China Lake, CA BAH Rates
2026 Basic Allowance for Housing rates for China Lake, California (MHA: CA021).
| Pay Grade | With Dependents | Without Dependents |
|---|---|---|
| E-1 (Private/Seaman Recruit) | $1,524 | $1,344 |
| E-2 (Private/Seaman Apprentice) | $1,524 | $1,344 |
| E-3 (PFC/Seaman) | $1,524 | $1,344 |
| E-4 (Specialist/Corporal) | $1,524 | $1,344 |
| E-5 (Sergeant) | $1,563 | $1,428 |
| E-6 (Staff Sergeant) | $1,767 | $1,485 |
| E-7 (Sergeant First Class) | $1,905 | $1,530 |
| E-8 (Master Sergeant) | $2,058 | $1,611 |
| E-9 (Sergeant Major) | $2,238 | $1,680 |
| W-1 (Warrant Officer) | $1,785 | $1,527 |
| W-2 (Chief Warrant Officer 2) | $1,968 | $1,608 |
| W-3 (Chief Warrant Officer 3) | $2,157 | $1,683 |
| W-4 (Chief Warrant Officer 4) | $2,268 | $1,794 |
| W-5 (Chief Warrant Officer 5) | $2,403 | $1,941 |
| O-1E (2LT/ENS w/ >4yr Enlisted) | $1,932 | $1,560 |
| O-2E (1LT/LTJG w/ >4yr Enlisted) | $2,130 | $1,650 |
| O-3E (CPT/LT w/ >4yr Enlisted) | $2,289 | $1,755 |
| O-1 (Second Lieutenant/Ensign) | $1,596 | $1,482 |
| O-2 (First Lieutenant/LTJG) | $1,764 | $1,554 |
| O-3 (Captain/Lieutenant) | $2,154 | $1,689 |
| O-4 (Major/LCDR) | $2,445 | $1,911 |
| O-5 (Lieutenant Colonel/CDR) | $2,658 | $1,995 |
| O-6 (Colonel/Captain) | $2,676 | $2,136 |
| O-7 (Brigadier General/RDML) | $2,694 | $2,172 |
China Lake, CA — BAH Rate Snapshot
2026 monthly BAH rates with dependents across key pay grades. Rates range from $1,524 to $2,658 — a $1,134 spread.
Highlighted bars show commonly referenced pay grades (E-5, O-3). All rates are 2026 DoD BAH figures for China Lake, CA.
BAH Rate History (Estimated)
BAH Rate History — E-5 in China Lake, CA
With Dependents • 2022–2026 (+$420 / +36.7%)
* Rates sourced from official DoD BAH rate publications for each year.
China Lake vs. Nearby CA Duty Stations
E-5 with dependents BAH comparison. China Lake ranks #5 — $3,564/mo less than San Francisco.
About BAH in China Lake, CA
The 2026 Basic Allowance for Housing rate for China Lake, California reflects the local cost of rental housing in the CA021 Military Housing Area. BAH rates are determined by surveying rental costs for various housing profiles in the area.
For an E-5 with dependents stationed in China Lake, the monthly BAH rate is $1,563, which comes to $18,756 per year. Without dependents, the same pay grade receives $1,428 per month.
BAH Rates by Rank in China Lake
View China Lake BAH rates broken down by specific pay grade: E-5 BAH rates, E-6 BAH rates, E-7 BAH rates, O-3 BAH rates, or browse all pay grades.
Using BAH Toward a VA Home Loan
Many service members in China Lake use their BAH to cover mortgage payments on a VA home loan. Use our BAH affordability tool to see what you can afford. Since BAH is non-taxable, it can stretch further than equivalent taxable income when qualifying for a mortgage.
Related Resources
- Historical BAH rates — See how China Lake rates changed from 2022 to 2026
- Compare BAH rates — Compare China Lake with another duty station
- All California duty stations