HUD data

Qualified Census Tracts in Missouri (2026)

HUD's Missouri QCT map — the tracts that qualify for LIHTC's 30% basis boost and concentrate Housing Choice Voucher demand, county by county.
Total QCTs
295
Counties with a QCT
50
Data year
2026

QCTs by county in Missouri

CountyFIPSQCTsSample tract GEOIDs
Jackson County290957729095015300, 29095005300, 29095011800, 29095000800, 29095007900
St. Louis city295104729510101500, 29510108300, 29510111300, 29510115100, 29510106500
St. Louis County291894629189211102, 29189212500, 29189212102, 29189210704, 29189214100
Greene County290772229077003600, 29077000501, 29077001302, 29077003200, 29077000400
Boone County290191029019001001, 29019002200, 29019000700, 29019000200, 29019001105
Cape Girardeau County29031529031881600, 29031881000, 29031880800, 29031880900, 29031881400
Jasper County29097529097011000, 29097010601, 29097011600, 29097011800, 29097010100
Buchanan County29021529021001200, 29021003001, 29021001000, 29021002400, 29021001100
Phelps County29161429161890402, 29161890800, 29161890302, 29161890401
Butler County29023429023950700, 29023950800, 29023950400, 29023950500
Clay County29047429047020400, 29047020500, 29047022100, 29047020201
St. Charles County29183329183310501, 29183312195, 29183311500
Franklin County29071329071800704, 29071800903, 29071800904
Texas County29215329215480201, 29215480402, 29215480302
Hickory County29085329085470501, 29085470100, 29085470300
Pemiscot County29155329155470600, 29155470400, 29155470200
Dunklin County29069329069360100, 29069360600, 29069361000
St. Francois County29187329187950600, 29187950300, 29187950401
Howell County29091329091090400, 29091090700, 29091090200
Cole County29051229051020700, 29051010500
Johnson County29101229101960401, 29101960402
Nodaway County29147229147470301, 29147470400
Adair County29001229001950900, 29001950300
Miller County29131229131962600, 29131962801
Mississippi County29133229133950200, 29133950400
Lawrence County29109229109470601, 29109470501
Marion County29127229127960500, 29127960800
Morgan County29141229141470300, 29141470502
Warren County29219229219820107, 29219820105
New Madrid County29143229143960600, 29143960200
Platte County29165129165030002
Stoddard County29207129207470500
Ozark County29153129153470101
Scott County29201129201781201
Jefferson County29099129099701200
Barton County29011129011960300
Carter County29035129035960200
Iron County29093129093950100
Benton County29015129015460802
Dallas County29059129059480200
Audrain County29007129007950300
Oregon County29149129149480200
Randolph County29175129175490300
Wayne County29223129223690300
Laclede County29105129105960101
Pulaski County29169129169470288
Webster County29225129225470401
Taney County29213129213480108
Ripley County29181129181870200
Bates County29013129013070300

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

Missouri Qualified Census Tracts — FAQs

What is a Qualified Census Tract in Missouri?

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 Missouri 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 Missouri 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 Missouri

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

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

    The most recent published Census reading for Missouri shows a median owner-occupied home value of $215,600, a median gross rent of $996 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

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

    Census reports a population of 6,168,181, a median household income of $68,920, a rental vacancy estimate of 11.6% for Missouri. 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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