Rapid City/Ellsworth Afb, SD BAH Rates
2026 Basic Allowance for Housing rates for Rapid City/Ellsworth Afb, South Dakota (MHA: SD264).
| Pay Grade | With Dependents | Without Dependents |
|---|---|---|
| E-1 (Private/Seaman Recruit) | $1,800 | $1,440 |
| E-2 (Private/Seaman Apprentice) | $1,800 | $1,440 |
| E-3 (PFC/Seaman) | $1,800 | $1,440 |
| E-4 (Specialist/Corporal) | $1,800 | $1,440 |
| E-5 (Sergeant) | $1,986 | $1,545 |
| E-6 (Staff Sergeant) | $2,211 | $1,656 |
| E-7 (Sergeant First Class) | $2,307 | $1,806 |
| E-8 (Master Sergeant) | $2,409 | $2,037 |
| E-9 (Sergeant Major) | $2,538 | $2,094 |
| W-1 (Warrant Officer) | $2,229 | $1,746 |
| W-2 (Chief Warrant Officer 2) | $2,349 | $2,034 |
| W-3 (Chief Warrant Officer 3) | $2,478 | $2,103 |
| W-4 (Chief Warrant Officer 4) | $2,559 | $2,226 |
| W-5 (Chief Warrant Officer 5) | $2,664 | $2,328 |
| O-1E (2LT/ENS w/ >4yr Enlisted) | $2,322 | $1,983 |
| O-2E (1LT/LTJG w/ >4yr Enlisted) | $2,457 | $2,082 |
| O-3E (CPT/LT w/ >4yr Enlisted) | $2,574 | $2,202 |
| O-1 (Second Lieutenant/Ensign) | $2,022 | $1,614 |
| O-2 (First Lieutenant/LTJG) | $2,208 | $1,929 |
| O-3 (Captain/Lieutenant) | $2,475 | $2,124 |
| O-4 (Major/LCDR) | $2,691 | $2,304 |
| O-5 (Lieutenant Colonel/CDR) | $2,850 | $2,361 |
| O-6 (Colonel/Captain) | $2,871 | $2,457 |
| O-7 (Brigadier General/RDML) | $2,889 | $2,496 |
Rapid City/Ellsworth Afb, SD — BAH Rate Snapshot
2026 monthly BAH rates with dependents across key pay grades. Rates range from $1,800 to $2,850 — a $1,050 spread.
Highlighted bars show commonly referenced pay grades (E-5, O-3). All rates are 2026 DoD BAH figures for Rapid City/Ellsworth Afb, SD.
BAH Rate History (Estimated)
BAH Rate History — E-5 in Rapid City/Ellsworth Afb, SD
With Dependents • 2022–2026 (+$525 / +35.9%)
* Rates sourced from official DoD BAH rate publications for each year.
Rapid City/Ellsworth Afb vs. Nearby SD Duty Stations
E-5 with dependents BAH comparison. Rapid City/Ellsworth Afb has the highest rate among compared stations.
About BAH in Rapid City/Ellsworth Afb, SD
The 2026 Basic Allowance for Housing rate for Rapid City/Ellsworth Afb, South Dakota reflects the local cost of rental housing in the SD264 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 Rapid City/Ellsworth Afb, the monthly BAH rate is $1,986, which comes to $23,832 per year. Without dependents, the same pay grade receives $1,545 per month.
BAH Rates by Rank in Rapid City/Ellsworth Afb
View Rapid City/Ellsworth Afb 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 Rapid City/Ellsworth Afb 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 Rapid City/Ellsworth Afb rates changed from 2022 to 2026
- Compare BAH rates — Compare Rapid City/Ellsworth Afb with another duty station
- All South Dakota duty stations