What is the Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH)?

The Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) is a critical financial support provided to active-duty members of the U.S. military. It is designed to assist service members in covering housing expenses when they are stationed away from their permanent residences. The amount of BAH a service member receives is influenced by several factors, including their rank, whether they have dependents, and their specific duty location. This ensures that the allowance is tailored to match the local housing market conditions in Massachusetts.

Each year, the Department of Defense reviews and updates BAH rates to account for changes in housing costs. Below, you’ll find the latest BAH rates for Massachusetts, making it straightforward to determine the allowance that aligns with your rank and dependent status.

How BAH Rates Are Determined

BAH rates are calculated based on key factors to ensure fairness and adequacy:

• Location: Housing costs can vary significantly across different regions of Massachusetts, resulting in different BAH rates for each Military Housing Area (MHA).
• Rank: Higher-ranking service members receive larger allowances to reflect their increased responsibilities and housing needs.
• Dependents: Service members with dependents are eligible for higher BAH rates to accommodate their families appropriately.

The primary objective of BAH is to provide military personnel with the financial means to secure suitable and affordable housing within their assigned areas, promoting comfort and stability during their service in Massachusetts.

How to Use the BAH Charts

To determine your monthly BAH:

1. Identify your assigned Military Housing Area (MHA).
2. Locate your pay grade (rank) in the provided chart.
3. Determine if you have dependents.

By following these steps, you can easily find the appropriate housing allowance, facilitating effective financial planning during your assignment in Massachusetts.

2025 Massachusetts BAH Rate Charts

In 2025, BAH rates in Massachusetts have been adjusted in line with the national average increase of approximately 5.4%. This annual adjustment by the Department of Defense ensures that allowances remain competitive with local housing costs, providing necessary financial support for service members seeking off-base accommodations.

Below are the updated BAH rate charts for key Massachusetts Military Housing Areas (MHAs). Utilize these tables to quickly ascertain your housing allowance based on your rank and dependent status.

NANTUCKET, MA BAH Rates

Military Housing Area: MA119

BAH for NANTUCKET, MA includes the following zip codes: 2554, 2564, 2584

BOSTON, MA BAH Rates

Military Housing Area: MA120

BAH for BOSTON, MA includes the following zip codes: 1701, 1702, 1703, 1704, 1705, 1721, 1745, 1746, 1748, 1760, 1770, 1772, 1776, 1778, 1784, 1801, 1813, 1815, 1822, 1864, 1867, 1880, 1889, 1890, 1901, 1902, 1903, 1904, 1905, 1906, 1907, 1908, 1910, 1915, 1923, 1937, 1940, 1945, 1949, 1960, 1970, 2021, 2025, 2026, 2027, 2030, 2032, 2035, 2043, 2045, 2048, 2052, 2053, 2054, 2056, 2061, 2062, 2066, 2067, 2071, 2072, 2081, 2090, 2108, 2109, 2110, 2111, 2112, 2113, 2114, 2115, 2116, 2117, 2118, 2119, 2120, 2121, 2122, 2123, 2124, 2125, 2126, 2127, 2128, 2129, 2130, 2131, 2132, 2133, 2134, 2135, 2136, 2137, 2138, 2139, 2140, 2141, 2142, 2143, 2144, 2145, 2148, 2149, 2150, 2151, 2152, 2153, 2155, 2156, 2163, 2169, 2170, 2171, 2176, 2180, 2184, 2185, 2186, 2187, 2188, 2189, 2190, 2191, 2196, 2199, 2201, 2203, 2204, 2205, 2206, 2210, 2211, 2212, 2215, 2217, 2222, 2238, 2241, 2269, 2283, 2284, 2293, 2297, 2298, 2301, 2302, 2322, 2339, 2343, 2351, 2356, 2368, 2370, 2420, 2421, 2445, 2446, 2447, 2451, 2452, 2453, 2454, 2455, 2456, 2457, 2458, 2459, 2460, 2461, 2462, 2464, 2465, 2466, 2467, 2468, 2471, 2472, 2474, 2475, 2476, 2477, 2478, 2479, 2481, 2482, 2492, 2493, 2494, 2495

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WORCESTER, MA BAH Rates

Military Housing Area: MA122

BAH for WORCESTER, MA includes the following zip codes: 1005, 1031, 1037, 1068, 1074, 1083, 1092, 1094, 1441, 1501, 1505, 1506, 1507, 1508, 1509, 1515, 1516, 1518, 1519, 1520, 1522, 1524, 1525, 1526, 1527, 1531, 1532, 1534, 1535, 1536, 1537, 1538, 1540, 1542, 1543, 1545, 1546, 1550, 1560, 1562, 1566, 1568, 1569, 1570, 1571, 1581, 1583, 1585, 1586, 1588, 1590, 1601, 1602, 1603, 1604, 1605, 1606, 1607, 1608, 1609, 1610, 1611, 1612, 1613, 1614, 1615, 1653, 1655, 1747, 1756, 1757

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FITCHBURG, MA BAH Rates

Military Housing Area: MA123

BAH for FITCHBURG, MA includes the following zip codes: 1331, 1366, 1368, 1420, 1430, 1431, 1432, 1434, 1436, 1438, 1440, 1450, 1451, 1452, 1453, 1460, 1462, 1463, 1464, 1467, 1468, 1469, 1470, 1471, 1472, 1473, 1474, 1475, 1503, 1510, 1523, 1541, 1561, 1564, 1718, 1719, 1720, 1740, 1749, 1752, 1754, 1775

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CAPE COD-PLYMOUTH, MA BAH Rates

Military Housing Area: MA124

BAH for CAPE COD-PLYMOUTH, MA includes the following zip codes: 2018, 2020, 2040, 2041, 2044, 2047, 2050, 2051, 2055, 2059, 2060, 2065, 2303, 2304, 2305, 2324, 2325, 2327, 2330, 2331, 2332, 2333, 2334, 2337, 2338, 2341, 2344, 2345, 2346, 2347, 2348, 2349, 2350, 2355, 2357, 2358, 2359, 2360, 2361, 2362, 2364, 2366, 2367, 2375, 2379, 2381, 2382, 2532, 2534, 2536, 2537, 2538, 2540, 2541, 2542, 2543, 2553, 2556, 2558, 2559, 2561, 2562, 2563, 2571, 2574, 2576, 2601, 2630, 2631, 2632, 2633, 2634, 2635, 2637, 2638, 2639, 2641, 2642, 2643, 2644, 2645, 2646, 2647, 2648, 2649, 2650, 2651, 2652, 2653, 2655, 2657, 2659, 2660, 2661, 2662, 2663, 2664, 2666, 2667, 2668, 2669, 2670, 2671, 2672, 2673, 2675, 2713, 2738, 2739, 2770

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ESSEX CO, MA BAH Rates

Military Housing Area: MA125

BAH for ESSEX CO, MA includes the following zip codes: 1810, 1812, 1830, 1831, 1832, 1833, 1834, 1835, 1840, 1841, 1842, 1843, 1844, 1845, 1860, 1885, 1899, 1913, 1921, 1922, 1929, 1930, 1931, 1936, 1938, 1944, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1961, 1965, 1966, 1969, 1971, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 5501

HAMPDEN COUNTY, MA BAH Rates

Military Housing Area: MA126

BAH for HAMPDEN COUNTY, MA includes the following zip codes: 1001, 1002, 1003, 1004, 1007, 1008, 1009, 1010, 1011, 1012, 1013, 1014, 1020, 1021, 1022, 1026, 1027, 1028, 1029, 1030, 1032, 1033, 1034, 1035, 1036, 1038, 1039, 1040, 1041, 1050, 1053, 1056, 1057, 1059, 1060, 1061, 1062, 1063, 1066, 1069, 1070, 1071, 1073, 1075, 1077, 1079, 1080, 1081, 1082, 1084, 1085, 1086, 1088, 1089, 1090, 1095, 1096, 1097, 1098, 1101, 1102, 1103, 1104, 1105, 1106, 1107, 1108, 1109, 1111, 1115, 1116, 1118, 1119, 1128, 1129, 1138, 1139, 1144, 1151, 1152, 1199, 1201, 1202, 1203, 1220, 1222, 1223, 1224, 1225, 1226, 1227, 1229, 1230, 1235, 1236, 1237, 1238, 1240, 1242, 1243, 1244, 1245, 1247, 1252, 1253, 1254, 1255, 1256, 1257, 1258, 1259, 1260, 1262, 1263, 1264, 1266, 1267, 1270, 1343, 1521

MARTHA’S VINEYARD, MA BAH Rates

Military Housing Area: MA151

BAH for MARTHA’S VINEYARD, MA includes the following zip codes: 2535, 2539, 2552, 2557, 2568, 2575

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HANSCOM AFB, MA BAH Rates

Military Housing Area: MA377

BAH for HANSCOM AFB, MA includes the following zip codes: 1730, 1731, 1741, 1742, 1773, 1803, 1805, 1821, 1824, 1826, 1827, 1850, 1851, 1852, 1853, 1854, 1862, 1863, 1865, 1866, 1876, 1879, 1886, 1887, 1888