HUD data

Qualified Census Tracts in Mississippi (2026)

HUD's Mississippi QCT map — the tracts that qualify for LIHTC's 30% basis boost and concentrate Housing Choice Voucher demand, county by county.
Total QCTs
177
Counties with a QCT
63
Data year
2026

QCTs by county in Mississippi

CountyFIPSQCTsSample tract GEOIDs
Jackson, MS HUD Metro FMR Area280492528049000900, 28049000301, 28049001100, 28049003400, 28049002500
Gulfport-Biloxi, MS HUD Metro FMR Area280471828047003211, 28047001900, 28047002401, 28047001703, 28047001206
Lauderdale County, MS28075828075000300, 28075010700, 28075000800, 28075000402, 28075010204
Gulfport-Biloxi, MS HUD Metro FMR Area28059728059042000, 28059042900, 28059042100, 28059041800, 28059042202
Washington County, MS28151628151001100, 28151001200, 28151000400, 28151001300, 28151000300
Bolivar County, MS28011628011950701, 28011950300, 28011950702, 28011950400, 28011950200
Hattiesburg, MS MSA28035628035000900, 28035010500, 28035000500, 28035001000, 28035001100
Holmes County, MS HUD Metro FMR Area28051528051950200, 28051950100, 28051950501, 28051950502, 28051950300
Leflore County, MS28083528083950900, 28083950700, 28083950800, 28083950300, 28083950200
Pike County, MS28113428113950700, 28113950602, 28113950103, 28113950300
Jones County, MS28067428067950700, 28067950402, 28067950102, 28067951000
Coahoma County, MS28027428027950600, 28027950700, 28027950100, 28027950500
Sunflower County, MS28133428133950100, 28133950402, 28133950300, 28133950500
Oktibbeha County, MS28105428105950500, 28105950401, 28105950101, 28105950300
Jackson, MS HUD Metro FMR Area28029328029950502, 28029950400, 28029950101
Hattiesburg, MS MSA28073328073020305, 28073020307, 28073020308
Adams County, MS28001328001000400, 28001000300, 28001000500
Warren County, MS28149328149950300, 28149950200, 28149950400
Lowndes County, MS28087328087000600, 28087000700, 28087000800
Clay County, MS28025228025950300, 28025950400
Panola County, MS28107228107950602, 28107950101
Claiborne County, MS28021228021950100, 28021950200
Tallahatchie County, MS28135228135950400, 28135950200
Yazoo County, MS HUD Metro FMR Area28163228163950300, 28163950500
Amite County, MS28005228005950302, 28005950301
Scott County, MS HUD Metro FMR Area28123228123020400, 28123020102
Lincoln County, MS28085228085950402, 28085950500
Jackson, MS HUD Metro FMR Area28089228089030502, 28089030600
Attala County, MS28007228007060500, 28007060600
Quitman County, MS28119228119950300, 28119950100
Marion County, MS28091228091950300, 28091950200
Neshoba County, MS28099128099010500
Lafayette County, MS28071128071950301
County 2803328033128033070412
Wilkinson County, MS28157128157950201
Alcorn County, MS28003128003950502
Calhoun County, MS28013128013950200
Gulfport-Biloxi, MS HUD Metro FMR Area28045128045030102
George County, MS28039128039950200
Humphreys County, MS28053128053950200
Winston County, MS28159128159950300
Grenada County, MS28043128043950400
Wayne County, MS28153128153950200
Chickasaw County, MS28017128017950100
Sharkey County, MS28125128125950100
Pearl River County, MS28109128109950702
Clarke County, MS28023128023950300
Tunica County, MS HUD Metro FMR Area28143128143950200
Webster County, MS28155128155950300
Newton County, MS28101128101050500
Jackson, MS HUD Metro FMR Area28121128121020402
Walthall County, MS28147128147950200
Stone County, MS HUD Metro FMR Area28131128131020204
Franklin County, MS28037128037950101
Montgomery County, MS28097128097950302
Jefferson County, MS28063128063950101
Jasper County, MS28061128061950401
Noxubee County, MS28103128103950300
Tippah County, MS28139128139950201
Simpson County, MS HUD Metro FMR Area28127128127950200
Covington County, MS28031128031950200
Prentiss County, MS28117128117950301
Monroe County, MS28095128095950400

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 Mississippineighborhoods with the highest concentration of Housing Choice Voucher tenants — the same census tracts that consistently rent at or above FMR under HAP contracts.

Mississippi Qualified Census Tracts — FAQs

What is a Qualified Census Tract in Mississippi?

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 Mississippi 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 Mississippi 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 Mississippi

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

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

    The most recent published Census reading for Mississippi shows a median owner-occupied home value of $161,400, a median gross rent of $923 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

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

    Census reports a population of 2,951,438, a median household income of $54,915, a rental vacancy estimate of 15.1% for Mississippi. 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.

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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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