New Orleans, LA BAH Rates
2026 Basic Allowance for Housing rates for New Orleans, Louisiana (MHA: LA116).
| Pay Grade | With Dependents | Without Dependents |
|---|---|---|
| E-1 (Private/Seaman Recruit) | $1,779 | $1,473 |
| E-2 (Private/Seaman Apprentice) | $1,779 | $1,473 |
| E-3 (PFC/Seaman) | $1,779 | $1,473 |
| E-4 (Specialist/Corporal) | $1,779 | $1,473 |
| E-5 (Sergeant) | $1,905 | $1,581 |
| E-6 (Staff Sergeant) | $2,373 | $1,779 |
| E-7 (Sergeant First Class) | $2,439 | $1,830 |
| E-8 (Master Sergeant) | $2,508 | $2,004 |
| E-9 (Sergeant Major) | $2,634 | $2,139 |
| W-1 (Warrant Officer) | $2,394 | $1,797 |
| W-2 (Chief Warrant Officer 2) | $2,466 | $2,001 |
| W-3 (Chief Warrant Officer 3) | $2,556 | $2,157 |
| W-4 (Chief Warrant Officer 4) | $2,664 | $2,385 |
| W-5 (Chief Warrant Officer 5) | $2,805 | $2,454 |
| O-1E (2LT/ENS w/ >4yr Enlisted) | $2,448 | $1,902 |
| O-2E (1LT/LTJG w/ >4yr Enlisted) | $2,541 | $2,109 |
| O-3E (CPT/LT w/ >4yr Enlisted) | $2,688 | $2,367 |
| O-1 (Second Lieutenant/Ensign) | $1,968 | $1,650 |
| O-2 (First Lieutenant/LTJG) | $2,370 | $1,866 |
| O-3 (Captain/Lieutenant) | $2,553 | $2,202 |
| O-4 (Major/LCDR) | $2,847 | $2,436 |
| O-5 (Lieutenant Colonel/CDR) | $3,060 | $2,472 |
| O-6 (Colonel/Captain) | $3,084 | $2,532 |
| O-7 (Brigadier General/RDML) | $3,105 | $2,574 |
New Orleans, LA — BAH Rate Snapshot
2026 monthly BAH rates with dependents across key pay grades. Rates range from $1,779 to $3,060 — a $1,281 spread.
Highlighted bars show commonly referenced pay grades (E-5, O-3). All rates are 2026 DoD BAH figures for New Orleans, LA.
BAH Rate History (Estimated)
BAH Rate History — E-5 in New Orleans, LA
With Dependents • 2022–2026 (+$261 / +15.9%)
* Rates sourced from official DoD BAH rate publications for each year.
New Orleans vs. Nearby LA Duty Stations
E-5 with dependents BAH comparison. New Orleans has the highest rate among compared stations.
About BAH in New Orleans, LA
The 2026 Basic Allowance for Housing rate for New Orleans, Louisiana reflects the local cost of rental housing in the LA116 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 New Orleans, the monthly BAH rate is $1,905, which comes to $22,860 per year. Without dependents, the same pay grade receives $1,581 per month.
BAH Rates by Rank in New Orleans
View New Orleans 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 New Orleans 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 New Orleans rates changed from 2022 to 2026
- Compare BAH rates — Compare New Orleans with another duty station
- All Louisiana duty stations