Meridian, MS BAH Rates
2026 Basic Allowance for Housing rates for Meridian, Mississippi (MHA: MS171).
| Pay Grade | With Dependents | Without Dependents |
|---|---|---|
| E-1 (Private/Seaman Recruit) | $1,194 | $1,032 |
| E-2 (Private/Seaman Apprentice) | $1,194 | $1,032 |
| E-3 (PFC/Seaman) | $1,194 | $1,032 |
| E-4 (Specialist/Corporal) | $1,194 | $1,032 |
| E-5 (Sergeant) | $1,290 | $1,062 |
| E-6 (Staff Sergeant) | $1,545 | $1,155 |
| E-7 (Sergeant First Class) | $1,692 | $1,269 |
| E-8 (Master Sergeant) | $1,854 | $1,392 |
| E-9 (Sergeant Major) | $2,028 | $1,521 |
| W-1 (Warrant Officer) | $1,563 | $1,173 |
| W-2 (Chief Warrant Officer 2) | $1,758 | $1,344 |
| W-3 (Chief Warrant Officer 3) | $1,959 | $1,524 |
| W-4 (Chief Warrant Officer 4) | $2,052 | $1,572 |
| W-5 (Chief Warrant Officer 5) | $2,169 | $1,728 |
| O-1E (2LT/ENS w/ >4yr Enlisted) | $1,722 | $1,293 |
| O-2E (1LT/LTJG w/ >4yr Enlisted) | $1,929 | $1,446 |
| O-3E (CPT/LT w/ >4yr Enlisted) | $2,070 | $1,554 |
| O-1 (Second Lieutenant/Ensign) | $1,329 | $1,092 |
| O-2 (First Lieutenant/LTJG) | $1,542 | $1,272 |
| O-3 (Captain/Lieutenant) | $1,953 | $1,527 |
| O-4 (Major/LCDR) | $2,202 | $1,698 |
| O-5 (Lieutenant Colonel/CDR) | $2,382 | $1,788 |
| O-6 (Colonel/Captain) | $2,400 | $1,938 |
| O-7 (Brigadier General/RDML) | $2,412 | $1,968 |
Meridian, MS — BAH Rate Snapshot
2026 monthly BAH rates with dependents across key pay grades. Rates range from $1,194 to $2,382 — a $1,188 spread.
Highlighted bars show commonly referenced pay grades (E-5, O-3). All rates are 2026 DoD BAH figures for Meridian, MS.
BAH Rate History (Estimated)
BAH Rate History — E-5 in Meridian, MS
With Dependents • 2022–2026 (+$273 / +26.8%)
* Rates sourced from official DoD BAH rate publications for each year.
Meridian vs. Nearby MS Duty Stations
E-5 with dependents BAH comparison. Meridian ranks #5 — $630/mo less than Jackson.
About BAH in Meridian, MS
The 2026 Basic Allowance for Housing rate for Meridian, Mississippi reflects the local cost of rental housing in the MS171 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 Meridian, the monthly BAH rate is $1,290, which comes to $15,480 per year. Without dependents, the same pay grade receives $1,062 per month.
BAH Rates by Rank in Meridian
View Meridian 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 Meridian 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 Meridian rates changed from 2022 to 2026
- Compare BAH rates — Compare Meridian with another duty station
- All Mississippi duty stations