2026 BAH vs. rent · Naval Station Norfolk
Naval Station Norfolk BAH vs. Rent (2026)
E-4 with dependents: $2,229/mo BAH vs. a typical 2-bedroom at $1,616 (median posted near base) → $613 left over. HUD’s Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom here is $1,713.
The short version
- An E-4 with dependents gets $2,229 a month. The median posted 2-bedroom within 25 miles is $1,616 ($613 left over); HUD’s Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom, which includes utilities, is $1,713 ($516 left over).
- With dependents, a 3-bedroom at HUD’s Fair Market Rent ($2,376): covered from E-5 up. At the median posted 3-bedroom ($2,015): covered at every pay grade shown.
- Without dependents, a 1-bedroom at HUD’s Fair Market Rent ($1,512): covered at every pay grade shown. At the median posted 1-bedroom ($1,516): 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 Naval Station Norfolk by bedrooms
| Size | Posted near base (median starting rent) | HUD FMR FY2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,4165 communities | $1,492 |
| 1 bedroom | $1,51684 communities | $1,512 |
| 2 bedrooms | $1,616101 communities | $1,713 |
| 3 bedrooms | $2,01555 communities | $2,376 |
| 4+ bedrooms | not enough posted | $2,797 |
Posted: rents listed on the properties’ own websites, within 25 miles, checked October 28, 2026. HUD FMR: Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC HUD Metro FMR Area (Norfolk city, VA), rent plus utilities.
With dependents: BAH vs. a 2-bedroom
| Pay grade | 2026 BAH | After posted median ($1,616) | After HUD FMR ($1,713) |
|---|---|---|---|
| E-1 | $2,229 | +$613 | +$516 |
| E-3 | $2,229 | +$613 | +$516 |
| E-4 | $2,229 | +$613 | +$516 |
| E-5 | $2,430 | +$814 | +$717 |
| E-6 | $2,559 | +$943 | +$846 |
| E-7 | $2,604 | +$988 | +$891 |
| E-8 | $2,661 | +$1,045 | +$948 |
| W-2 | $2,628 | +$1,012 | +$915 |
| O-1 | $2,454 | +$838 | +$741 |
| O-2 | $2,556 | +$940 | +$843 |
| O-3 | $2,694 | +$1,078 | +$981 |
| O-4 | $3,054 | +$1,438 | +$1,341 |
| O-5 | $3,318 | +$1,702 | +$1,605 |
Without dependents: BAH vs. a 1-bedroom
| Pay grade | 2026 BAH | After posted median ($1,516) | After HUD FMR ($1,512) |
|---|---|---|---|
| E-1 | $1,707 | +$191 | +$195 |
| E-3 | $1,707 | +$191 | +$195 |
| E-4 | $1,707 | +$191 | +$195 |
| E-5 | $1,908 | +$392 | +$396 |
| E-6 | $2,043 | +$527 | +$531 |
| E-7 | $2,235 | +$719 | +$723 |
| E-8 | $2,463 | +$947 | +$951 |
| W-2 | $2,460 | +$944 | +$948 |
| O-1 | $2,022 | +$506 | +$510 |
| O-2 | $2,367 | +$851 | +$855 |
| O-3 | $2,505 | +$989 | +$993 |
| O-4 | $2,601 | +$1,085 | +$1,089 |
| O-5 | $2,625 | +$1,109 | +$1,113 |
All pay grades: Naval Station Norfolk BAH table · How many posted rents fit each grade.
Where these numbers come from
- BAH: U.S. Department of Defense, Defense Travel Management Office, 2026 BAH rates, housing area Norfolk/Portsmouth, VA (VA298). Your finance office has the final word.
- Posted rents (our data): starting rents from 118 communities within 25 miles (straight line) of Naval Station Norfolk, each checked against the property’s own website October 28, 2026. Each community counts once, at its lowest listed price for that size; a median is shown only when at least 5 communities post that size. Most are base rent; fees and utilities may be extra.
- HUD Fair Market Rents: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, FY2026 Fair Market Rents (revised county-level file, read November 1, 2026), Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC HUD Metro FMR Area, for Norfolk city, VA. 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 Naval Station Norfolk for an E-4 with dependents?
$2,229 a month with dependents and $1,707 without, for the Norfolk/Portsmouth, VA housing area (VA298), per the Defense Department’s 2026 BAH rates.
Does BAH cover rent near Naval Station Norfolk?
For a typical 2-bedroom, an E-4 with dependents has $613 left over against the median posted rent ($1,616) and $516 left over against HUD’s Fair Market Rent ($1,713). An E-5 with dependents gets $2,430. The tables on this page show every grade from E-1 to O-5.
What is the average rent for a 2-bedroom near Naval Station Norfolk?
The median posted rent for a 2-bedroom within 25 miles is $1,616 a month (the middle of the lowest 2-bedroom prices posted by 101 communities, checked against each property’s own website October 28, 2026). HUD’s FY2026 Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in the Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC HUD Metro FMR Area is $1,713 a month, including utilities.
What pay grade can afford a 3-bedroom near Naval Station Norfolk on BAH?
With dependents, BAH covers HUD’s Fair Market Rent for a 3-bedroom ($2,376) from E-5 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 Naval Station Norfolk based on where I live?
No. BAH is based on the ZIP code of your permanent duty station, so living farther from Naval Station Norfolk doesn’t change your rate. Confirm your exact rate with your finance office.
See rentals near Naval Station Norfolk
Naval Station Norfolk 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.