Real DoD 2026 BAH rates for all 16 Florida Military Housing Areas, broken down by pay grade and dependency status.
Florida has 16 Military Housing Areas (MHAs) covering every duty location with at least one DoD installation in the state. Rates below are pulled from the official Defense Travel Management Office (DTMO) 2026 tables, effective January 1, 2026, and reflect the across-the-board 4.2% national average increase plus location-specific rental-market adjustments.
The highest 2026 E-5-with-dependents BAH in Florida is $3,969/month in Florida Keys, Fl, while the lowest is $1,824/month in Tallahassee, Fl — a 118% spread that reflects how dramatically housing markets vary even within the same state. PCSing within Florida can change your housing budget by hundreds of dollars per month, so always re-run your BAH the moment your orders drop.
Below is every Florida Military Housing Area with 2026 BAH rates for the most-searched pay grades. Rates show with dependents / without dependents. For grades not shown (E-2, E-3, W-1, W-3, W-4, W-5, O-2, O-7), use the main BAH calculator with your duty ZIP.
| Military Housing Area | E-1 with / no dep | E-5 with / no dep | E-7 with / no dep | W-2 with / no dep | O-1 with / no dep | O-3 with / no dep | O-5 with / no dep |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Florida Keys, Fl | $3,813 / $3,084 | $3,969 / $3,459 | $4,350 / $3,819 | $4,485 / $3,990 | $3,987 / $3,657 | $4,872 / $4,017 | $6,213 / $4,659 |
| Miami/Fort Lauderdale, Fl | $3,459 / $2,661 | $3,660 / $3,048 | $4,026 / $3,465 | $4,131 / $3,690 | $3,687 / $3,252 | $4,437 / $3,738 | $5,763 / $4,323 |
| West Palm Beach, Fl | $3,189 / $2,409 | $3,423 / $2,763 | $3,738 / $3,198 | $3,798 / $3,462 | $3,453 / $2,952 | $3,975 / $3,534 | $4,782 / $3,822 |
| Tampa, Fl | $2,520 / $1,932 | $2,709 / $2,187 | $3,066 / $2,526 | $3,072 / $2,778 | $2,757 / $2,328 | $3,081 / $2,919 | $3,390 / $3,057 |
| Fort Myers Beach, Fl | $2,553 / $2,094 | $2,694 / $2,295 | $2,994 / $2,556 | $3,027 / $2,742 | $2,730 / $2,406 | $3,129 / $2,835 | $3,504 / $3,036 |
| Fort Pierce, Fl | $2,499 / $2,004 | $2,691 / $2,193 | $2,916 / $2,505 | $2,958 / $2,721 | $2,715 / $2,301 | $3,078 / $2,772 | $3,648 / $2,970 |
| Orlando, Fl | $2,454 / $1,842 | $2,658 / $2,103 | $2,982 / $2,460 | $2,988 / $2,721 | $2,700 / $2,247 | $2,997 / $2,847 | $3,255 / $2,970 |
| Patrick Sfb, Fl | $2,325 / $1,845 | $2,502 / $2,037 | $2,907 / $2,331 | $2,913 / $2,580 | $2,553 / $2,148 | $2,922 / $2,742 | $3,267 / $2,892 |
| Eglin Afb, Fl | $2,340 / $2,007 | $2,433 / $2,157 | $2,841 / $2,340 | $2,985 / $2,454 | $2,451 / $2,244 | $3,399 / $2,592 | $3,612 / $3,066 |
| Ocala, Fl | $2,205 / $1,785 | $2,370 / $1,944 | $2,409 / $2,211 | $2,415 / $2,379 | $2,382 / $2,037 | $2,439 / $2,394 | $2,922 / $2,409 |
| Volusia County, Fl | $2,112 / $1,647 | $2,286 / $1,833 | $2,544 / $2,118 | $2,565 / $2,331 | $2,319 / $1,938 | $2,634 / $2,415 | $2,970 / $2,565 |
| Jacksonville, Fl | $2,046 / $1,623 | $2,181 / $1,803 | $2,283 / $2,049 | $2,301 / $2,196 | $2,196 / $1,908 | $2,364 / $2,211 | $2,736 / $2,301 |
| Panama City, Fl | $2,058 / $1,713 | $2,163 / $1,863 | $2,538 / $2,058 | $2,580 / $2,220 | $2,202 / $1,953 | $2,709 / $2,337 | $3,060 / $2,595 |
| Gainesville, Fl | $1,986 / $1,572 | $2,040 / $1,800 | $2,478 / $1,983 | $2,532 / $2,106 | $2,085 / $1,929 | $2,697 / $2,238 | $3,276 / $2,556 |
| Pensacola, Fl | $1,794 / $1,521 | $1,863 / $1,644 | $2,256 / $1,791 | $2,262 / $1,938 | $1,914 / $1,719 | $2,271 / $2,097 | $2,610 / $2,244 |
| Tallahassee, Fl | $1,779 / $1,443 | $1,824 / $1,626 | $2,250 / $1,782 | $2,334 / $1,875 | $1,860 / $1,731 | $2,580 / $2,010 | $3,099 / $2,376 |
Source: 2026 DoD BAH tables published by the Defense Travel Management Office (DTMO), effective January 1, 2026. Verify your exact rate by ZIP code at defensetravel.dod.mil.
BAH (Basic Allowance for Housing) is a non-taxable monthly stipend paid to service members who do not live in government quarters. The rate is set by your duty-station ZIP code (mapped to a Military Housing Area), your pay grade, and your dependency status (with or without dependents). The amount is calibrated annually to cover the median rental cost — including utilities and renter's insurance — for the housing profile assigned to your rank in your area.
Florida hosts 12 active-duty installations that drive most of the state's BAH demand. Each has its own MHA assignment, so rates near each base reflect that local rental market — not a state average.
If your duty station isn't in the table above, use the BAH calculator with your duty ZIP — DTMO maps each ZIP to its parent MHA automatically.
Florida has no state income tax — military pay, BAH, BAS, retirement, and VA disability are all state-tax-free.
Florida is one of nine states without an income tax, making it a popular state of legal residence for service members. If you claim Florida residency under SCRA, you owe Florida no income tax regardless of where you're stationed. There is no state return to file. Property tax homestead exemptions are also available to Florida-resident veterans, with additional exemptions for combat-disabled veterans.
This is general information, not tax advice. State tax law changes frequently — verify your current-year situation with the Florida Department of Revenue (or equivalent), the IRS, or a qualified tax professional. Service members claiming residency in a different state under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) are taxed only by their state of legal residence, regardless of where they're stationed. Civilian-spouse income protections under the Military Spouse Residency Relief Act (MSRRA) may also apply.
The top 5 most-expensive Florida Military Housing Areas by 2026 E-5-with-dependents BAH:
E-5: $3,969 with / $3,459 without dependents · E-7: $4,350 / $3,819 · O-3: $4,872 / $4,017
E-5: $3,660 with / $3,048 without dependents · E-7: $4,026 / $3,465 · O-3: $4,437 / $3,738
E-5: $3,423 with / $2,763 without dependents · E-7: $3,738 / $3,198 · O-3: $3,975 / $3,534
E-5: $2,709 with / $2,187 without dependents · E-7: $3,066 / $2,526 · O-3: $3,081 / $2,919
E-5: $2,694 with / $2,295 without dependents · E-7: $2,994 / $2,556 · O-3: $3,129 / $2,835
If you have flexibility on duty-station preferences during your next assignment cycle, these areas pay the highest housing allowance — but housing supply is also the tightest, so rate alone shouldn't drive the decision.
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