Lake Charles, LA BAH Rates
2026 Basic Allowance for Housing rates for Lake Charles, Louisiana (MHA: LA370).
| Pay Grade | With Dependents | Without Dependents |
|---|---|---|
| E-1 (Private/Seaman Recruit) | $1,287 | $1,188 |
| E-2 (Private/Seaman Apprentice) | $1,287 | $1,188 |
| E-3 (PFC/Seaman) | $1,287 | $1,188 |
| E-4 (Specialist/Corporal) | $1,287 | $1,188 |
| E-5 (Sergeant) | $1,356 | $1,197 |
| E-6 (Staff Sergeant) | $1,626 | $1,218 |
| E-7 (Sergeant First Class) | $1,755 | $1,317 |
| E-8 (Master Sergeant) | $1,893 | $1,419 |
| E-9 (Sergeant Major) | $2,061 | $1,545 |
| W-1 (Warrant Officer) | $1,644 | $1,278 |
| W-2 (Chief Warrant Officer 2) | $1,809 | $1,413 |
| W-3 (Chief Warrant Officer 3) | $1,983 | $1,548 |
| W-4 (Chief Warrant Officer 4) | $2,088 | $1,650 |
| W-5 (Chief Warrant Officer 5) | $2,223 | $1,785 |
| O-1E (2LT/ENS w/ >4yr Enlisted) | $1,776 | $1,353 |
| O-2E (1LT/LTJG w/ >4yr Enlisted) | $1,956 | $1,473 |
| O-3E (CPT/LT w/ >4yr Enlisted) | $2,109 | $1,617 |
| O-1 (Second Lieutenant/Ensign) | $1,398 | $1,215 |
| O-2 (First Lieutenant/LTJG) | $1,623 | $1,338 |
| O-3 (Captain/Lieutenant) | $1,977 | $1,551 |
| O-4 (Major/LCDR) | $2,265 | $1,755 |
| O-5 (Lieutenant Colonel/CDR) | $2,472 | $1,854 |
| O-6 (Colonel/Captain) | $2,490 | $1,962 |
| O-7 (Brigadier General/RDML) | $2,502 | $1,992 |
Lake Charles, LA — BAH Rate Snapshot
2026 monthly BAH rates with dependents across key pay grades. Rates range from $1,287 to $2,472 — a $1,185 spread.
Highlighted bars show commonly referenced pay grades (E-5, O-3). All rates are 2026 DoD BAH figures for Lake Charles, LA.
BAH Rate History (Estimated)
BAH Rate History — E-5 in Lake Charles, LA
With Dependents • 2022–2026 ($-255 / -15.8%)
* Rates sourced from official DoD BAH rate publications for each year.
Lake Charles vs. Nearby LA Duty Stations
E-5 with dependents BAH comparison. Lake Charles ranks #5 — $549/mo less than New Orleans.
About BAH in Lake Charles, LA
The 2026 Basic Allowance for Housing rate for Lake Charles, Louisiana reflects the local cost of rental housing in the LA370 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 Lake Charles, the monthly BAH rate is $1,356, which comes to $16,272 per year. Without dependents, the same pay grade receives $1,197 per month.
BAH Rates by Rank in Lake Charles
View Lake Charles 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 Lake Charles 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 Lake Charles rates changed from 2022 to 2026
- Compare BAH rates — Compare Lake Charles with another duty station
- All Louisiana duty stations