What is the COLA index at Fort Wainwright?

The OCONUS COLA index at Fort Wainwright is 132, meaning everyday goods and services cost approximately 32% more than the U.S. average. COLA is a tax-free allowance that offsets this difference. Source: DTMO, January 2026.

Is military pay at Fort Wainwright taxable?

The planner treats Basic Pay as taxable and BAH, OCONUS COLA, and BAS as non-taxable allowances. It does not estimate a tax-free percentage when a required allowance is unavailable.

What currency is used at Fort Wainwright?

Fort Wainwright is in Alaska, which uses the US Dollar (USD). The approximate exchange rate is 1 USD = 1 USD. OHA and COLA are paid in USD but fluctuate with the exchange rate.

Housing allowance availability reviewed September 17, 2026

Fort Wainwright Overseas Pay & BAH Information

Alaska

Army

COLA Index: 132

BAH

Available military pay components for Fort Wainwright, Alaska. Housing uses BAH. Missing allowances make compensation totals unavailable.

Overseas Station Planner

Review pay, allowances, housing, and cost of living. Totals are unavailable when a required allowance is missing.

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Duty Station

Your Profile

Pay Grade

Years of Service: 4

Number of Dependents: 0

Used for housing allowance dependency status and OCONUS COLA. Dependency status differs from whether family accompanies you.

Housing Situation

Off-base housing uses BAH in Alaska and Hawaii, and OHA elsewhere. Eligibility and the applicable rate require verification.

Select a duty station above

Available Basic Pay, housing allowance, COLA, and BAS information will appear here.

Data availability: Unverified OHA figures have been withdrawn. Missing allowances are not treated as zero. Alaska and Hawaii use BAH. Available components remain estimates. COLA indices are from January 2026. Basic pay reflects 2026 DFAS tables. Verify current rates with your finance office or at travel.dod.mil.

About this tool: The Overseas Station Planner combines data from DFAS basic pay, housing allowance availability, OCONUS COLA, and exchange-rate context. Confirm current entitlements with your finance office.

Data Sources

OHA lookup (rates unavailable here): DTMO. OCONUS COLA: DTMO. Basic Pay: DFAS 2026. BAS: DFAS. All allowances are estimates and vary by family size and location.

Fort Wainwright BAH

Fort Wainwright uses Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH). Alaska and Hawaii are BAH locations. See the installation BAH page for rates by exact pay grade and dependency status.

View Fort Wainwright BAH rates

Fort Wainwright OCONUS COLA : Cost of Living

COLA Index

132

Cost Above US Baseline

+32%

Index Effective Date

September 16, 2025

OCONUS COLA is a non-taxable allowance that offsets higher overseas living costs. Your actual COLA amount depends on pay grade, years of service, and number of dependents. Source: DTMO, January 2026. Index updated multiple times per year.

Additional Allowances & Data Sources

BAS (Enlisted)	$453/mo : tax-free. Source: DFAS, effective Jan 1, 2026.
BAS (Officer)	$312/mo : tax-free. Source: DFAS, effective Jan 1, 2026.
Basic Pay	DFAS 2026 pay tables (3.8% increase). Varies by grade and years of service.
BAH	Fort Wainwright uses Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH). Alaska and Hawaii are BAH locations. See the installation BAH page for rates by exact pay grade and dependency status.
COLA Index	DTMO, January 2026. Updated multiple times per year based on local costs and exchange rates.

Last reviewed: September 17, 2026. Verify at travel.dod.mil and dfas.mil.

Understanding Your Pay at Fort Wainwright

Fort Wainwright uses Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH). Alaska and Hawaii are BAH locations. See the installation BAH page for rates by exact pay grade and dependency status. You may also receive OCONUS COLA to help cover higher living costs.

How Housing Allowances Work

The biggest difference: BAH is a fixed monthly amount you keep regardless of your actual rent. OHA only reimburses what you actually pay, up to the rental ceiling. If your rent is below the OHA ceiling, you receive less than the maximum. If it exceeds the ceiling, you pay the difference out of pocket. OHA rates also fluctuate with the US Dollar exchange rate.

Tax Advantages at Fort Wainwright

The planner treats Basic Pay as taxable and BAH, OCONUS COLA, and BAS as non-taxable. A tax-free percentage and civilian salary comparison require every allowance component.

About Fort Wainwright

Welcome to Fort Wainwright, Alaska located in beautiful Fairbanks, Alaska, which is currently ranked as one of the top 100 growing cities in the United States. Fort Wainwright’s population includes the following units and supported commands: US Army Alaska (USARAK); 1-25 Stryker Brigade Combat Team; USARAK Aviation Task Force; Medical Department Activity—Alaska and Bassett Army Community Hospital Dental Activity (DENTAC); Veterinary Command (VETCOM), Northern Warfare Training Center (NWTC); Cold Regions Test Center (CRTC), 402nd Army Field Support Battalion; Network Enterprise Center - FWA, 3rd Air Support Operations Squadron (USAF), Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (CRREL), U.S. Army Reserve , BLM Alaska Fire Service, and Arctic Support Command. We hope this guide assists...

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