Cincinnati, OH BAH Rates
2026 Basic Allowance for Housing rates for Cincinnati, Ohio (MHA: OH228).
| Pay Grade | With Dependents | Without Dependents |
|---|---|---|
| E-1 (Private/Seaman Recruit) | $2,031 | $1,524 |
| E-2 (Private/Seaman Apprentice) | $2,031 | $1,524 |
| E-3 (PFC/Seaman) | $2,031 | $1,524 |
| E-4 (Specialist/Corporal) | $2,031 | $1,524 |
| E-5 (Sergeant) | $2,283 | $1,713 |
| E-6 (Staff Sergeant) | $2,526 | $1,893 |
| E-7 (Sergeant First Class) | $2,553 | $2,040 |
| E-8 (Master Sergeant) | $2,583 | $2,337 |
| E-9 (Sergeant Major) | $2,676 | $2,400 |
| W-1 (Warrant Officer) | $2,544 | $1,953 |
| W-2 (Chief Warrant Officer 2) | $2,565 | $2,334 |
| W-3 (Chief Warrant Officer 3) | $2,607 | $2,412 |
| W-4 (Chief Warrant Officer 4) | $2,703 | $2,523 |
| W-5 (Chief Warrant Officer 5) | $2,829 | $2,559 |
| O-1E (2LT/ENS w/ >4yr Enlisted) | $2,556 | $2,280 |
| O-2E (1LT/LTJG w/ >4yr Enlisted) | $2,595 | $2,385 |
| O-3E (CPT/LT w/ >4yr Enlisted) | $2,724 | $2,517 |
| O-1 (Second Lieutenant/Ensign) | $2,322 | $1,776 |
| O-2 (First Lieutenant/LTJG) | $2,523 | $2,202 |
| O-3 (Captain/Lieutenant) | $2,604 | $2,433 |
| O-4 (Major/LCDR) | $2,868 | $2,544 |
| O-5 (Lieutenant Colonel/CDR) | $3,060 | $2,562 |
| O-6 (Colonel/Captain) | $3,084 | $2,583 |
| O-7 (Brigadier General/RDML) | $3,105 | $2,625 |
Cincinnati, OH — BAH Rate Snapshot
2026 monthly BAH rates with dependents across key pay grades. Rates range from $2,031 to $3,060 — a $1,029 spread.
Highlighted bars show commonly referenced pay grades (E-5, O-3). All rates are 2026 DoD BAH figures for Cincinnati, OH.
BAH Rate History (Estimated)
BAH Rate History — E-5 in Cincinnati, OH
With Dependents • 2022–2026 (+$570 / +33.3%)
* Rates sourced from official DoD BAH rate publications for each year.
Cincinnati vs. Nearby OH Duty Stations
E-5 with dependents BAH comparison. Cincinnati has the highest rate among compared stations.
About BAH in Cincinnati, OH
The 2026 Basic Allowance for Housing rate for Cincinnati, Ohio reflects the local cost of rental housing in the OH228 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 Cincinnati, the monthly BAH rate is $2,283, which comes to $27,396 per year. Without dependents, the same pay grade receives $1,713 per month.
BAH Rates by Rank in Cincinnati
View Cincinnati 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 Cincinnati 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 Cincinnati rates changed from 2022 to 2026
- Compare BAH rates — Compare Cincinnati with another duty station
- All Ohio duty stations