Updated February 2026

BAH Rates Des Moines, IA 2026 — Basic Allowance for Housing

Monthly Basic Allowance for Housing rates for the Des Moines military housing area (MHA: IA082), effective January 1, 2026. Use the BAH calculator to estimate your total housing allowance.

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E-5 with Dependents

$1,770

$21,240/year

E-5 without Dependents

$1,359

$16,308/year

O-3 with Dependents

$2,433

$29,196/year

Pay Grade	Monthly Rate	Annual Rate
Enlisted
E-1	$1,593	$19,116
E-2	$1,593	$19,116
E-3	$1,593	$19,116
E-4	$1,593	$19,116
E-5	$1,770	$21,240
E-6	$2,208	$26,496
E-7	$2,292	$27,504
E-8	$2,379	$28,548
E-9	$2,511	$30,132
Warrant Officer
W-1	$2,229	$26,748
W-2	$2,328	$27,936
W-3	$2,436	$29,232
W-4	$2,538	$30,456
W-5	$2,667	$32,004
Commissioned Officer (Prior Enlisted)
O-1E	$2,304	$27,648
O-2E	$2,418	$29,016
O-3E	$2,559	$30,708
Commissioned Officer
O-1	$1,830	$21,960
O-2	$2,205	$26,460
O-3	$2,433	$29,196
O-4	$2,706	$32,472
O-5	$2,904	$34,848
O-6	$2,925	$35,100
O-7	$2,943	$35,316

Pay Grade	Monthly Rate	Annual Rate
Enlisted
E-1	$1,284	$15,408
E-2	$1,284	$15,408
E-3	$1,284	$15,408
E-4	$1,284	$15,408
E-5	$1,359	$16,308
E-6	$1,656	$19,872
E-7	$1,719	$20,628
E-8	$1,863	$22,356
E-9	$1,989	$23,868
Warrant Officer
W-1	$1,674	$20,088
W-2	$1,860	$22,320
W-3	$2,007	$24,084
W-4	$2,223	$26,676
W-5	$2,310	$27,720
Commissioned Officer (Prior Enlisted)
O-1E	$1,767	$21,204
O-2E	$1,962	$23,544
O-3E	$2,202	$26,424
Commissioned Officer
O-1	$1,413	$16,956
O-2	$1,722	$20,664
O-3	$2,049	$24,588
O-4	$2,289	$27,468
O-5	$2,334	$28,008
O-6	$2,415	$28,980
O-7	$2,454	$29,448

28 ZIP codes assigned to this MHA

The following ZIP codes are assigned to the Des Moines (IA082) Military Housing Area:

50007 50009 50021 50032 50035 50073 50111 50131 50169 50226 50237 50243 50265 50266 50309 50310 50311 50312 50313 50314 50315 50316 50317 50320 50321 50322 50323 50325

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the BAH rate for an E-5 in Des Moines?

The 2026 BAH rate for an E-5 with dependents in Des Moines, IA is $1,770 per month ($21,240 per year). Without dependents, the rate is $1,359 per month.

How many ZIP codes are in the Des Moines MHA?

The Des Moines Military Housing Area (IA082) includes 28 ZIP codes.

What is BAH and how is it calculated?

Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) is a U.S. military benefit that provides service members with housing compensation based on their duty station location, pay grade, and dependency status. Rates are set annually by the Department of Defense based on local rental market data.

Data Sources

Defense Travel Management Office — BAH Rates
Rates effective January 1, 2026

Last verified: February 2026

What's Next?

Calculate Total Pay See your full compensation: Base Pay + BAH + BAS Calculate → Take-Home Pay Calculate net pay after taxes and deductions Calculate → GI Bill Benefits BAH determines your GI Bill housing allowance Calculate →

Popular BAH Locations

San Diego, CA$3,975 Norfolk, VA$2,430 San Antonio, TX$1,869 Fort Bragg, NC$1,806 Colorado Springs, CO$2,358 Jacksonville, FL$2,181 Honolulu, HI$3,663 Tacoma, WA$2,556

View all Iowa BAH rates →

How Des Moines, IA BAH compares nationally

BAH for Des Moines, IA comes in below the national average — $1,770/mo for an E-5 with dependents, 22.7% under the $2,289 average across 299 MHAs (218th overall).

This is the only market-priced MHA in the state, so there is no in-state rate to compare against; the nearest benchmark is the national average above.

Across enlisted grades here, having dependents adds an average of $423/mo (27.5%) to the allowance. The with/without-dependents gap is set per location, so it differs from base to base — use the tables above for your exact grade.

Comparisons computed from the official 2026 BAH rate file across all 299 market-priced MHAs (county cost groups excluded). Benchmark grade: E-5 with dependents.