Wilmington, NC BAH Rates
2026 Basic Allowance for Housing rates for Wilmington, North Carolina (MHA: NC186).
| Pay Grade | With Dependents | Without Dependents |
|---|---|---|
| E-1 (Private/Seaman Recruit) | $1,932 | $1,491 |
| E-2 (Private/Seaman Apprentice) | $1,932 | $1,491 |
| E-3 (PFC/Seaman) | $1,932 | $1,491 |
| E-4 (Specialist/Corporal) | $1,932 | $1,491 |
| E-5 (Sergeant) | $2,040 | $1,701 |
| E-6 (Staff Sergeant) | $2,502 | $1,878 |
| E-7 (Sergeant First Class) | $2,547 | $1,932 |
| E-8 (Master Sergeant) | $2,595 | $2,136 |
| E-9 (Sergeant Major) | $2,736 | $2,271 |
| W-1 (Warrant Officer) | $2,523 | $1,905 |
| W-2 (Chief Warrant Officer 2) | $2,568 | $2,133 |
| W-3 (Chief Warrant Officer 3) | $2,631 | $2,289 |
| W-4 (Chief Warrant Officer 4) | $2,775 | $2,508 |
| W-5 (Chief Warrant Officer 5) | $2,958 | $2,559 |
| O-1E (2LT/ENS w/ >4yr Enlisted) | $2,553 | $2,037 |
| O-2E (1LT/LTJG w/ >4yr Enlisted) | $2,619 | $2,241 |
| O-3E (CPT/LT w/ >4yr Enlisted) | $2,805 | $2,496 |
| O-1 (Second Lieutenant/Ensign) | $2,100 | $1,818 |
| O-2 (First Lieutenant/LTJG) | $2,496 | $2,007 |
| O-3 (Captain/Lieutenant) | $2,628 | $2,334 |
| O-4 (Major/LCDR) | $3,018 | $2,541 |
| O-5 (Lieutenant Colonel/CDR) | $3,303 | $2,565 |
| O-6 (Colonel/Captain) | $3,327 | $2,607 |
| O-7 (Brigadier General/RDML) | $3,351 | $2,652 |
Wilmington, NC — BAH Rate Snapshot
2026 monthly BAH rates with dependents across key pay grades. Rates range from $1,932 to $3,303 — a $1,371 spread.
Highlighted bars show commonly referenced pay grades (E-5, O-3). All rates are 2026 DoD BAH figures for Wilmington, NC.
BAH Rate History (Estimated)
BAH Rate History — E-5 in Wilmington, NC
With Dependents • 2022–2026 (+$426 / +26.4%)
* Rates sourced from official DoD BAH rate publications for each year.
Wilmington vs. Nearby NC Duty Stations
E-5 with dependents BAH comparison. Wilmington ranks #5 — $564/mo less than Outer Banks.
About BAH in Wilmington, NC
The 2026 Basic Allowance for Housing rate for Wilmington, North Carolina reflects the local cost of rental housing in the NC186 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 Wilmington, the monthly BAH rate is $2,040, which comes to $24,480 per year. Without dependents, the same pay grade receives $1,701 per month.
BAH Rates by Rank in Wilmington
View Wilmington 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 Wilmington 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 Wilmington rates changed from 2022 to 2026
- Compare BAH rates — Compare Wilmington with another duty station
- All North Carolina duty stations