HUD data

Qualified Census Tracts in Ohio (2026)

HUD's Ohio QCT map — the tracts that qualify for LIHTC's 30% basis boost and concentrate Housing Choice Voucher demand, county by county.
Total QCTs
703
Counties with a QCT
55
Data year
2026

QCTs by county in Ohio

CountyFIPSQCTsSample tract GEOIDs
Cuyahoga County3903515239035118602, 39035119702, 39035121300, 39035111700, 39035116600
Franklin County3904910039049009323, 39049001600, 39049005900, 39049005620, 39049002800
Hamilton County390617939061002300, 39061025500, 39061022700, 39061026400, 39061003800
Lucas County390954739095002100, 39095002500, 39095001302, 39095001500, 39095006801
Montgomery County391134139113000300, 39113060200, 39113000100, 39113000802, 39113002400
Summit County391534039153504200, 39153501700, 39153501900, 39153505300, 39153508600
Mahoning County390992439099801600, 39099802800, 39099802300, 39099804000, 39099810300
Butler County390172139017014400, 39017000300, 39017010500, 39017013100, 39017013400
Lorain County390931939093071201, 39093022200, 39093023600, 39093024000, 39093097300
Stark County391511839151701500, 39151700300, 39151710500, 39151700800, 39151701700
Trumbull County391551239155933800, 39155921000, 39155921100, 39155934000, 39155921600
Clark County390231139023000901, 39023000600, 39023000300, 39023000902, 39023002100
Allen County39003939003012400, 39003012900, 39003013700, 39003012200, 39003012700
Richland County39139839139000800, 39139000700, 39139000500, 39139000600, 39139001600
Scioto County39145839145003500, 39145003600, 39145003400, 39145002600, 39145003100
Portage County39133739133600902, 39133601503, 39133600901, 39133601200, 39133601502
Fairfield County39045739045031700, 39045031300, 39045031600, 39045032000, 39045032704
Athens County39009639009973901, 39009973101, 39009973000, 39009973902, 39009972600
Ashtabula County39007539007000703, 39007000601, 39007000400, 39007000103, 39007000701
Jefferson County39081539081011200, 39081001300, 39081000400, 39081012400, 39081000200
Erie County39043539043040802, 39043040801, 39043041200, 39043041300, 39043041000
Licking County39089539089751000, 39089754104, 39089750700, 39089759000, 39089752500
Columbiana County39029539029951800, 39029952200, 39029952100, 39029952300, 39029950200
Greene County39057439057200700, 39057240302, 39057200104, 39057200400
Coshocton County39031439031961500, 39031961800, 39031961400, 39031961300
Ross County39141439141956500, 39141956300, 39141956900, 39141956400
Adams County39001439001770600, 39001770100, 39001770500, 39001770400
Muskingum County39119339119912100, 39119911900, 39119911400
Wood County39173339173021702, 39173021701, 39173021902
Belmont County39013339013011600, 39013012000, 39013012100
Marion County39101339101000200, 39101000300, 39101000900
Pickaway County39129339129020200, 39129020100, 39129020400
Washington County39167339167021000, 39167020900, 39167020500
Knox County39083239083007200, 39083007100
Guernsey County39059239059977600, 39059977300
Sandusky County39143239143961800, 39143961600
Clermont County39025239025040205, 39025041800
Lake County39085239085204500, 39085204400
Hardin County39065239065000500, 39065000600
Darke County39037239037555102, 39037555101
Hancock County39063239063000500, 39063000901
Warren County39165239165032502, 39165030200
Lawrence County39087239087050300, 39087051002
Meigs County39105239105964500, 39105964400
Brown County39015239015951800, 39015951600
Tuscarawas County39157239157020801, 39157021700
Miami County39109139109315300
Pike County39131139131952200
Clinton County39027139027964600
Perry County39127139127966000
Jackson County39079139079957600
Ottawa County39123139123051202
Highland County39071139071955002
Van Wert County39161139161020600
Logan County39091139091004200

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

Ohio Qualified Census Tracts — FAQs

What is a Qualified Census Tract in Ohio?

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 Ohio 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 Ohio 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 Ohio

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

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

    The most recent published Census reading for Ohio shows a median owner-occupied home value of $199,200, a median gross rent of $988 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

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

    Census reports a population of 11,780,046, a median household income of $69,680, a rental vacancy estimate of 8.4% for Ohio. 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 Ohio 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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