How we get our numbers
Every number on BaseReady comes from a government file we can check line by line. Here is each one and how we use it.
BAH
From the DoD BAH rate files published by the Defense Travel Management Office, one file for each year from 2024 to 2026. Each base is matched to its military housing area by the base's ZIP code in DoD's own ZIP list, the same way DoD's calculator works. Every pay grade, with and without dependents, is shown exactly as DoD publishes it, in whole dollars.
Checked: before we used the 2026 file, every rate matched DoD's Excel tables, and 26 base and pay grade combinations matched the DoD calculator. Our 2025 and 2026 files also give the same Norfolk example DoD used in its 2026 announcement: an E-5 with dependents went from $2,325 to $2,430. Puerto Rico gets Overseas Housing Allowance instead of BAH, so it has no BAH rate here.
Rent
From HUD fair market rents for fiscal year 2027, for the county or metro area each base sits in, from a studio to 4 bedrooms. HUD sets these at about the 40th percentile of rent plus basic utilities for a standard place, so they are a realistic middle of the market, not the cheapest or the nicest.
Where to live
- Towns: every town, city and census place of 1,000 or more people near each base, from the Census Bureau's 2025 place list.
- Rent, home value, renters, population: Census American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimates. They include long-time renters and utilities, so new leases usually cost more.
- Drive time: from each town's center to the base's main post area on OpenStreetMap roads, without traffic. Rush hour runs longer.
- Schools: the public school district that covers each town's center (Census Bureau geocoder), with its size from the NCES Common Core of Data for 2023-24. Always confirm the school for a specific address with the district.
Base names
The seven Army posts renamed in 2023 took their earlier names back in 2025 (Fort Bragg, Fort Hood, Fort Benning, Fort Lee, Fort Rucker, Fort Polk and Fort Gordon). We use the current names, and the old addresses forward to them.
Our own estimates
A few base details are BaseReady's own estimates or listings, such as the cost of living index, housing wait times and the on-base services list. They are labeled on the page. Check them with the base before you count on them.
When each source updates
| Data | Source | New numbers |
|---|---|---|
| BAH | DoD, Defense Travel Management Office | Mid-December, start January 1 |
| Fair market rent | HUD | Each fall, for the year starting October 1 |
| Town rent, home values | Census Bureau, American Community Survey | Each December |
| School districts | NCES Common Core of Data | Yearly |
Found a mistake?
Email support@baseready.app with the page and the number. Numbers last checked October 12, 2026.
About our data
Are BaseReady's BAH rates official?
Yes. They come from the BAH rate files DoD publishes each year, matched to each base's military housing area through DoD's own ZIP code list. Before we used the 2026 file we checked every rate against DoD's Excel tables and spot-checked 26 base and pay grade combinations against the DoD BAH calculator.
Why is the Census rent lower than the HUD rent?
Census medians cover every renter, including people who signed years ago, so they run below what a new lease costs. HUD's fair market rent is closer to what you would pay today. We use the Census numbers to compare towns with each other and HUD for the current level.
How often is the data updated?
BAH every December when DoD posts the new year, HUD rents each fall, Census surveys each December, and school district data each year.