Fort Carson: 2026 BAH, On-Post Housing and Neighborhoods
An E-5 with dependents at Fort Carson receives $2,358 a month in BAH for 2026 ($1,860 without dependents) in the Colorado Springs, CO (CO046) area. The most affordable of 20 mapped Colorado Springs neighborhoods with enough recent sales are Southeast Colorado Springs ($349,378), Gateway Park ($354,877), Village Seven ($399,861). Estimated mortgage payments in those areas run $2,564 to $2,934 a month.
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2026 BAH rates at Fort Carson, E-1 to O-10
| Pay grade | With dependents | Without dependents |
|---|---|---|
| E-1 | $2,160 | $1,689 |
| E-2 | $2,160 | $1,689 |
| E-3 | $2,160 | $1,689 |
| E-4 | $2,160 | $1,689 |
| E-5 | $2,358 | $1,860 |
| E-6 | $2,433 | $1,980 |
| E-7 | $2,487 | $2,166 |
| E-8 | $2,553 | $2,379 |
| E-9 | $2,646 | $2,388 |
| W-1 | $2,448 | $2,103 |
| W-2 | $2,514 | $2,376 |
| W-3 | $2,598 | $2,394 |
| W-4 | $2,664 | $2,436 |
| W-5 | $2,754 | $2,502 |
| O-1E | $2,496 | $2,355 |
| O-2E | $2,583 | $2,385 |
| O-3E | $2,679 | $2,418 |
| O-1 | $2,376 | $1,959 |
| O-2 | $2,430 | $2,295 |
| O-3 | $2,595 | $2,397 |
| O-4 | $2,778 | $2,484 |
| O-5 | $2,913 | $2,517 |
| O-6 | $2,934 | $2,574 |
| O-7 to O-10 | $2,955 | $2,616 |
On-post housing at Fort Carson
How it works
Family housing at Fort Carson is privatized. You lease directly from the private partner. The Army's Housing Services Office mainly helps with off-post housing, and Army rules require you to check in with it before signing an off-post lease if you receive BAH.
Who runs it
Fort Carson Family Homes (private partner: Balfour Beatty Communities)
The waitlist
Waiting lists vary by rank and family size. Fort Carson has a redevelopment project underway, so availability can change. Confirm the current wait with the leasing office.
Who can live there
Air Force and Space Force members at Peterson SFB, Schriever SFB and the Air Force Academy have separate housing offices; use the official link to find yours.
Who to call
Use the official page below for current contacts.
Official housing page: Military OneSource, Fort Carson housing. Phone numbers and wait times change, so confirm before you rely on them.
Off-post neighborhoods near Fort Carson, adjusted for your BAH
Southeast Colorado Springs
Gateway Park
Village Seven
East Colorado Springs
Fountain Valley
Northeast Colorado Springs
Ridgeview
Powers
Springs Ranch
Central Colorado City
Stetson Hills
Old Colorado City
Briargate
Banning Lewis Ranch
Broadmoor
Briargate
Woodmen Heights-Dublin North
Falcon
Northwest Colorado Springs
Wolf Ranch
Can you buy near Fort Carson on BAH alone?
| Pay grade | BAH | Payment, median home | Gap | Neighborhoods covered | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| E-1 to E-4 | $2,160 | $3,374 | -$1,214 | 0 of 20 | BAH does not cover any well-sampled neighborhood; the cheapest, Southeast Colorado Springs, is about $404 a month over. |
| E-5 | $2,358 | $3,374 | -$1,016 | 0 of 20 | BAH does not cover any well-sampled neighborhood; the cheapest, Southeast Colorado Springs, is about $206 a month over. |
| E-6 | $2,433 | $3,374 | -$941 | 0 of 20 | BAH does not cover any well-sampled neighborhood; the cheapest, Southeast Colorado Springs, is about $131 a month over. |
| E-7 | $2,487 | $3,374 | -$887 | 0 of 20 | BAH does not cover any well-sampled neighborhood; the cheapest, Southeast Colorado Springs, is about $77 a month over. |
| E-8 | $2,553 | $3,374 | -$821 | 0 of 20 | BAH does not cover any well-sampled neighborhood; the cheapest, Southeast Colorado Springs, is about $11 a month over. |
| E-9 | $2,646 | $3,374 | -$728 | 2 of 20 | BAH covers 2 of 20 neighborhoods, but not the median home. |
| W-1 | $2,448 | $3,374 | -$926 | 0 of 20 | BAH does not cover any well-sampled neighborhood; the cheapest, Southeast Colorado Springs, is about $116 a month over. |
| W-2 | $2,514 | $3,374 | -$860 | 0 of 20 | BAH does not cover any well-sampled neighborhood; the cheapest, Southeast Colorado Springs, is about $50 a month over. |
| W-3 | $2,598 | $3,374 | -$776 | 1 of 20 | BAH covers 1 of 20 neighborhoods, but not the median home. |
| W-4 | $2,664 | $3,374 | -$710 | 2 of 20 | BAH covers 2 of 20 neighborhoods, but not the median home. |
| W-5 | $2,754 | $3,374 | -$620 | 2 of 20 | BAH covers 2 of 20 neighborhoods, but not the median home. |
| O-1 | $2,376 | $3,374 | -$998 | 0 of 20 | BAH does not cover any well-sampled neighborhood; the cheapest, Southeast Colorado Springs, is about $188 a month over. |
| O-2 | $2,430 | $3,374 | -$944 | 0 of 20 | BAH does not cover any well-sampled neighborhood; the cheapest, Southeast Colorado Springs, is about $134 a month over. |
| O-3 | $2,595 | $3,374 | -$779 | 1 of 20 | BAH covers 1 of 20 neighborhoods, but not the median home. |
| O-4 | $2,778 | $3,374 | -$596 | 2 of 20 | BAH covers 2 of 20 neighborhoods, but not the median home. |
| O-5 | $2,913 | $3,374 | -$461 | 2 of 20 | BAH covers 2 of 20 neighborhoods, but not the median home. |
| O-6 | $2,934 | $3,374 | -$440 | 2 of 20 | BAH covers 2 of 20 neighborhoods, but not the median home. |
The most affordable well-sampled neighborhoods
| Neighborhood | Median price | Recent sales | Est. payment | BAH needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southeast Colorado Springs | $349,378 | 139 | $2,564 | first covered at E-9 |
| Gateway Park | $354,877 | 59 | $2,604 | first covered at E-9 |
| Village Seven | $399,861 | 67 | $2,934 | not covered at any grade through O-6 |
Frequently asked questions about Fort Carson housing
How much is BAH for an E-5 with dependents at Fort Carson in 2026?
In the Colorado Springs, CO (CO046) military housing area, the 2026 BAH for an E-5 with dependents is $2,358 a month and $1,860 without dependents. The full table for every pay grade is above on this page.
Source: DoD Defense Travel Management Office, BAH Rate Lookup
Is BAH enough to cover a mortgage in Colorado Springs?
The median home price in Colorado Springs is about $459,840. With 10% down, a 7% rate, a 30-year loan, plus property tax, insurance and mortgage insurance, that is roughly $3,374 a month. An E-5 with dependents gets $2,358 in BAH, so the median home comes in about $1,016 a month over BAH. Your own number depends on your rate, down payment and the specific home. VA loans can change the math, since they allow zero down.
Source: Median price: Redfin / NeighborSeek market data; tax rate: Census ACS 2023
What area does the Fort Carson BAH rate cover?
BAH is set by military housing area, not by the installation gate. For Fort Carson the area is listed by DoD as Colorado Springs, CO (CO046). You are paid the rate for your duty station's ZIP code, not where you choose to live, so living farther out does not change your BAH.
Source: DoD BAH Rate Lookup
How long is the on-post housing waitlist at Fort Carson?
Waiting lists vary by rank and family size. Fort Carson has a redevelopment project underway, so availability can change. Confirm the current wait with the leasing office.
Who runs on-post housing at Fort Carson and who do I call?
Fort Carson Family Homes (private partner: Balfour Beatty Communities). Family housing at Fort Carson is privatized. You lease directly from the private partner. The Army's Housing Services Office mainly helps with off-post housing, and Army rules require you to check in with it before signing an off-post lease if you receive BAH. Use the official link for current contacts. Confirm numbers and wait times before relying on them.
Do I still get BAH if I live in privatized housing at Fort Carson?
In privatized on-post housing you generally keep receiving BAH and it goes to the housing company as rent, so you usually do not also pay a separate mortgage or rent. Utilities and renter's insurance are usually separate. Confirm the exact terms with the leasing office before you sign.
Source: DoD BAH Rate Lookup
Can I use a VA loan to buy a home near Fort Carson?
Yes. VA-backed loans are available to eligible service members and veterans, typically with no down payment requirement and no monthly mortgage insurance, though a one-time VA funding fee usually applies unless you are exempt. Property tax in Colorado Springs runs about 0.4% of home value per year (Census ACS 2023), which matters when you compare payment to BAH. A lender can confirm your eligibility and entitlement.
Which Colorado Springs neighborhoods are the most affordable for Fort Carson families?
By median home price, the three lowest of the 20 mapped Colorado Springs neighborhoods in our data are Southeast Colorado Springs ($349,378), Gateway Park ($354,877), Village Seven ($399,861). Price is not the whole picture: commute, schools and your own budget matter, and crime on this page is a citywide grade, not neighborhood-level. Use the neighborhood list above with your own pay grade.
Source: Redfin neighborhood medians, Jan-Jun 2026; FBI UCR 2025
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