Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story: 2026 BAH, On-Post Housing and Neighborhoods
An E-5 with dependents at JEB Little Creek-Fort Story receives $2,430 a month in BAH for 2026 ($1,908 without dependents) in the Norfolk/Portsmouth, VA (VA298) area. The most affordable of 12 mapped Virginia Beach neighborhoods with enough recent sales are Plaza Mid-Town ($310,000), Chesapeake Beach ($330,000), College Park ($340,000). Estimated mortgage payments in those areas run $2,378 to $2,608 a month.
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2026 BAH rates at JEB Little Creek-Fort Story, E-1 to O-10
| Pay grade | With dependents | Without dependents |
|---|---|---|
| E-1 | $2,229 | $1,707 |
| E-2 | $2,229 | $1,707 |
| E-3 | $2,229 | $1,707 |
| E-4 | $2,229 | $1,707 |
| E-5 | $2,430 | $1,908 |
| E-6 | $2,559 | $2,043 |
| E-7 | $2,604 | $2,235 |
| E-8 | $2,661 | $2,463 |
| E-9 | $2,796 | $2,487 |
| W-1 | $2,574 | $2,166 |
| W-2 | $2,628 | $2,460 |
| W-3 | $2,697 | $2,496 |
| W-4 | $2,832 | $2,562 |
| W-5 | $3,000 | $2,616 |
| O-1E | $2,613 | $2,427 |
| O-2E | $2,685 | $2,481 |
| O-3E | $2,859 | $2,547 |
| O-1 | $2,454 | $2,022 |
| O-2 | $2,556 | $2,367 |
| O-3 | $2,694 | $2,505 |
| O-4 | $3,054 | $2,601 |
| O-5 | $3,318 | $2,625 |
| O-6 | $3,342 | $2,673 |
| O-7 to O-10 | $3,366 | $2,718 |
On-post housing at JEB Little Creek-Fort Story
How it works
The Navy Housing Service Center at JEB Little Creek-Fort Story processes applications for privatized housing and then refers you to the property management company that assigns homes. It also stays your advocate if you are unhappy with the service.
Who runs it
Navy privatized housing (property manager varies by community)
The waitlist
During the peak summer moving season the wait has been reported at 3 to 4 months. Ask the Housing Service Center for the current projection.
Who can live there
Sources list different street addresses for the center, so use the official link for the current one.
Who to call
- Navy Housing Service Center: 757-462-8939
Official housing page: Military OneSource, JEB Little Creek-Fort Story housing. Phone numbers and wait times change, so confirm before you rely on them.
Off-post neighborhoods near JEB Little Creek-Fort Story, adjusted for your BAH
Plaza Mid-Town
Chesapeake Beach
College Park
Rosemont
Town Center
Bayside
Kempsville
Lynnhaven
Great Neck
Pungo
Oceanfront
Sandbridge
Can you buy near JEB Little Creek-Fort Story on BAH alone?
| Pay grade | BAH | Payment, median home | Gap | Neighborhoods covered | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| E-1 to E-4 | $2,229 | $2,761 | -$532 | 0 of 12 | BAH does not cover any well-sampled neighborhood; the cheapest, Plaza Mid-Town, is about $149 a month over. |
| E-5 | $2,430 | $2,761 | -$331 | 1 of 12 | BAH covers 1 of 12 neighborhoods, but not the median home. |
| E-6 | $2,559 | $2,761 | -$202 | 2 of 12 | BAH covers 2 of 12 neighborhoods, but not the median home. |
| E-7 | $2,604 | $2,761 | -$157 | 2 of 12 | BAH covers 2 of 12 neighborhoods, but not the median home. |
| E-8 | $2,661 | $2,761 | -$100 | 3 of 12 | BAH covers 3 of 12 neighborhoods, but not the median home. |
| E-9 | $2,796 | $2,761 | +$35 | 5 of 12 | BAH covers the median home and 5 of 12 neighborhoods. |
| W-1 | $2,574 | $2,761 | -$187 | 2 of 12 | BAH covers 2 of 12 neighborhoods, but not the median home. |
| W-2 | $2,628 | $2,761 | -$133 | 3 of 12 | BAH covers 3 of 12 neighborhoods, but not the median home. |
| W-3 | $2,697 | $2,761 | -$64 | 3 of 12 | BAH covers 3 of 12 neighborhoods, but not the median home. |
| W-4 | $2,832 | $2,761 | +$71 | 5 of 12 | BAH covers the median home and 5 of 12 neighborhoods. |
| W-5 | $3,000 | $2,761 | +$239 | 6 of 12 | BAH covers the median home and 6 of 12 neighborhoods. |
| O-1 | $2,454 | $2,761 | -$307 | 1 of 12 | BAH covers 1 of 12 neighborhoods, but not the median home. |
| O-2 | $2,556 | $2,761 | -$205 | 2 of 12 | BAH covers 2 of 12 neighborhoods, but not the median home. |
| O-3 | $2,694 | $2,761 | -$67 | 3 of 12 | BAH covers 3 of 12 neighborhoods, but not the median home. |
| O-4 | $3,054 | $2,761 | +$293 | 6 of 12 | BAH covers the median home and 6 of 12 neighborhoods. |
| O-5 | $3,318 | $2,761 | +$557 | 7 of 12 | BAH covers the median home and 7 of 12 neighborhoods. |
| O-6 | $3,342 | $2,761 | +$581 | 7 of 12 | BAH covers the median home and 7 of 12 neighborhoods. |
The most affordable well-sampled neighborhoods
| Neighborhood | Median price | Recent sales | Est. payment | BAH needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plaza Mid-Town | $310,000 | n/a | $2,378 | first covered at E-5 |
| Chesapeake Beach | $330,000 | n/a | $2,531 | first covered at E-6 |
| College Park | $340,000 | n/a | $2,608 | first covered at E-8 |
Frequently asked questions about JEB Little Creek-Fort Story housing
How much is BAH for an E-5 with dependents at JEB Little Creek-Fort Story in 2026?
In the Norfolk/Portsmouth, VA (VA298) military housing area, the 2026 BAH for an E-5 with dependents is $2,430 a month and $1,908 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 Virginia Beach?
The median home price in Virginia Beach is about $359,875. With 10% down, a 7% rate, a 30-year loan, plus property tax, insurance and mortgage insurance, that is roughly $2,761 a month. An E-5 with dependents gets $2,430 in BAH, so the median home comes in about $331 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 JEB Little Creek-Fort Story BAH rate cover?
BAH is set by military housing area, not by the installation gate. For JEB Little Creek-Fort Story the area is listed by DoD as Norfolk/Portsmouth, VA (VA298). 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 JEB Little Creek-Fort Story?
During the peak summer moving season the wait has been reported at 3 to 4 months. Ask the Housing Service Center for the current projection.
Who runs on-post housing at JEB Little Creek-Fort Story and who do I call?
Navy privatized housing (property manager varies by community). The Navy Housing Service Center at JEB Little Creek-Fort Story processes applications for privatized housing and then refers you to the property management company that assigns homes. It also stays your advocate if you are unhappy with the service. Numbers: Navy Housing Service Center: 757-462-8939. Confirm numbers and wait times before relying on them.
Do I still get BAH if I live in privatized housing at JEB Little Creek-Fort Story?
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 JEB Little Creek-Fort Story?
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 Virginia Beach runs about 0.8% 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 Virginia Beach neighborhoods are the most affordable for JEB Little Creek-Fort Story families?
By median home price, the three lowest of the 12 mapped Virginia Beach neighborhoods in our data are Plaza Mid-Town ($310,000), Chesapeake Beach ($330,000), College Park ($340,000). 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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