HUD data

Qualified Census Tracts in Florida (2026)

HUD's Florida QCT map — the tracts that qualify for LIHTC's 30% basis boost and concentrate Housing Choice Voucher demand, county by county.
Total QCTs
849
Counties with a QCT
52
Data year
2026

QCTs by county in Florida

CountyFIPSQCTsSample tract GEOIDs
Miami-Dade County1208616212086002900, 12086010010, 12086005103, 12086006401, 12086005303
Hillsborough County120577812057004100, 12057003600, 12057010501, 12057010809, 12057012212
Broward County120117112011060203, 12011030402, 12011020211, 12011050312, 12011091601
Palm Beach County120995512099001910, 12099007833, 12099001403, 12099006802, 12099005810
Duval County120315412031000200, 12031017400, 12031012704, 12031000102, 12031001500
Orange County120955312095012000, 12095014702, 12095013511, 12095013510, 12095013512
Pasco County121014112101030602, 12101031011, 12101030408, 12101031401, 12101030700
Pinellas County121033712103024703, 12103025305, 12103024701, 12103024702, 12103025018
Polk County121053212105011203, 12105013901, 12105014904, 12105011000, 12105016400
Lee County120712412071001101, 12071020501, 12071000306, 12071000700, 12071040109
Volusia County121271912127082100, 12127081800, 12127082513, 12127082401, 12127080902
Leon County120731712073002006, 12073002007, 12073001901, 12073001402, 12073002008
Manatee County120811712081000105, 12081001106, 12081000203, 12081000305, 12081000201
Escambia County120331712033001800, 12033001900, 12033002703, 12033002900, 12033001500
Osceola County120971612097042604, 12097042701, 12097041700, 12097042902, 12097041005
Alachua County120011412001000809, 12001000806, 12001001519, 12001000202, 12001001514
Brevard County120091312009062402, 12009064800, 12009062114, 12009065128, 12009065124
Lake County120691212069030807, 12069030804, 12069030505, 12069030602, 12069030601
Collier County120211112021010601, 12021011205, 12021010422, 12021011305, 12021011103
St. Lucie County12111912111380200, 12111380300, 12111380500, 12111381802, 12111380400
Putnam County12107912107950700, 12107951402, 12107950202, 12107951300, 12107951200
Marion County12083812083001401, 12083001800, 12083000302, 12083001003, 12083000703
Seminole County12117712117020902, 12117020500, 12117020101, 12117020401, 12117022001
Bay County12005612005002400, 12005002000, 12005001600, 12005001700, 12005001200
Sarasota County12115612115002723, 12115001000, 12115000300, 12115000503, 12115000200
Hernando County12053512053040400, 12053041401, 12053040501, 12053041204, 12053041602
Okaloosa County12091412091022800, 12091022600, 12091021901, 12091022001
Indian River County12061412061050303, 12061050604, 12061050907, 12061050401
Gadsden County12039412039020400, 12039020300, 12039020702, 12039020701
Highlands County12055412055960300, 12055960900, 12055961201, 12055961100
DeSoto County12027412027010301, 12027010200, 12027010404, 12027010302
Martin County12085312085001407, 12085001804, 12085001805
Columbia County12023312023110400, 12023110300, 12023110901
Citrus County12017312017451605, 12017450305, 12017451200
Charlotte County12015312015010504, 12015010302, 12015020700
Monroe County12087212087972400, 12087971300
Clay County12019212019030400, 12019031400
Okeechobee County12093212093910402, 12093910300
Jackson County12063212063210800, 12063210600
Hendry County12051212051000300, 12051000200
Glades County12043212043000202, 12043000100
Hamilton County12047212047960201, 12047960202
Franklin County12037112037970200
Washington County12133112133970200
Madison County12079112079110302
Liberty County12077112077950202
Nassau County12089112089050305
Jefferson County12065112065250103
Sumter County12119112119911301
Holmes County12059112059960403
Walton County12131112131950304
St. Johns County12109112109020300

What is a Qualified Census Tract (QCT)?

HUD designates a census tract as a QCT when either at least 50% of households have income below 60% AMI, OR the tract has a poverty rate of 25% or higher. QCT-designated projects qualify for a 130% qualified basis under LIHTC (the "30% basis boost"). For DSCR / Section 8 investors, QCTs also identify Floridaneighborhoods with the highest concentration of Housing Choice Voucher tenants — the same census tracts that consistently rent at or above FMR under HAP contracts.

Florida Qualified Census Tracts — FAQs

What is a Qualified Census Tract in Florida?

A Qualified Census Tract (QCT) is a HUD-designated census tract where at least half of households earn below 60% of Area Median Income, or where the poverty rate is 25% or higher. HUD publishes the Florida designations each year.

Why does QCT status matter to investors?

A LIHTC development located in a QCT is eligible for a 30% basis boost, which increases the credits available for the project. QCTs also tend to concentrate voucher-holding households, which is why Section 8 investors watch them.

Is a QCT the same as a Difficult Development Area?

No. A QCT is based on income and poverty concentration, while a Difficult Development Area (DDA) is based on high construction, land, and utility costs relative to area incomes. Both can qualify a LIHTC project for the same 30% basis boost.

Can you finance a rental inside a Florida QCT?

Yes — business-purpose loans on non-owner-occupied property are underwritten on the property and the borrower's experience, not on tract designation. Property condition, rent documentation, and market liquidity still drive the terms available, subject to lender approval.

Local market news & updates

What the latest published data says about Florida

Every update below is a published figure from a named federal source, shown with the exact period that source covers. Where a dataset is only produced at county or state level, it is labelled that way rather than presented as city data. These are market statistics for informational purposes only — they are not rates, loan terms, or an offer of credit.

  • State dataData through ACS estimates, ACS 5-Year 2023

    Florida housing costs — ACS estimates, ACS 5-Year 2023

    The most recent published Census reading for Florida shows a median owner-occupied home value of $325,000, a median gross rent of $1,564 per month. These are survey estimates for the period shown, not live listing prices, and they are the starting point investors use to sanity-check a rent assumption before underwriting a DSCR file.

    Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey

  • State dataData through ACS estimates, ACS 5-Year 2023

    Florida renter demand indicators — ACS estimates, ACS 5-Year 2023

    Census reports a population of 21,928,881, a median household income of $71,711, a rental vacancy estimate of 15.2% for Florida. Income and vacancy set the practical ceiling on achievable rent, which is what a DSCR calculation is ultimately built on.

    Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey

Source periods represented above: ACS estimates, ACS 5-Year 2023. Each figure updates only when its publisher releases a new period — we never restamp an older reading with a newer date.

Informational market data only. Nothing in this section is a rate, an annual percentage rate, a payment, a loan term, an approval, or an offer or commitment to lend. Citing a federal dataset does not imply the agency endorses, sponsors or is affiliated with Simply Approved Mortgages LLC (NMLS #2620881). Financing referenced on this page is business-purpose investment property financing.

Buying in a Florida QCT?

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How We Evaluate This Scenario

A DSCR file is judged on the property, not your tax returns: qualifying rent divided by PITIA — principal, interest, taxes, insurance, plus HOA and flood where they apply. Most programs use the lesser of the in-place lease rent and the appraiser's market rent, so a lease signed below market usually caps the ratio no matter how strong the comps look.

Three inputs move the outcome more than anything else: rent support on the appraiser's rent schedule (Form 1007 or 1025), the LTV tier, and the credit tier. Dropping leverage by five points or moving up a FICO band frequently changes pricing more than shopping a different lender does.

Before you write an offer, price taxes and insurance at post-sale levels rather than the seller's current bill. In reassess-on-transfer states and in coastal insurance markets, that single adjustment is the most common reason a deal that penciled at contract fails the ratio at underwriting.

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