HUD data

Qualified Census Tracts in Texas (2026)

HUD's Texas QCT map — the tracts that qualify for LIHTC's 30% basis boost and concentrate Housing Choice Voucher demand, county by county.
Total QCTs
1,326
Counties with a QCT
128
Data year
2026

QCTs by county in Texas

CountyFIPSQCTsSample tract GEOIDs
Harris County4820131348201534002, 48201521300, 48201520400, 48201533600, 48201333201
Dallas County4811320648113017606, 48113012601, 48113005500, 48113005902, 48113016610
Bexar County4802911148029180701, 48029171802, 48029160501, 48029170800, 48029161503
Tarrant County484399648439105204, 48439104503, 48439106202, 48439122300, 48439123500
Travis County484534648453002105, 48453002413, 48453000700, 48453000608, 48453000605
El Paso County481414548141003901, 48141001900, 48141003100, 48141000301, 48141004320
Hidalgo County482153948215024107, 48215024122, 48215022107, 48215020509, 48215023527
Cameron County480612648061013205, 48061013401, 48061013003, 48061010603, 48061013801
Jefferson County482452548245000900, 48245002100, 48245010100, 48245002600, 48245000500
Lubbock County483031948303002302, 48303000202, 48303000603, 48303001300, 48303002208
Nueces County483551748355001300, 48355006400, 48355003004, 48355000900, 48355003305
Potter County483751648375013000, 48375015200, 48375015400, 48375013900, 48375014100
Webb County484791648479000800, 48479001822, 48479000700, 48479000107, 48479001300
Denton County481211548121021301, 48121021100, 48121021638, 48121020700, 48121021739
Hays County482091448209010307, 48209010308, 48209010305, 48209010100, 48209010306
McLennan County483091348309001000, 48309002100, 48309000100, 48309001100, 48309002302
Bell County480271348027023500, 48027020800, 48027020900, 48027020701, 48027022001
Starr County484271348427950601, 48427950500, 48427950202, 48427950702, 48427950701
Galveston County481671148167724700, 48167722300, 48167722200, 48167724600, 48167722900
Brazos County480411148041001303, 48041001703, 48041001002, 48041000501, 48041002023
Williamson County484911048491021513, 48491021100, 48491020704, 48491021503, 48491020701
Wichita County484851048485010700, 48485010800, 48485011000, 48485010400, 48485011200
Taylor County48441948441011900, 48441010800, 48441011200, 48441010200, 48441010300
Gregg County48183848183001100, 48183001200, 48183001500, 48183001400, 48183010201
Nacogdoches County48347748347950900, 48347950501, 48347951001, 48347950800, 48347950600
Montgomery County48339748339693800, 48339693402, 48339693302, 48339693103, 48339692601
Smith County48423648423000700, 48423000201, 48423000800, 48423000500, 48423000300
Brazoria County48039648039661200, 48039664300, 48039664000, 48039661300, 48039663900
Hunt County48231548231960800, 48231960600, 48231960900, 48231961700, 48231961600
Collin County48085548085032012, 48085031512, 48085031813, 48085030903, 48085031720
Victoria County48469548469000301, 48469000302, 48469000201, 48469000602, 48469001700
Zapata County48505548505950402, 48505950304, 48505950305, 48505950306, 48505950401
Grayson County48181548181001300, 48181000903, 48181001400, 48181002000, 48181000501
Midland County48329448329010118, 48329001400, 48329001500, 48329001700
Bowie County48037448037010800, 48037010600, 48037010500, 48037010400
Liberty County48291448291701200, 48291700200, 48291700302, 48291700301
Walker County48471448471790800, 48471790600, 48471790700, 48471790500
Caldwell County48055448055960702, 48055960200, 48055960701, 48055960501
Bastrop County48021448021950201, 48021950806, 48021950700, 48021950505
Shelby County48419348419950600, 48419950402, 48419950100
Kaufman County48257348257050500, 48257051000, 48257050704
Henderson County48213348213951202, 48213951000, 48213950904
Jim Wells County48249348249950201, 48249950500, 48249950400
Cherokee County48073348073950400, 48073950500, 48073950700
Willacy County48489348489950700, 48489950300, 48489950600
Limestone County48293348293970500, 48293970300, 48293970400
Fort Bend County48157348157674800, 48157672802, 48157674900
Kleberg County48273348273020302, 48273020200, 48273020301
Ector County48135348135001500, 48135001800, 48135002503
Jasper County48241348241950600, 48241950300, 48241950500
Val Verde County48465348465950400, 48465950602, 48465950601
San Patricio County48409348409011000, 48409010500, 48409011300
Maverick County48323348323950400, 48323950601, 48323950209
Anderson County48001348001950600, 48001950402, 48001950700
Johnson County48251348251130900, 48251130303, 48251130800
Lamar County48277348277000600, 48277000800, 48277000500
Harrison County48203348203020401, 48203020402, 48203020302
Brown County48049348049950700, 48049950800, 48049950600
Angelina County48005248005000500, 48005000700
Titus County48449248449950100, 48449950700
Erath County48143248143950600, 48143950502
Zavala County48507248507950200, 48507950302
San Augustine County48405248405950100, 48405950200
Palo Pinto County48363248363000800, 48363000900
Houston County48225248225950400, 48225950101
Hill County48217248217960600, 48217960900
Gray County48179248179950600, 48179950800
Dimmit County48127248127950201, 48127950400
Matagorda County48321248321730302, 48321730100
Newton County48351248351950202, 48351950201
Eastland County48133248133950500, 48133950100
Brooks County48047248047950100, 48047950200
Aransas County48007248007950400, 48007950502
Guadalupe County48187248187210300, 48187210200
Polk County48373248373210302, 48373210402
Crosby County48107248107950100, 48107950300
Ellis County48139248139060500, 48139060400
Howard County48227248227950300, 48227950400
Tom Green County48451248451000900, 48451001800
Fannin County48147248147950600, 48147950401
Cochran County48079148079950100
Bosque County48035148035950500
Randall County48381148381021102
Terry County48445148445950300
Tyler County48457148457950201
Parker County48367148367140201
Jim Hogg County48247148247950200
Hale County48189148189950500
Kerr County48265148265960601
Reeves County48389148389950600
Presidio County48377148377950200
Hutchinson County48233148233950700
Hudspeth County48229148229950300
Swisher County48437148437950300
Rusk County48401148401951000
Pecos County48371148371950300
Lampasas County48281148281950400
Trinity County48455148455950500
San Jacinto County48407148407200106
Frio County48163148163950202
Atascosa County48013148013960401
Austin County48015148015760100
Orange County48361148361020300
Uvalde County48463148463950500
Morris County48343148343950300
Wharton County48481148481740700
DeWitt County48123148123970202
La Salle County48283148283950301
Waller County48473148473680301
Cooke County48097148097000500
Duval County48131148131950100
Falls County48145148145000400
Coryell County48099148099010201
Mitchell County48335148335950200
Hockley County48219148219950400
Nolan County48353148353950300
Cass County48067148067950400
Live Oak County48297148297950100
Hood County48221148221160215
Refugio County48391148391950200
Dawson County48115148115950500
Karnes County48255148255970302
Lamb County48279148279950500
Jack County48237148237950300
Robertson County48395148395960501
Kendall County48259148259970101
Milam County48331148331950402
Garza County48169148169950101

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

Texas Qualified Census Tracts — FAQs

What is a Qualified Census Tract in Texas?

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 Texas 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 Texas 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 Texas

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

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

    The most recent published Census reading for Texas shows a median owner-occupied home value of $260,400, a median gross rent of $1,339 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

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

    Census reports a population of 29,640,343, a median household income of $76,292, a rental vacancy estimate of 9.6% for Texas. 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 Texas 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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