2026 BAH vs. rent · Fort Riley
Fort Riley BAH vs. Rent (2026)
E-4 with dependents: $1,272/mo BAH vs. HUD’s Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom at $1,068 → $204 left over.
The short version
- An E-4 with dependents gets $1,272 a month. HUD’s Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom here, which includes utilities, is $1,068 ($204 left over).
- With dependents, a 3-bedroom at HUD’s Fair Market Rent ($1,485): covered from E-6 up.
- Without dependents, a 1-bedroom at HUD’s Fair Market Rent ($875): covered at every pay grade shown.
- BAH is meant to cover rent plus average utilities and renter’s insurance. HUD’s Fair Market Rent includes utilities; posted rents usually don’t, so leave room for power, water and internet.
- You keep whatever BAH you don’t spend on housing, and your rate is set by your duty-station ZIP, not by where you choose to live.
Typical rent near Fort Riley by bedrooms
| Size | Posted near base (median starting rent) | HUD FMR FY2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | not enough posted | $870 |
| 1 bedroom | not enough posted | $875 |
| 2 bedrooms | not enough posted | $1,068 |
| 3 bedrooms | not enough posted | $1,485 |
| 4+ bedrooms | not enough posted | $1,792 |
Posted: rents listed on the properties’ own websites, within 25 miles. HUD FMR: Manhattan, KS HUD Metro FMR Area (Riley County, KS), rent plus utilities.
With dependents: BAH vs. a 2-bedroom
| Pay grade | 2026 BAH | After HUD FMR ($1,068) |
|---|---|---|
| E-1 | $1,272 | +$204 |
| E-3 | $1,272 | +$204 |
| E-4 | $1,272 | +$204 |
| E-5 | $1,314 | +$246 |
| E-6 | $1,782 | +$714 |
| E-7 | $1,845 | +$777 |
| E-8 | $1,911 | +$843 |
| W-2 | $1,872 | +$804 |
| O-1 | $1,377 | +$309 |
| O-2 | $1,779 | +$711 |
| O-3 | $1,953 | +$885 |
| O-4 | $2,169 | +$1,101 |
| O-5 | $2,325 | +$1,257 |
Without dependents: BAH vs. a 1-bedroom
| Pay grade | 2026 BAH | After HUD FMR ($875) |
|---|---|---|
| E-1 | $1,050 | +$175 |
| E-3 | $1,050 | +$175 |
| E-4 | $1,050 | +$175 |
| E-5 | $1,158 | +$283 |
| E-6 | $1,338 | +$463 |
| E-7 | $1,383 | +$508 |
| E-8 | $1,434 | +$559 |
| W-2 | $1,410 | +$535 |
| O-1 | $1,227 | +$352 |
| O-2 | $1,386 | +$511 |
| O-3 | $1,611 | +$736 |
| O-4 | $1,842 | +$967 |
| O-5 | $1,875 | +$1,000 |
All pay grades: Fort Riley BAH table.
Where these numbers come from
- BAH: U.S. Department of Defense, Defense Travel Management Office, 2026 BAH rates, housing area Fort Riley, KS (KS100). Your finance office has the final word.
- Posted rents (our data): not enough communities near Fort Riley post checked rents yet for a reliable median, so this page compares BAH with HUD’s Fair Market Rents.
- HUD Fair Market Rents: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, FY2026 Fair Market Rents (revised county-level file, read November 1, 2026), Manhattan, KS HUD Metro FMR Area, for Riley County, KS. HUD’s estimate of the 40th-percentile rent including utilities for a standard unit; not a listing. HUD FMR data
Questions
What is the 2026 BAH at Fort Riley for an E-4 with dependents?
$1,272 a month with dependents and $1,050 without, for the Fort Riley, KS housing area (KS100), per the Defense Department’s 2026 BAH rates.
Does BAH cover rent near Fort Riley?
For a 2-bedroom at HUD’s Fair Market Rent ($1,068), an E-4 with dependents has $204 left over and an E-5 with dependents has $246 left over. The tables on this page show every grade from E-1 to O-5.
What is the average rent for a 2-bedroom near Fort Riley?
Not enough communities near Fort Riley post 2-bedroom rents for a reliable median yet. HUD’s FY2026 Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in the Manhattan, KS HUD Metro FMR Area is $1,068 a month, including utilities.
What pay grade can afford a 3-bedroom near Fort Riley on BAH?
With dependents, BAH covers HUD’s Fair Market Rent for a 3-bedroom ($1,485) from E-6 up.
Do I have to spend all of my BAH on rent?
No. BAH is a fixed monthly allowance for your pay grade, dependency status and duty station. If your rent and utilities cost less, you keep the difference; if they cost more, you pay the gap.
Is BAH at Fort Riley based on where I live?
No. BAH is based on the ZIP code of your permanent duty station, so living farther from Fort Riley doesn’t change your rate. Confirm your exact rate with your finance office.
Fort Riley base page · BAH tool · 2027 BAH: not out yet
BAH figures are from the Defense Department’s published 2026 rates. Near Base Rentals is not affiliated with the Department of Defense. Rents change; confirm with the property.