Oakland, CA BAH Rates
2026 Basic Allowance for Housing rates for Oakland, California (MHA: CA018).
| Pay Grade | With Dependents | Without Dependents |
|---|---|---|
| E-1 (Private/Seaman Recruit) | $3,471 | $2,667 |
| E-2 (Private/Seaman Apprentice) | $3,471 | $2,667 |
| E-3 (PFC/Seaman) | $3,471 | $2,667 |
| E-4 (Specialist/Corporal) | $3,471 | $2,667 |
| E-5 (Sergeant) | $3,759 | $3,000 |
| E-6 (Staff Sergeant) | $4,113 | $3,213 |
| E-7 (Sergeant First Class) | $4,203 | $3,483 |
| E-8 (Master Sergeant) | $4,299 | $3,834 |
| E-9 (Sergeant Major) | $4,488 | $3,933 |
| W-1 (Warrant Officer) | $4,134 | $3,378 |
| W-2 (Chief Warrant Officer 2) | $4,242 | $3,831 |
| W-3 (Chief Warrant Officer 3) | $4,365 | $3,948 |
| W-4 (Chief Warrant Officer 4) | $4,533 | $4,131 |
| W-5 (Chief Warrant Officer 5) | $4,740 | $4,224 |
| O-1E (2LT/ENS w/ >4yr Enlisted) | $4,218 | $3,756 |
| O-2E (1LT/LTJG w/ >4yr Enlisted) | $4,344 | $3,912 |
| O-3E (CPT/LT w/ >4yr Enlisted) | $4,566 | $4,107 |
| O-1 (Second Lieutenant/Ensign) | $3,807 | $3,180 |
| O-2 (First Lieutenant/LTJG) | $4,110 | $3,666 |
| O-3 (Captain/Lieutenant) | $4,362 | $3,981 |
| O-4 (Major/LCDR) | $4,809 | $4,203 |
| O-5 (Lieutenant Colonel/CDR) | $5,133 | $4,254 |
| O-6 (Colonel/Captain) | $5,178 | $4,341 |
| O-7 (Brigadier General/RDML) | $5,220 | $4,419 |
Oakland, CA — BAH Rate Snapshot
2026 monthly BAH rates with dependents across key pay grades. Rates range from $3,471 to $5,133 — a $1,662 spread.
Highlighted bars show commonly referenced pay grades (E-5, O-3). All rates are 2026 DoD BAH figures for Oakland, CA.
BAH Rate History (Estimated)
BAH Rate History — E-5 in Oakland, CA
With Dependents • 2022–2026 (+$642 / +20.6%)
* Rates sourced from official DoD BAH rate publications for each year.
Oakland vs. Nearby CA Duty Stations
E-5 with dependents BAH comparison. Oakland ranks #5 — $1,368/mo less than San Francisco.
About BAH in Oakland, CA
The 2026 Basic Allowance for Housing rate for Oakland, California reflects the local cost of rental housing in the CA018 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 Oakland, the monthly BAH rate is $3,759, which comes to $45,108 per year. Without dependents, the same pay grade receives $3,000 per month.
BAH Rates by Rank in Oakland
View Oakland 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 Oakland 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 Oakland rates changed from 2022 to 2026
- Compare BAH rates — Compare Oakland with another duty station
- All California duty stations