San Francisco, CA BAH Rates
2026 Basic Allowance for Housing rates for San Francisco, California (MHA: CA019).
| Pay Grade | With Dependents | Without Dependents |
|---|---|---|
| E-1 (Private/Seaman Recruit) | $4,764 | $3,573 |
| E-2 (Private/Seaman Apprentice) | $4,764 | $3,573 |
| E-3 (PFC/Seaman) | $4,764 | $3,573 |
| E-4 (Specialist/Corporal) | $4,764 | $3,573 |
| E-5 (Sergeant) | $5,127 | $4,086 |
| E-6 (Staff Sergeant) | $5,454 | $4,443 |
| E-7 (Sergeant First Class) | $5,490 | $4,782 |
| E-8 (Master Sergeant) | $5,529 | $5,196 |
| E-9 (Sergeant Major) | $5,799 | $5,286 |
| W-1 (Warrant Officer) | $5,472 | $4,644 |
| W-2 (Chief Warrant Officer 2) | $5,505 | $5,193 |
| W-3 (Chief Warrant Officer 3) | $5,559 | $5,301 |
| W-4 (Chief Warrant Officer 4) | $5,892 | $5,454 |
| W-5 (Chief Warrant Officer 5) | $6,297 | $5,496 |
| O-1E (2LT/ENS w/ >4yr Enlisted) | $5,493 | $5,124 |
| O-2E (1LT/LTJG w/ >4yr Enlisted) | $5,547 | $5,268 |
| O-3E (CPT/LT w/ >4yr Enlisted) | $5,955 | $5,445 |
| O-1 (Second Lieutenant/Ensign) | $5,172 | $4,401 |
| O-2 (First Lieutenant/LTJG) | $5,451 | $5,007 |
| O-3 (Captain/Lieutenant) | $5,556 | $5,331 |
| O-4 (Major/LCDR) | $6,444 | $5,481 |
| O-5 (Lieutenant Colonel/CDR) | $7,089 | $5,499 |
| O-6 (Colonel/Captain) | $7,155 | $5,532 |
| O-7 (Brigadier General/RDML) | $7,215 | $5,634 |
San Francisco, CA — BAH Rate Snapshot
2026 monthly BAH rates with dependents across key pay grades. Rates range from $4,764 to $7,089 — a $2,325 spread.
Highlighted bars show commonly referenced pay grades (E-5, O-3). All rates are 2026 DoD BAH figures for San Francisco, CA.
BAH Rate History (Estimated)
BAH Rate History — E-5 in San Francisco, CA
With Dependents • 2022–2026 (+$330 / +6.9%)
* Rates sourced from official DoD BAH rate publications for each year.
San Francisco vs. Nearby CA Duty Stations
E-5 with dependents BAH comparison. San Francisco has the highest rate among compared stations.
About BAH in San Francisco, CA
The 2026 Basic Allowance for Housing rate for San Francisco, California reflects the local cost of rental housing in the CA019 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 San Francisco, the monthly BAH rate is $5,127, which comes to $61,524 per year. Without dependents, the same pay grade receives $4,086 per month.
BAH Rates by Rank in San Francisco
View San Francisco 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 San Francisco 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 San Francisco rates changed from 2022 to 2026
- Compare BAH rates — Compare San Francisco with another duty station
- All California duty stations