Joint Base Andrews sits in the Washington, DC Metro Area Military Housing Area, one of the highest-paying BAH localities in the country. The question that matters isn’t the rate — it’s the gap between the rate and what housing actually costs in each town families choose. This page does that math.
The one rule that drives everything: BAH is set by your duty station’s housing area, not by where you live. Every ZIP in the DC Metro MHA pays identically — so a family stationed at Andrews collects the same allowance whether they rent in pricey Alexandria or in Waldorf. Living south, where rents drop, is how families turn BAH into a monthly surplus.
2026 BAH rates at Joint Base Andrews
Rates below are effective January 1, 2026, set by the Defense Travel Management Office. Always confirm your exact grade on the official DoD BAH calculator before signing a lease.
| Pay grade | With dependents | Without dependents |
|---|---|---|
| E-4 | $3,096/mo | — |
| E-5 | $3,132/mo | $2,832/mo |
| E-6 | $3,759/mo | — |
| E-7 | $3,855/mo | — |
| O-3 | $4,020/mo | — |
The 2026 E-5 with-dependents rate rose about 6.1% over 2025 — better than the 4.2% national average increase. Two fine-print items: BAH covers roughly 95% of DoD-calculated housing costs (members absorb roughly $95–$210/month out of pocket by design), and rate protection means your personal rate won’t drop if published rates fall while you stay put. BAH is not taxed.
The town-by-town surplus math
Using an E-5 with dependents ($3,132) renting a 3BR single-family home, and typical asking rents as of mid-2026:
| Town | Drive to JBA | Typical 3BR SFH rent | Monthly surplus (E-5 w/dep) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clinton | 10–15 min | $2,400–$2,900 | +$230 to +$730 |
| Waldorf | 20–30 min | $2,500–$3,000 | +$130 to +$630 |
| Fort Washington | 20–25 min | $2,500–$3,000 | +$130 to +$630 |
| Upper Marlboro | 15–25 min | $2,600–$3,200 | –$70 to +$530 |
| Bowie | 25–35 min | $2,800–$3,400 | –$270 to +$330 |
For reference, HUD’s fair-market rent for a 2-bedroom across this area runs roughly $2,200–$2,500 — meaning even the E-5 with-dependents rate clears a 2BR nearly everywhere in the region, and an E-6 or above clears most single-family homes with room to spare.
What the table really says: Clinton maximizes surplus and minimizes commute, but you’re trading for older housing stock. Waldorf costs a bit more in drive time and buys noticeably more house — most families with kids land here or in Upper Marlboro. Bowie is the “paying for schools” option: the surplus mostly disappears, and that’s the point.
Renting vs. using BAH on a mortgage
With a VA loan (zero down, no PMI), an E-6’s $3,759 supports a purchase in the $450,000 range — right at Waldorf’s median sale price, where homes now sit on the market 60+ days and sellers negotiate. The catch on a 3-year tour is the exit: a flat market means you can’t count on selling quickly at a profit, so buy only if you’d be comfortable becoming a landlord at PCS time. Our rent-vs-buy guide for a 3-year Andrews tour runs the full numbers.
Three mistakes families make with DC-area BAH
- House-hunting north first. The same BAH that struggles in Alexandria is comfortable in Charles County. Start your search south of the base and work north only if commute or schools demand it.
- Anchoring on the with-dependents rate when single. The E-5 single rate ($2,832) still covers a 2BR almost anywhere here — but roommates in Clinton turn it into real savings.
- Ignoring the January reset. Rates change every January 1. If you sign a 12-month lease in November priced to the last dollar of this year’s BAH, a rate cut won’t lower your rent (protection covers you), but a raise won’t hit until the new year either. Leave buffer.
Bottom line: at Andrews, BAH is genuinely strong — the DC Metro rate ranks in the top 15% of housing areas nationwide. Families who live south of the base in Charles County routinely bank $300–600 a month of it. The families who break even chose north.
Next: Waldorf vs. Clinton vs. Upper Marlboro compared in detail · The complete Andrews off-base housing guide
Andrews BAH: quick answers
Is BAH taxed? No. BAH is a non-taxable allowance — $3,132 in BAH is worth meaningfully more than $3,132 in salary. It also isn’t reported as income on most rental applications’ income multiples, so bring your LES when applying and point landlords to the total entitlement.
Does my BAH change if I live in a cheaper town? No — and this is the whole game. BAH is set by your duty station’s housing area, not your address. A family stationed at Andrews collects the identical rate living in Alexandria or in Waldorf. Choosing a lower-rent town converts the difference into monthly cash.
What is the 2026 BAH at Andrews for my grade? With dependents: E-4 $3,096 · E-5 $3,132 · E-6 $3,759 · E-7 $3,855 · O-3 $4,020. Without dependents, rates run lower (E-5: $2,832). Rates took effect January 1, 2026; confirm your exact grade and status on the official DoD BAH calculator.
Do I keep my rate if BAH goes down next year? Yes — rate protection means your individual BAH doesn’t decrease while you stay at the same duty station with the same status. If published rates rise, you get the increase; if they fall, you keep your current rate.
Does BAH cover utilities? By design, yes — BAH is calculated to cover about 95% of median rent plus utilities for your grade’s housing profile. In practice, members absorb roughly $95–$210/month out of pocket at the national level, so budget as if utilities are partly on you.
When do BAH rates change? Every January 1. New rates are typically published by the Defense Travel Management Office in mid-December. If you’re signing a lease in the fall, leave buffer rather than pricing to the last dollar of the current year’s rate.
Is Andrews BAH higher than nearby bases? Andrews uses the Washington, DC Metro rates — among the highest in the country. But note NSF Indian Head, 30 minutes south, is its own housing area and actually pays E-5s more ($3,249 vs. $3,132 with dependents) against lower local rents. Details in our Indian Head guide.
What happens to BAH if I live on base? If you accept privatized on-base housing (Liberty Park at Andrews), your BAH is paid to the housing operator as rent. The surplus math on this page only applies when you live off base.
Sources: DTMO 2026 BAH tables; HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rents; local rental listings surveyed July 2026. Rates verified at publication — confirm your grade at the official DoD BAH calculator.