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    MHA TX311 · San Antonio

    BAH Buying Power at JBSA-Fort Sam Houston

    Enter your 2026 BAH and see the home price it supports with a zero down VA loan.
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    The Answer

    How Much House Your BAH Covers at JBSA-Fort Sam Houston

    Every JBSA installation — Lackland, Randolph, Fort Sam Houston and Camp Bullis — sits in military housing area TX311, so a given pay grade draws the same BAH regardless of which gate you report to. What changes is the home price that allowance supports, and that comes down to your interest rate, county property taxes, insurance and your other monthly debts.

    With a VA loan there is no down payment and no monthly mortgage insurance, so almost every dollar of BAH goes toward principal, interest, taxes and insurance instead of PMI. Enter your numbers below for a planning estimate, then get a real pre-approval before you tour homes.

    Your Numbers

    BAH is set every January by DoD and varies by grade and dependent status. Look up your exact E-5 rate on the official DoD BAH calculator using ZIP 78234.

    Estimated Buying Power

    Enter your monthly BAH to see the home price it supports.

    Assumptions

    • 30-year fixed VA loan, zero down payment, no monthly mortgage insurance.
    • 41% debt-to-income benchmark. Higher ratios are approvable with strong residual income.
    • 2.15% funding fee financed into the loan (first use, no down payment) unless you mark yourself exempt.
    • Tax and insurance figures are your inputs — verify the real numbers for the specific address and county.
    • Estimate only. Not a commitment to lend or a rate quote.
    By Installation

    BAH Buying Power by JBSA Installation

    JBSA-Lackland BAH Buying Power

    Southwest San Antonio

    Run the numbers →

    JBSA-Randolph BAH Buying Power

    Northeast San Antonio

    Run the numbers →

    VA Loans at JBSA-Fort Sam Houston

    Northeast San Antonio

    Base VA loan guide →

    JBSA-Camp Bullis BAH Buying Power

    Northwest San Antonio

    Run the numbers →

    Already know your budget? Plan your PCS closing timeline or review San Antonio VA loan costs.

    FAQs

    BAH & Buying Power Questions

    Quick Answer

    It depends on your 2026 BAH for San Antonio (military housing area TX311), your other qualifying income, your monthly debts, and the interest rate you lock. As a planning rule, VA underwriting targets a 41% debt-to-income ratio, so your total monthly debt including the new mortgage payment should sit near or below 41% of qualifying income. Enter your actual BAH above and the calculator returns a purchase price with zero down, no PMI, taxes and insurance included.

    It depends on your 2026 BAH for San Antonio (military housing area TX311), your other qualifying income, your monthly debts, and the interest rate you lock. As a planning rule, VA underwriting targets a 41% debt-to-income ratio, so your total monthly debt including the new mortgage payment should sit near or below 41% of qualifying income. Enter your actual BAH above and the calculator returns a purchase price with zero down, no PMI, taxes and insurance included.

    Yes. BAH is stable, non-taxable military allowance income and lenders count it toward qualifying. Because it is non-taxable, some loan programs allow it to be grossed up, which increases the income figure used in the ratio. We confirm the treatment on your file with your LES.

    San Antonio and the surrounding JBSA installations fall under military housing area TX311. All JBSA locations — Lackland, Randolph, Fort Sam Houston and Camp Bullis — use the same TX311 BAH rate for a given pay grade and dependent status.

    It can, as long as you still qualify on income and residual income. Many San Antonio buyers intentionally keep the payment at or under BAH so housing is effectively covered by the allowance. That is a budgeting decision, not a VA rule.

    Use the official DoD BAH calculator at travel.dod.mil and enter ZIP code 78234 (or your JBSA location) with your pay grade and dependent status. Rates are set every January and vary by grade and whether you have dependents.

    Get The Real Number, Not An Estimate

    A five-minute pre-qualification turns this estimate into a price you can shop with.

    Proudly Serving Military Families Since 2019

    Reviewed by Jonathan Mullins, Founder & Mortgage Loan Originator, NMLS #94015Last updated