San Diego is everything you expect Southern California to be. It's got great weather, amazing attractions, and little areas you can explore and never get tired of. Did we mention the beach, too?
More than 1.3 million people call America's Finest City home. It's also a major military hub and holds the highest concentration of military personnel in the country, namely Marines and Navy personnel.
With more than 100,000 service members living in San Diego, it makes sense that they would need somewhere to stay. Sometimes, there's a shortage of government housing, which leaves service members on their own to find a place to live. To do so, the military offers what's called a BAH rate.
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Here's a Quick Refresher on What BAH Rates are and How They Work.
BAH stands for Basic Allowance for Housing. It's the amount of money that service members have available to them for housing compensation when government options --- such as on a base --- aren't available.
The national BAH rate varies from $747 to $7,389 and corresponds to the cost of living in a given region.
For example, the BAH rate for 2024 for California ranges from $1005 to $6723, as it tends to be one of the most expensive states to live in. Naturally, it depends on where you live. In larger cities, like San Francisco and San Diego, the stipend is higher because of the higher cost of living.
The rates in San Diego go from $2684 to $5334, depending on the service member's rank and whether or not they have dependents.
Check Your $0 Down VA Loan Eligibility here.
What Are the 2024 San Diego BAH Rates for 2024?
The rates for 2024 have increased 5.4% over 2023, to accommodate for inflation. If you were enlisted last year, this might seem low, but remember the adjustment for 2023 was a record-breaker.
2024 San Diego Enlisted Rates
|
With Dependents |
Without Dependents |
|
|
E1 |
$3579 |
$2684 |
|
E2 |
$3579 |
$2684 |
|
E3 |
$3579 |
$2684 |
|
E4 |
$3579 |
$2684 |
|
E5 |
$3882 |
$2964 |
|
E6 |
$4320 |
$3240 |
|
E7 |
$4344 |
$3534 |
|
E8 |
$4353 |
$3972 |
|
E9 |
$4491 |
$4101 |
2024 San Diego Warrant Officer Rates
|
With Dependents |
Without Dependents |
|
|
W1 |
$4341 |
$3396 |
|
W2 |
$4350 |
$3969 |
|
W3 |
$4362 |
$4119 |
|
W4 |
$4545 |
$4320 |
|
W5 |
$4785 |
$4332 |
2024 San Diego Officer Rates
|
With Dependents |
Without Dependents |
|
|
O1E |
$4347 |
$3879 |
|
O2E |
$4356 |
$4071 |
|
O3E |
$4581 |
$4314 |
|
O1 |
$3939 |
$3153 |
|
O2 |
$4317 |
$3759 |
|
O3 |
$4359 |
$4161 |
|
O4 |
$4869 |
$4323 |
|
O5 |
$5244 |
$4335 |
|
O6 |
$5289 |
$4338 |
|
O7 |
$5334 |
$4404 |
Good Places to Live in San Diego for Military Families.
The beauty of living in San Diego is that there are so many different types of neighborhoods from those that scream upscale to the villages that offer a low-key hipster vibe.
Naval Base San Diego
One of the most common places service members live in San Diego is on the Naval Base located right near San Diego Bay. There are many neighborhoods surrounding the base, as well, to give you a bit of separation between your work and personal life.
The Naval Base San Diego is the biggest in the state and its proximity to the Pacific --- as in right on it --- makes it the ideal place for the Pacific Fleet, which has 150 tenant commands and more than 50 ships.
Downtown San Diego
Downtown San Diego gives you a perfect playground of entertainment, shopping, and just all-around enjoyment. Gaslamp Quarters, Little Italy, and Embarcadero offer you a few different places to set up camp with the 2024 BAH rate.
