HUD data

Qualified Census Tracts in Tennessee (2026)

HUD's Tennessee QCT map — the tracts that qualify for LIHTC's 30% basis boost and concentrate Housing Choice Voucher demand, county by county.
Total QCTs
280
Counties with a QCT
61
Data year
2026

QCTs by county in Tennessee

CountyFIPSQCTsSample tract GEOIDs
Shelby County471578247157011500, 47157020521, 47157000200, 47157001900, 47157003000
Davidson County470373347037018101, 47037014300, 47037010702, 47037013900, 47037017300
Knox County470932447093003902, 47093002900, 47093007000, 47093006903, 47093006902
Hamilton County470651647065001300, 47065001600, 47065003400, 47065002900, 47065003200
Rutherford County471491047149041406, 47149041900, 47149041405, 47149042102, 47149040305
Madison County47113947113000800, 47113001100, 47113000700, 47113000900, 47113000100
Washington County47179847179060100, 47179060901, 47179062000, 47179060602, 47179060501
Montgomery County47125647125100200, 47125100300, 47125101201, 47125100900, 47125100800
Bradley County47011447011010202, 47011010800, 47011010700, 47011010400
Sullivan County47163447163040600, 47163040500, 47163040800, 47163040200
Carter County47019447019070100, 47019070400, 47019071500, 47019070600
Anderson County47001447001021202, 47001020100, 47001021304, 47001020700
Sumner County47165447165020904, 47165020700, 47165020207, 47165020800
Robertson County47147347147080302, 47147080301, 47147080401
Putnam County47141347141000800, 47141000100, 47141000304
Dyer County47045347045964300, 47045964402, 47045964401
Roane County47145247145030801, 47145030500
Hamblen County47063247063100300, 47063100100
Weakley County47183247183968202, 47183968203
Wilson County47189247189030402, 47189030700
Hancock County47067247067960500, 47067960600
Scott County47151247151975200, 47151975101
Blount County47009247009010100, 47009010800
Lauderdale County47097247097050505, 47097050600
Hawkins County47073247073050900, 47073050302
Henry County47079247079969300, 47079969502
Jackson County47087247087960100, 47087960400
Sevier County47155247155080801, 47155080702
Loudon County47105247105060203, 47105060204
Campbell County47013247013950602, 47013950702
Haywood County47075247075930302, 47075930400
Lake County47095247095960200, 47095960100
Cocke County47029247029920501, 47029920200
McMinn County47107247107970201, 47107970202
Obion County47131147131965600
Morgan County47129147129110100
Bledsoe County47007147007953102
Johnson County47091147091956400
Coffee County47031147031970900
Claiborne County47025147025970400
Sequatchie County47153147153060103
Marshall County47117147117955300
Bedford County47003147003950402
Macon County47111147111970100
Fentress County47049147049965100
Cumberland County47035147035970502
Grundy County47061147061955000
Lawrence County47099147099960501
Pickett County47137147137925102
Greene County47059147059091200
DeKalb County47041147041920201
Hardeman County47069147069950300
Hardin County47071147071920402
Polk County47139147139950100
Monroe County47123147123925101
Cannon County47015147015960201
Benton County47005147005963200
Warren County47177147177930700
Carroll County47017147017962201
Henderson County47077147077975302
Maury County47119147119010500

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

Tennessee Qualified Census Tracts — FAQs

What is a Qualified Census Tract in Tennessee?

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 Tennessee 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 Tennessee 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 Tennessee

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

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

    The most recent published Census reading for Tennessee shows a median owner-occupied home value of $256,800, a median gross rent of $1,122 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

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

    Census reports a population of 6,986,082, a median household income of $67,097, a rental vacancy estimate of 10.6% for Tennessee. 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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