Updated February 2026

BAH Rates Allentown/Bethlehem, PA 2026 — Basic Allowance for Housing

Monthly Basic Allowance for Housing rates for the Allentown/Bethlehem military housing area (MHA: PA255), effective January 1, 2026. Use the BAH calculator to estimate your total housing allowance.

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E-5 with Dependents

$2,373

$28,476/year

E-5 without Dependents

$2,001

$24,012/year

O-3 with Dependents

$2,880

$34,560/year

Pay Grade	Monthly Rate	Annual Rate
Enlisted
E-1	$2,259	$27,108
E-2	$2,259	$27,108
E-3	$2,259	$27,108
E-4	$2,259	$27,108
E-5	$2,373	$28,476
E-6	$2,841	$34,092
E-7	$2,865	$34,380
E-8	$2,874	$34,488
E-9	$2,955	$35,460
Warrant Officer
W-1	$2,862	$34,344
W-2	$2,871	$34,452
W-3	$2,883	$34,596
W-4	$2,991	$35,892
W-5	$3,156	$37,872
Commissioned Officer (Prior Enlisted)
O-1E	$2,868	$34,416
O-2E	$2,877	$34,524
O-3E	$3,015	$36,180
Commissioned Officer
O-1	$2,436	$29,232
O-2	$2,835	$34,020
O-3	$2,880	$34,560
O-4	$3,207	$38,484
O-5	$3,465	$41,580
O-6	$3,492	$41,904
O-7	$3,516	$42,192

Pay Grade	Monthly Rate	Annual Rate
Enlisted
E-1	$1,749	$20,988
E-2	$1,749	$20,988
E-3	$1,749	$20,988
E-4	$1,749	$20,988
E-5	$2,001	$24,012
E-6	$2,151	$25,812
E-7	$2,262	$27,144
E-8	$2,472	$29,664
E-9	$2,607	$31,284
Warrant Officer
W-1	$2,232	$26,784
W-2	$2,469	$29,628
W-3	$2,625	$31,500
W-4	$2,838	$34,056
W-5	$2,850	$34,200
Commissioned Officer (Prior Enlisted)
O-1E	$2,370	$28,440
O-2E	$2,577	$30,924
O-3E	$2,835	$34,020
Commissioned Officer
O-1	$2,142	$25,704
O-2	$2,340	$28,080
O-3	$2,670	$32,040
O-4	$2,841	$34,092
O-5	$2,853	$34,236
O-6	$2,856	$34,272
O-7	$2,883	$34,596

48 ZIP codes assigned to this MHA

The following ZIP codes are assigned to the Allentown/Bethlehem (PA255) Military Housing Area:

16242 18011 18013 18014 18015 18017 18018 18020 18031 18032 18034 18035 18036 18037 18038 18040 18042 18045 18049 18051 18052 18053 18055 18059 18062 18063 18064 18066 18067 18069 18072 18078 18079 18080 18083 18085 18086 18087 18088 18091 18092 18101 18102 18103 18104 18106 18343 18351

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the BAH rate for an E-5 in Allentown/Bethlehem?

The 2026 BAH rate for an E-5 with dependents in Allentown/Bethlehem, PA is $2,373 per month ($28,476 per year). Without dependents, the rate is $2,001 per month.

How many ZIP codes are in the Allentown/Bethlehem MHA?

The Allentown/Bethlehem Military Housing Area (PA255) includes 48 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 Pennsylvania BAH rates →

How Allentown/Bethlehem, PA BAH compares nationally

BAH here tracks closely with the national picture — an E-5 with dependents draws $2,373/mo against a national MHA average of $2,289 (109th of 299 MHAs). Neither a windfall nor a squeeze; your allowance should roughly match the local rental market's middle.

Statewide, this ranks 2nd of 7 MHAs — between Willow Grove, PA ($2,934/mo, highest) and Erie, PA ($1,464/mo, lowest) for an E-5 with dependents.

Across enlisted grades here, having dependents adds an average of $495/mo (24.8%) 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.