What is the 2026 BAH rate for an E-5 in San Luis Obispo, CA?

In San Luis Obispo, CA, the 2026 monthly BAH for an E-5 is $3,198 with dependents and $2,679 without dependents. These are official Department of Defense rates, effective 1 January 2026.

Is BAH in San Luis Obispo, CA taxed?

No. Basic Allowance for Housing is a non-taxable allowance, so the full monthly amount reaches you.

Does the number of dependents change my BAH?

No. There are two rates per pay grade — with dependents and without. One dependent and four dependents receive the same amount.

2026 BAH Rates — San Luis Obispo, CA

Basic Allowance for Housing is the tax-free monthly amount the Department of Defense pays toward housing when you do not live in government quarters. It is set by duty-station ZIP code, pay grade, and whether you have dependents. Below are the official 2026 rates for the San Luis Obispo, CA military housing area (MHA CA392).

An E-5 with dependents receives $3,198 per month here, $2,679 without. An O-3 with dependents receives $4,215. Across all pay grades the San Luis Obispo, CA rates run from $2,358 to $5,520 per month.

2026 monthly BAH by pay grade — San Luis Obispo, CA

Official DoD rates, effective 1 January 2026. Amounts are monthly and tax-free.
Pay grade	With dependents	Without dependents
E-1	$3,027	$2,358
E-2	$3,027	$2,358
E-3	$3,027	$2,358
E-4	$3,027	$2,358
E-5	$3,198	$2,679
E-6	$3,948	$2,961
E-7	$4,047	$3,036
E-8	$4,152	$3,348
E-9	$4,413	$3,576
W-1	$3,969	$2,976
W-2	$4,089	$3,345
W-3	$4,218	$3,600
W-4	$4,485	$3,966
W-5	$4,806	$4,068
O-1	$3,291	$2,853
O-1E	$4,062	$3,195
O-2	$3,939	$3,144
O-2E	$4,200	$3,525
O-3	$4,215	$3,675
O-3E	$4,536	$3,942
O-4	$4,920	$4,047
O-5	$5,430	$4,101
O-6	$5,475	$4,197
O-7	$5,520	$4,272
O-8	$5,520	$4,272
O-9	$5,520	$4,272
O-10	$5,520	$4,272

How San Luis Obispo, CA BAH is calculated

Rates are built from local rental market data for the housing area, not from your actual rent. The Department of Defense surveys median rent, utilities, and renter's insurance for six housing profiles, then assigns each pay grade a profile. Because the figure follows the area and not the lease, a service member who finds cheaper housing keeps the difference — and one who overspends covers it themselves.

Dependents change the rate but the number of dependents does not: one child and four children pay the same. Rates are reviewed every year and published in December for the following January.

Work out your own figure

Nearby housing areas

Figures come from official Department of Defense sources. BaseNeed is an independent community platform and is not affiliated with the DoD — verify current rates before making financial decisions.