Joint Base San Antonio (formerly Fort Sam Houston, Lackland AFB and Randolph AFB): 2026 BAH, On-Post Housing and Neighborhoods
An E-5 with dependents at JBSA receives $1,869 a month in BAH for 2026 ($1,500 without dependents) in the San Antonio, TX (TX285) area. The most affordable of 20 mapped San Antonio neighborhoods with enough recent sales are West Side ($154,946), South San Antonio ($196,731), East Side ($204,929). Estimated mortgage payments in those areas run $1,319 to $1,745 a month.
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2026 BAH rates at JBSA, E-1 to O-10
| Pay grade | With dependents | Without dependents |
|---|---|---|
| E-1 | $1,728 | $1,359 |
| E-2 | $1,728 | $1,359 |
| E-3 | $1,728 | $1,359 |
| E-4 | $1,728 | $1,359 |
| E-5 | $1,869 | $1,500 |
| E-6 | $2,094 | $1,596 |
| E-7 | $2,112 | $1,731 |
| E-8 | $2,121 | $1,920 |
| E-9 | $2,157 | $1,977 |
| W-1 | $2,109 | $1,692 |
| W-2 | $2,118 | $1,917 |
| W-3 | $2,130 | $1,986 |
| W-4 | $2,178 | $2,085 |
| W-5 | $2,280 | $2,097 |
| O-1E | $2,115 | $1,866 |
| O-2E | $2,124 | $1,965 |
| O-3E | $2,196 | $2,082 |
| O-1 | $1,905 | $1,584 |
| O-2 | $2,091 | $1,827 |
| O-3 | $2,127 | $2,007 |
| O-4 | $2,307 | $2,088 |
| O-5 | $2,457 | $2,100 |
| O-6 | $2,475 | $2,103 |
| O-7 to O-10 | $2,490 | $2,112 |
On-post housing at JBSA
How it works
At Fort Sam Houston the Army's Residential Communities Initiative office works with the private partner that owns and operates the homes. Lackland and Randolph are Air Force side with their own housing offices. Sources disagree on which company currently manages which community, so confirm yours with the housing office.
Who runs it
Privatized Army Housing at Fort Sam Houston (Army sources name Hunt Military Communities)
The waitlist
Waits vary by rank, bedroom count and installation. Ask the housing office for the current projection for your community.
Who can live there
Army and Air Force members use different offices; the official link lists each.
Who to call
- Fort Sam Houston housing office: 210-221-0881
Official housing page: Military OneSource, JBSA housing. Phone numbers and wait times change, so confirm before you rely on them.
Off-post neighborhoods near JBSA, adjusted for your BAH
West Side
South San Antonio
East Side
Southside
Southeast San Antonio
Heritage South
Central City
East San Antonio
East Central San Antonio
Judson
Southwest San Antonio
Far West Side
Northeast San Antonio
Medina Valley
West San Antonio
Northwest Side
North San Antonio
Far North Central
Uptown Broadway
Can you buy near JBSA on BAH alone?
| Pay grade | BAH | Payment, median home | Gap | Neighborhoods covered | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| E-1 to E-4 | $1,728 | $2,213 | -$485 | 2 of 20 | BAH covers 2 of 20 neighborhoods, but not the median home. |
| E-5 | $1,869 | $2,213 | -$344 | 5 of 20 | BAH covers 5 of 20 neighborhoods, but not the median home. |
| E-6 | $2,094 | $2,213 | -$119 | 10 of 20 | BAH covers 10 of 20 neighborhoods, but not the median home. |
| E-7 | $2,112 | $2,213 | -$101 | 11 of 20 | BAH covers 11 of 20 neighborhoods, but not the median home. |
| E-8 | $2,121 | $2,213 | -$92 | 11 of 20 | BAH covers 11 of 20 neighborhoods, but not the median home. |
| E-9 | $2,157 | $2,213 | -$56 | 11 of 20 | BAH covers 11 of 20 neighborhoods, but not the median home. |
| W-1 | $2,109 | $2,213 | -$104 | 11 of 20 | BAH covers 11 of 20 neighborhoods, but not the median home. |
| W-2 | $2,118 | $2,213 | -$95 | 11 of 20 | BAH covers 11 of 20 neighborhoods, but not the median home. |
| W-3 | $2,130 | $2,213 | -$83 | 11 of 20 | BAH covers 11 of 20 neighborhoods, but not the median home. |
| W-4 | $2,178 | $2,213 | -$35 | 11 of 20 | BAH covers 11 of 20 neighborhoods, but not the median home. |
| W-5 | $2,280 | $2,213 | +$67 | 11 of 20 | BAH covers the median home and 11 of 20 neighborhoods. |
| O-1 | $1,905 | $2,213 | -$308 | 5 of 20 | BAH covers 5 of 20 neighborhoods, but not the median home. |
| O-2 | $2,091 | $2,213 | -$122 | 10 of 20 | BAH covers 10 of 20 neighborhoods, but not the median home. |
| O-3 | $2,127 | $2,213 | -$86 | 11 of 20 | BAH covers 11 of 20 neighborhoods, but not the median home. |
| O-4 | $2,307 | $2,213 | +$94 | 11 of 20 | BAH covers the median home and 11 of 20 neighborhoods. |
| O-5 | $2,457 | $2,213 | +$244 | 13 of 20 | BAH covers the median home and 13 of 20 neighborhoods. |
| O-6 | $2,475 | $2,213 | +$262 | 13 of 20 | BAH covers the median home and 13 of 20 neighborhoods. |
The most affordable well-sampled neighborhoods
| Neighborhood | Median price | Recent sales | Est. payment | BAH needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Side | $154,946 | 141 | $1,319 | first covered at E-1 to E-4 |
| South San Antonio | $196,731 | 144 | $1,675 | first covered at E-1 to E-4 |
| East Side | $204,929 | 272 | $1,745 | first covered at E-5 |
Frequently asked questions about JBSA housing
How much is BAH for an E-5 with dependents at JBSA in 2026?
In the San Antonio, TX (TX285) military housing area, the 2026 BAH for an E-5 with dependents is $1,869 a month and $1,500 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 San Antonio?
The median home price in San Antonio is about $259,910. With 10% down, a 7% rate, a 30-year loan, plus property tax, insurance and mortgage insurance, that is roughly $2,213 a month. An E-5 with dependents gets $1,869 in BAH, so the median home comes in about $344 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 is JBSA, and what were its former names?
JBSA was formed in 2010 from Fort Sam Houston, Lackland Air Force Base and Randolph Air Force Base. Which part you report to affects your commute and which housing office you use.
How long is the on-post housing waitlist at JBSA?
Waits vary by rank, bedroom count and installation. Ask the housing office for the current projection for your community.
Who runs on-post housing at JBSA and who do I call?
Privatized Army Housing at Fort Sam Houston (Army sources name Hunt Military Communities). At Fort Sam Houston the Army's Residential Communities Initiative office works with the private partner that owns and operates the homes. Lackland and Randolph are Air Force side with their own housing offices. Sources disagree on which company currently manages which community, so confirm yours with the housing office. Numbers: Fort Sam Houston housing office: 210-221-0881. Confirm numbers and wait times before relying on them.
Do I still get BAH if I live in privatized housing at JBSA?
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 JBSA?
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 San Antonio runs about 1.81% 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 San Antonio neighborhoods are the most affordable for JBSA families?
By median home price, the three lowest of the 20 mapped San Antonio neighborhoods in our data are West Side ($154,946), South San Antonio ($196,731), East Side ($204,929). 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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