JBSA BAH Calculator 2026: What Can Your BAH Buy in San Antonio?

JBSA BAH Calculator 2026: What Can Your BAH Buy in San Antonio?

JBSA BAH & VA Loan Buying Power Calculator

See what your San Antonio BAH supports with a VA $0-down loan, and whether it covers the full monthly payment with cushion. Lackland, Fort Sam Houston, Randolph, and Camp Bullis share the same rate.

Your 2026 JBSA BAH (MHA TX285)
$1,869 /mo, tax-free

Estimate only. Based on 2026 JBSA (TX285) BAH and typical San Antonio property tax (~2.2%) and insurance (~0.81%). VA funding fee, exemptions, HOA, and your lender’s terms will affect actuals. BAH rates: DTMO, effective Jan 1 2026.

Honest note: BAH is tied to your duty station. If you PCS, your BAH changes but your mortgage payment stays the same. Buy at a price your pay supports even if BAH drops, not the absolute max. This estimate is education, not a pre-approval or a loan offer.
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How It Works

How the JBSA BAH calculator estimates your buying power

The calculator takes your 2026 JBSA BAH rate (MHA TX285, effective January 1 2026) and runs it through the same math a VA lender uses: $0 down, 30-year fixed rate, San Antonio property tax at 2.2%, and homeowners insurance at 0.81%. It shows the maximum home price your BAH alone supports and whether the full PITI payment fits inside your BAH with room left over.

The conservative target price is 90% of the theoretical maximum. This cushion matters because BAH is tied to your duty station. If you PCS, your BAH changes but your mortgage stays the same. Buying below the max means your base pay can cover the difference if BAH drops.

2026 BAH Rates

2026 JBSA BAH rates by pay grade (MHA TX285)

All four JBSA installations (Lackland AFB, Fort Sam Houston, Randolph AFB, and Camp Bullis) fall under the same Military Housing Area code TX285. These rates are from the Defense Travel Management Office (DTMO), effective January 1 2026.

Enlisted (E-1 through E-9)
E-1 to E-4$1,728/mo with dependents, $1,359 without
E-5$1,869 with, $1,500 without
E-6$2,094 with, $1,596 without
E-7$2,112 with, $1,731 without
E-8$2,121 with, $1,920 without
E-9$2,157 with, $1,977 without
Warrant Officers (W-1 through W-5)
W-1$2,109 with, $1,692 without
W-2$2,118 with, $1,917 without
W-3$2,130 with, $1,986 without
W-4$2,178 with, $2,085 without
W-5$2,280 with, $2,097 without
Officers (O-1 through O-7)
O-1$1,905 with, $1,584 without
O-2$2,091 with, $1,827 without
O-3$2,127 with, $2,007 without
O-4$2,307 with, $2,088 without
O-5$2,457 with, $2,100 without
O-6$2,475 with, $2,103 without
O-7$2,490 with, $2,112 without
VA Disability Exemption

Why the disability exemption changes your buying power

Veterans with a VA disability rating of 10% or higher are exempt from the VA funding fee. On a $250,000 home with $0 down, that saves $5,375 at closing (2.15% first-use fee). When the fee is rolled into the loan, exemption also reduces the monthly payment because your financed amount is lower. Use the toggle above to see the difference.

Surviving spouses of Veterans who died in service or from a service-connected disability are also exempt. Purple Heart recipients on active duty are exempt as well. If you qualify, bring your VA disability rating letter or Certificate of Eligibility showing the exemption when you apply.

BAH + VA Loan

How BAH works with a VA loan in San Antonio

BAH is tax-free income. When a VA lender qualifies you, they gross up your BAH by 25% to create an equivalent taxable income figure. An E-5 with dependents receiving $1,869/mo in BAH is treated as having $2,336/mo in qualifying income from that source alone, before base pay is added.

The VA does not set a maximum loan amount for eligible borrowers with full entitlement. In San Antonio, the 2026 conforming limit is $832,750, and most homes fall well below that. The practical limit is what your total income supports at the VA’s residual income standard, not a hard dollar cap.

San Antonio property tax runs about 2.2% of assessed value in Bexar County, higher than the national average. Homeowners insurance averages around 0.81%. These two costs add roughly $500 to $600/mo on a typical San Antonio home and are the reason a national BAH calculator overstates buying power here.

Related Tools & Guides

More for JBSA Military homebuyers

Frequently asked questions

What is MHA TX285?
MHA TX285 is the Military Housing Area code for San Antonio, Texas. It covers all four JBSA installations: Lackland AFB, Fort Sam Houston, Randolph AFB, and Camp Bullis. All Service Members stationed at any JBSA installation receive the same BAH rate for their pay grade and dependency status.
Does BAH cover a mortgage in San Antonio?
For most pay grades E-5 and above with dependents, BAH covers the full PITI payment on a conservatively priced San Antonio home with a VA $0-down loan. Lower enlisted grades without dependents may need to supplement BAH with base pay. The calculator above shows the exact numbers for your grade.
Is BAH counted as income for a VA loan?
Yes. BAH is tax-free, so lenders gross it up by 25% when calculating your qualifying income. An E-5 with $1,869/mo BAH is treated as having $2,336/mo in equivalent taxable income from that source. This gross-up increases your total qualifying income and the home price you can support.
What happens to my mortgage if I PCS from JBSA?
Your mortgage payment stays the same regardless of where you move. Your BAH changes to match your new duty station’s rate. If your new station has a lower BAH, you cover the difference from base pay. This is why the calculator uses a conservative target price (90% of max) rather than the absolute ceiling.
What is the VA funding fee and who is exempt?
The VA funding fee is a one-time charge (2.15% for first-use, $0-down loans) that can be rolled into the loan. Veterans with a VA disability rating of 10% or higher are exempt, as are surviving spouses receiving DIC and Purple Heart recipients on active duty. Use the disability toggle in the calculator to see how exemption changes your buying power.
Are the BAH rates in this calculator official?
Yes. The rates are from the Defense Travel Management Office (DTMO) 2026 BAH tables for MHA TX285 (San Antonio), effective January 1 2026. The DTMO publishes new rates annually each December for the following year.