Des Moines, IA BAH Rates
2026 Basic Allowance for Housing rates for Des Moines, Iowa (MHA: IA082).
| Pay Grade | With Dependents | Without Dependents |
|---|---|---|
| E-1 (Private/Seaman Recruit) | $1,593 | $1,284 |
| E-2 (Private/Seaman Apprentice) | $1,593 | $1,284 |
| E-3 (PFC/Seaman) | $1,593 | $1,284 |
| E-4 (Specialist/Corporal) | $1,593 | $1,284 |
| E-5 (Sergeant) | $1,770 | $1,359 |
| E-6 (Staff Sergeant) | $2,208 | $1,656 |
| E-7 (Sergeant First Class) | $2,292 | $1,719 |
| E-8 (Master Sergeant) | $2,379 | $1,863 |
| E-9 (Sergeant Major) | $2,511 | $1,989 |
| W-1 (Warrant Officer) | $2,229 | $1,674 |
| W-2 (Chief Warrant Officer 2) | $2,328 | $1,860 |
| W-3 (Chief Warrant Officer 3) | $2,436 | $2,007 |
| W-4 (Chief Warrant Officer 4) | $2,538 | $2,223 |
| W-5 (Chief Warrant Officer 5) | $2,667 | $2,310 |
| O-1E (2LT/ENS w/ >4yr Enlisted) | $2,304 | $1,767 |
| O-2E (1LT/LTJG w/ >4yr Enlisted) | $2,418 | $1,962 |
| O-3E (CPT/LT w/ >4yr Enlisted) | $2,559 | $2,202 |
| O-1 (Second Lieutenant/Ensign) | $1,830 | $1,413 |
| O-2 (First Lieutenant/LTJG) | $2,205 | $1,722 |
| O-3 (Captain/Lieutenant) | $2,433 | $2,049 |
| O-4 (Major/LCDR) | $2,706 | $2,289 |
| O-5 (Lieutenant Colonel/CDR) | $2,904 | $2,334 |
| O-6 (Colonel/Captain) | $2,925 | $2,415 |
| O-7 (Brigadier General/RDML) | $2,943 | $2,454 |
Des Moines, IA — BAH Rate Snapshot
2026 monthly BAH rates with dependents across key pay grades. Rates range from $1,593 to $2,904 — a $1,311 spread.
Highlighted bars show commonly referenced pay grades (E-5, O-3). All rates are 2026 DoD BAH figures for Des Moines, IA.
BAH Rate History (Estimated)
BAH Rate History — E-5 in Des Moines, IA
With Dependents • 2022–2026 (+$372 / +26.6%)
* Rates sourced from official DoD BAH rate publications for each year.
About BAH in Des Moines, IA
The 2026 Basic Allowance for Housing rate for Des Moines, Iowa reflects the local cost of rental housing in the IA082 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 Des Moines, the monthly BAH rate is $1,770, which comes to $21,240 per year. Without dependents, the same pay grade receives $1,359 per month.
BAH Rates by Rank in Des Moines
View Des Moines 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 Des Moines 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 Des Moines rates changed from 2022 to 2026
- Compare BAH rates — Compare Des Moines with another duty station
- All Iowa duty stations