Military housing areas VA298 and VA297
2026 BAH in Hampton Roads: two housing areas, two tables
Hampton Roads is not one BAH area. Naval Station Norfolk ZIP 23511 resolves to VA298, NORFOLK/PORTSMOUTH, VA. Langley's ZIP 23665 resolves to VA297, HAMPTON/NEWPORT NEWS, VA. Same grade, same dependency status, different monthly figure. Read the table for the ZIP on the orders.
Source: DoD BAH 2026, sorted_zipmha26.txt and mhanames26.txt, checked 2026-10-09; MilitaryINSTALLATIONS (Military OneSource): Naval Station Norfolk, checked 2026-10-09; MilitaryINSTALLATIONS: Joint Base Langley-Eustis, checked 2026-10-09.
VA298: Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Portsmouth duty ZIPs
| Pay grade | With dependents | Without dependents |
|---|---|---|
| E-4 | $2,229 | $1,707 |
| E-5 | $2,430 | $1,908 |
| E-6 | $2,559 | $2,043 |
| E-7 | $2,604 | $2,235 |
| O-1 | $2,454 | $2,022 |
| O-3 | $2,694 | $2,505 |
| O-4 | $3,054 | $2,601 |
Naval Station Norfolk (23511), NAS Oceana (23460), JEB Little Creek-Fort Story (23459) and Norfolk Naval Shipyard (23709) all map here, so one table covers all four.
Source: DoD BAH 2026, rate files bahw26.dat and bahwo26.dat (May 13, 2026 revision), checked 2026-10-09; DoD BAH 2026, sorted_zipmha26.txt and mhanames26.txt, checked 2026-10-09; MilitaryINSTALLATIONS: Naval Air Station Oceana, checked 2026-10-09; MilitaryINSTALLATIONS: Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story, checked 2026-10-09; MilitaryINSTALLATIONS: Naval Support Activity Portsmouth (Norfolk Naval Shipyard), checked 2026-10-09.
VA297: Langley duty ZIP
| Pay grade | With dependents | Without dependents |
|---|---|---|
| E-4 | $2,082 | $1,599 |
| E-5 | $2,274 | $1,779 |
| E-6 | $2,421 | $1,905 |
| E-7 | $2,439 | $2,088 |
| O-1 | $2,301 | $1,884 |
| O-3 | $2,475 | $2,361 |
| O-4 | $2,835 | $2,427 |
Langley's 23665 maps to VA297. The Fort Eustis duty ZIP has not been confirmed from an installation source opened for this page, so this table is not labeled for Eustis yet.
Source: DoD BAH 2026, rate files bahw26.dat and bahwo26.dat (May 13, 2026 revision), checked 2026-10-09; DoD BAH 2026, sorted_zipmha26.txt and mhanames26.txt, checked 2026-10-09; MilitaryINSTALLATIONS: Joint Base Langley-Eustis, checked 2026-10-09.
How far apart the two tables sit
| Pay grade | VA298 | VA297 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| E-4 | $2,229 | $2,082 | $147 |
| E-5 | $2,430 | $2,274 | $156 |
| E-6 | $2,559 | $2,421 | $138 |
| E-7 | $2,604 | $2,439 | $165 |
| O-1 | $2,454 | $2,301 | $153 |
| O-3 | $2,694 | $2,475 | $219 |
| O-4 | $3,054 | $2,835 | $219 |
The difference column is simple subtraction of the two published rates. It is not an estimate of rent or of anything else.
Source: DoD BAH 2026, rate files bahw26.dat and bahwo26.dat (May 13, 2026 revision), checked 2026-10-09.
Where you live does not reset the rate
A sailor reporting to Naval Station Norfolk who rents in Hampton still reads VA298, because the allowance follows the duty ZIP. An airman reporting to Langley who buys in Suffolk still reads VA297. City hall ZIPs for Norfolk (23510), Chesapeake (23322) and Suffolk (23434) fall in VA298; Hampton's 23669 and Newport News' 23607 fall in VA297. Those town ZIPs matter for nothing on this page except showing where the line between the two areas runs.
Source: DoD BAH 2026, sorted_zipmha26.txt and mhanames26.txt, checked 2026-10-09; City of Norfolk official website, checked 2026-10-09; City of Chesapeake, Real Estate Assessor's Office, checked 2026-10-09; City of Suffolk official website, checked 2026-10-09; City of Hampton, Buckroe Beach and Park, checked 2026-10-09; City of Newport News official website, checked 2026-10-09.
The rate files are the May 13, 2026 revision of the DoD 2026 ASCII release, which changed only one Texas area. Only these seven grades are shown.
Sources and dates
- DoD BAH 2026, sorted_zipmha26.txt and mhanames26.txt, opened 2026-10-09.
- MilitaryINSTALLATIONS (Military OneSource): Naval Station Norfolk, opened 2026-10-09.
- MilitaryINSTALLATIONS: Joint Base Langley-Eustis, opened 2026-10-09.
- DoD BAH 2026, rate files bahw26.dat and bahwo26.dat (May 13, 2026 revision), opened 2026-10-09.
- MilitaryINSTALLATIONS: Naval Air Station Oceana, opened 2026-10-09.
- MilitaryINSTALLATIONS: Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story, opened 2026-10-09.
- MilitaryINSTALLATIONS: Naval Support Activity Portsmouth (Norfolk Naval Shipyard), opened 2026-10-09.
- City of Norfolk official website, opened 2026-10-09.
- City of Chesapeake, Real Estate Assessor's Office, opened 2026-10-09.
- City of Suffolk official website, opened 2026-10-09.
- City of Hampton, Buckroe Beach and Park, opened 2026-10-09.
- City of Newport News official website, opened 2026-10-09.