Real DoD 2026 BAH rates for all 9 Maryland Military Housing Areas, broken down by pay grade and dependency status.
Maryland has 9 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 Maryland is $3,249/month in Indian Head Navordsta, Md, while the lowest is $2,121/month in Eastern Shore, Md — a 53% spread that reflects how dramatically housing markets vary even within the same state. PCSing within Maryland 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 Maryland 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indian Head Navordsta, Md | $3,192 / $2,472 | $3,249 / $2,904 | $3,483 / $3,189 | $3,528 / $3,279 | $3,273 / $3,132 | $3,669 / $3,327 | $4,278 / $3,543 |
| Annapolis, Md | $2,757 / $2,280 | $2,928 / $2,475 | $3,303 / $2,763 | $3,336 / $2,988 | $2,970 / $2,586 | $3,438 / $3,114 | $4,101 / $3,342 |
| Fort G. G. Meade, Md | $2,739 / $2,178 | $2,901 / $2,436 | $3,327 / $2,745 | $3,345 / $2,979 | $2,952 / $2,577 | $3,411 / $3,138 | $4,014 / $3,345 |
| Fort Detrick, Md | $2,466 / $2,016 | $2,682 / $2,160 | $3,132 / $2,472 | $3,162 / $2,760 | $2,733 / $2,247 | $3,255 / $2,922 | $3,804 / $3,168 |
| Baltimore, Md | $2,409 / $1,857 | $2,610 / $2,079 | $2,994 / $2,415 | $3,036 / $2,670 | $2,652 / $2,205 | $3,156 / $2,793 | $3,711 / $3,045 |
| Aberdeen Proving Grounds, Md | $2,268 / $1,875 | $2,478 / $1,986 | $2,862 / $2,274 | $2,916 / $2,535 | $2,517 / $2,055 | $3,072 / $2,643 | $3,630 / $2,934 |
| Oxford, Md | $2,271 / $1,704 | $2,445 / $1,938 | $2,877 / $2,277 | $2,904 / $2,520 | $2,496 / $2,094 | $2,985 / $2,679 | $3,663 / $2,907 |
| Patuxent River, Md | $2,268 / $1,890 | $2,406 / $2,040 | $2,625 / $2,271 | $2,661 / $2,439 | $2,433 / $2,127 | $2,769 / $2,490 | $3,300 / $2,670 |
| Eastern Shore, Md | $1,989 / $1,602 | $2,121 / $1,761 | $2,346 / $1,992 | $2,358 / $2,163 | $2,151 / $1,854 | $2,406 / $2,238 | $2,820 / $2,355 |
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.
Maryland hosts 7 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.
Maryland exempts up to $15,000 of active-duty pay earned outside the U.S. for E-ranks; standard rules otherwise.
Maryland allows up to $15,000 of active-duty military pay earned for service performed outside the U.S. to be subtracted from Maryland AGI for enlisted service members. Officer pay does not qualify for this subtraction. Combat-zone pay is fully exempt. Military retirement is fully exempt from Maryland state income tax (the exemption applies up to a current cap — verify with MD Comptroller).
This is general information, not tax advice. State tax law changes frequently — verify your current-year situation with the Maryland 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 Maryland Military Housing Areas by 2026 E-5-with-dependents BAH:
E-5: $3,249 with / $2,904 without dependents · E-7: $3,483 / $3,189 · O-3: $3,669 / $3,327
E-5: $2,928 with / $2,475 without dependents · E-7: $3,303 / $2,763 · O-3: $3,438 / $3,114
E-5: $2,901 with / $2,436 without dependents · E-7: $3,327 / $2,745 · O-3: $3,411 / $3,138
E-5: $2,682 with / $2,160 without dependents · E-7: $3,132 / $2,472 · O-3: $3,255 / $2,922
E-5: $2,610 with / $2,079 without dependents · E-7: $2,994 / $2,415 · O-3: $3,156 / $2,793
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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