |
| W-4 | $2,433 | $1,950 |
| O-1 | $1,731 | $1,623 |
| O-2 | $1,917 | $1,689 |
| O-3 | $2,340 | $1,833 |
| O-4 | $2,577 | $2,076 |
| O-5 | $2,748 | $2,169 |
| O-6 | $2,769 | $2,325 |
Central Texas and the rest of the state
| Housing area | E-5 with dependents | E-7 with dependents | O-3 with dependents |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Hood | $1,695 | $2,070 | $2,340 |
| Waco | $1,755 | $2,199 | $2,379 |
| Austin | $2,241 | $3,039 | $3,447 |
| San Antonio | $1,869 | $2,112 | $2,127 |
| El Paso (Fort Bliss) | $1,809 | $2,172 | $2,202 |
Austin, an hour south, pays far more for every grade, which matters for soldiers assigned to recruiting, ROTC or headquarters jobs there. Waco, to the north, is close to Fort Hood for junior grades. San Antonio and El Paso, home of Fort Bliss, are the two other large Army communities of the state.
The shape of the table at Fort Hood
The Fort Hood table is compressed at the bottom and spread at the top. Junior enlisted families and E-5 families receive almost the same amount, because the homes the DoD prices for those grades rent for similar sums in Killeen. From E-6 upward the standard moves to larger homes and the rate climbs faster: $1,920 for an E-6, $2,238 for an E-8. Warrant officers, numerous at an aviation and armor post, run from $1,938 for a WO1 to $2,433 for a CW4.
Coming from a high-cost station
A family moving from a coastal assignment to Fort Hood will see BAH drop by a large amount: an E-6 with dependents receives $4,404 in San Diego and $1,920 at Fort Hood. The new rate applies from the report date at the new station. Basic pay and BAS do not change, so the military pay calculator is the quickest way to see the new monthly total. For other Army posts, see Fort Bragg and Fort Campbell, or look up any ZIP code in the BAH calculator.
A large increase for 2026
Fort Hood had one of the larger increases of the big Army posts: the E-5 family rate rose from $1,581 in 2025 to $1,695 in 2026, 7.2% more, and the O-3 rate from $2,223 to $2,340. Rents in Central Texas had caught up with the allowance, and the annual survey of the DTMO brought the table back in line.
| Grade | 2025 | 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| E-4 | $1,563 | $1,662 | +$99 (+6.3%) |
| E-5 | $1,581 | $1,695 | +$114 (+7.2%) |
| E-6 | $1,800 | $1,920 | +$120 (+6.7%) |
| E-7 | $1,953 | $2,070 | +$117 (+6%) |
| E-9 | $2,283 | $2,409 | +$126 (+5.5%) |
| O-1 | $1,614 | $1,731 | +$117 (+7.2%) |
| O-3 | $2,223 | $2,340 | +$117 (+5.3%) |
| O-5 | $2,568 | $2,748 | +$180 (+7%) |
The DTMO's component breakdown puts rent at about 83% of the housing cost behind the Fort Hood rate and utilities at 17%. Long, hot summers make air conditioning a real budget item for families here, which the utility share reflects. As everywhere, the allowance is set 5% below the full measured cost, the member's share by design.
Members assigned to Fort Hood who live in government family housing on post do not receive BAH; the housing is provided instead, and the allowance shown here applies only to families renting or owning off post.