Military Housing Area ME139

2026 BAH Rates for Portland, ME

The 2026 E-5 rate in Portland, ME is $3,252 with dependents and $2,703 without dependents.

OfficialLast verified: August 18, 2026Independent reference
Quick answer

An E-5 receives $3,252/month with dependents or $2,703/month without dependents in 2026. Select your grade in the full table below.

Portland, ME BAH chart for 2026

2026 monthly BAH rates for Portland, ME (ME139)
Pay gradeWith dependentsWithout dependentsAnnual with dependents
E-1$3,087$2,316$37,044
E-2$3,087$2,316$37,044
E-3$3,087$2,316$37,044
E-4$3,087$2,316$37,044
E-5$3,252$2,703$39,024
E-6$3,576$2,934$42,912
E-7$3,825$3,090$45,900
E-8$4,098$3,321$49,176
E-9$4,425$3,411$53,100
W-1$3,597$3,039$43,164
W-2$3,936$3,318$47,232
W-3$4,272$3,423$51,264
W-4$4,482$3,630$53,784
W-5$4,740$3,888$56,880
O-1E$3,876$3,249$46,512
O-2E$4,221$3,390$50,652
O-3E$4,524$3,567$54,288
O-1$3,297$2,916$39,564
O-2$3,573$3,201$42,876
O-3$4,260$3,456$51,120
O-4$4,830$3,843$57,960
O-5$5,235$3,996$62,820
O-6$5,280$4,251$63,360
O-7$5,322$4,329$63,864
O-8$5,322$4,329$63,864
O-9$5,322$4,329$63,864
O-10$5,322$4,329$63,864

Monthly rates effective January 1, 2026. “With dependents” is one rate category; the amount does not increase for each additional dependent.

Monthly and annual planning benchmarks

The annual figures below are the published monthly rate multiplied by 12. They are useful for comparing housing budgets, but a PCS, promotion, dependency change or annual rate update can change the amount actually received during the year.

Selected Portland, ME BAH rates
Pay gradeWith dependentsAnnualizedWithout dependentsAnnualizedMonthly difference
E-1$3,087$37,044$2,316$27,792$771
E-4$3,087$37,044$2,316$27,792$771
E-5$3,252$39,024$2,703$32,436$549
E-6$3,576$42,912$2,934$35,208$642
E-7$3,825$45,900$3,090$37,080$735
W-2$3,936$47,232$3,318$39,816$618
O-1$3,297$39,564$2,916$34,992$381
O-3$4,260$51,120$3,456$41,472$804
O-5$5,235$62,820$3,996$47,952$1,239

What the 2026 Portland, ME rates mean

E-5 annualized, with dependents$39,02412 × monthly rate
E-5 dependency-category gap$54920% above without-dependents rate
E-5 position in Maine2 of 5ranked by with-dependents rate

Across the complete Portland, ME table, published with-dependents rates run from $3,087 for E-1 to $5,322 for O-7 per month. That spread reflects the grade component in the BAH schedule; it is not a measure of an individual member’s rent or mortgage.

For an E-5, the with-dependents category is $549 per month higher than the without-dependents category. This is a category difference, not a payment per family member. A member with one qualifying dependent and a member with several qualifying dependents ordinarily use the same published with-dependents column.

How Portland, ME compares within Maine

The simple average E-5 with-dependents rate across the 5 Maine housing areas is $2,573 per month. Portland, ME is $679 above that average. This is an unweighted comparison of published areas, not an average of what service members in the state receive.

Selected Maine rate-area comparison
Military Housing AreaCodeE-5 with dependentsE-5 without dependentsDifference from state average
Portsmouth, Nh/Kittery, MENH194$3,321$2,700+$748
Portland, MEME139$3,252$2,703+$679
Brunswick, MEME136$2,205$1,893−$368
Bangor, MEME390$1,893$1,443−$680

How to know whether this rate applies

BAH follows the ZIP code of the member's permanent duty station, not the ZIP code of the rented or owned home. If the duty-station ZIP maps to ME139, use this table. A member assigned elsewhere should use the table for that location even if they live in Portland, ME.

Pay grade and dependency status select the row and column. Years of service affect basic pay but do not change BAH within a pay grade. Individual rate protection and unusual assignments can change the official amount, so confirm a move or financial commitment with the servicing finance office.

Confirm the BAH area by duty-station ZIP

Enter a duty-station ZIP to confirm whether it maps to Portland, ME (ME139), then choose the member's grade and dependency category.

The lookup files are loaded only after you submit the form. BAH uses the permanent duty-station ZIP, not the ZIP where you choose to live.

Questions about Portland, ME BAH

How much is annual E-5 BAH in Portland, ME?

At the published 2026 rate, 12 months equals $39,024 with dependents or $32,436 without dependents. This assumes the member remains eligible for the same rate all year.

Is the rate different for the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Space Force or Coast Guard?

The published BAH table is organized by Military Housing Area, pay grade and dependency category—not service branch. Members with the same controlling inputs use the same published rate, although individual circumstances and rate protection can affect entitlement.

Does a more expensive home increase BAH?

No. BAH is a location-and-grade allowance, not a reimbursement of the member’s actual rent, mortgage or utilities. Spending above or below the published amount does not by itself change the rate.

What happens if the 2026 rate is lower than my 2025 rate?

Individual rate protection can prevent a reduction when a member remains eligible and the controlling duty location, pay grade and dependency status have not changed in a way that ends protection. Finance should confirm the protected amount for the individual record.

Why can my LES differ from this table?

Common reasons include a partial month, effective-date change, rate protection, an unprocessed personnel transaction, a different duty-station ZIP or an assignment governed by different housing rules. Use the LES remarks and servicing finance office to reconcile the difference.

Other Maine BAH areas