The U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) today announced the Qualified Opportunity Zone (QOZ) designations for all 50 states, territories, and the District of Columbia.
Under President Trump’s Working Families Tax Cuts, the Opportunity Zone tax incentive was permanently renewed, enhanced incentives for investment in eligible rural communities were added, and a process was established for redesignating zones every ten years. The new QOZ designations will become effective on January 1, 2027, and retain this designation for ten years.
“Under President Trump’s leadership, the Working Families Tax Cuts permanently renewed and strengthened Opportunity Zones, giving investors, entrepreneurs, and local leaders the long-term certainty they need to commit capital to communities that have been overlooked for too long,” said Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. “Today’s announcement of the new designations will help direct private investment to communities that stand to benefit most, and expand economic opportunity, support job creation, and unlock long-term growth in these communities across the country.”
“Thanks to the leadership of President Trump, Qualified Opportunity Zones were permanently extended and expanded by the Working Families Tax Cuts giving states an opportunity to attract long-term investment into underserved, rural, and economically distressed areas,” said IRS Chief Executive Officer Frank J. Bisignano. “By designating thousands of new Qualified Opportunity Zones, the IRS and Treasury are enabling targeted investment and growth in communities where it is needed the most.”
Background
Under President Trump’s Working Families Tax Cuts, the permanent renewal of the Opportunity Zone tax incentives, including enhanced incentives for investment in eligible rural communities, will continue to drive private investment in some of America’s most distressed communities. This builds on more than $110 billion in private-sector investment made since these tax incentives were established by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017.
The full list and map of designated Opportunity Zones are available here.
On April 6, Treasury and the IRS released a list of 25,332 eligible census tracts across the country for nomination, of which 8,334 are in rural areas eligible for increased benefits as part of the Working Families Tax Cuts. On July 1, Treasury and the IRS began accepting nominations from Governors and the Mayor of the District of Columbia for eligible census tracts. An additional 130 eligible census tracts, of which 28 were in rural areas, were nominated during the statutory window.
In total, 6,576 eligible census tracts were nominated by the end of the statutory window, of which 2,594 are in rural areas. All of the 6,576 eligible census tracts have been designated as QOZs effective January 1, 2027. Designation as a QOZ can help these 6,576 communities across the country attract new investment, create jobs, stimulate economic growth, and provide meaningful opportunities for residents.
Additional information on nomination procedures was sent directly to the Governors and Mayor of the District of Columbia. The list of eligible census tracts is available here. The poverty rate and median family income for each tract can be found here.
Frequently Asked Questions: 2027 Qualified Opportunity Zone (QOZ) Designations
The newly designated zones become effective on January 1, 2027, and retain their QOZ status for a 10-year period (through December 31, 2036). Under the permanent framework established by the Working Families Tax Cuts, zones will now undergo a formal redesignation process every ten years.
The Treasury Department and the IRS designated 6,576 eligible census tracts across all 50 states, U.S. territories, and the District of Columbia—representing 100% of the tracts nominated by governors and the Mayor of D.C. during the statutory window. Of those, 2,594 tracts (nearly 40%) are located in eligible rural areas.
Originally created under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, the program previously had a statutory expiration date and drew over $110 billion in private-sector investment. Under the Working Families Tax Cuts, the Opportunity Zone incentive is now permanently renewed, includes a 10-year redesignation cycle, and introduces enhanced tax incentives specifically aimed at attracting capital into rural communities.
To encourage development outside major metro areas, the updated law lowers key investment hurdles for properties located entirely within designated rural QOZs—most notably reducing the substantial improvement threshold from 100% to 50% of the property’s adjusted basis, making rural real estate rehabilitation and development significantly more accessible for investors.
You can view the official map, download the complete list of 2027 designated census tracts, and review tract-level poverty and median family income data through the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Qualified Opportunity Zones portal
or the CDFI Fund’s Community Investment Mapping System (CIMS)
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Suresh holds a Master of Commerce (M.Com) degree and is a dedicated personal finance researcher and writer. Combining his advanced academic background in commerce with deep industry research, he covers complex topics like taxation, banking systems, credit analysis, and personal finance strategies. As the founder of Tax Assistant (taxassistant.org), Suresh is committed to translating complicated financial guidelines and economic data into simple, accurate, and actionable educational resources for everyday readers.
