Watauga County, North Carolina · HUD 2027 QCT list
Qualified census tracts in Watauga County, North Carolina (2027)
4 census tracts in Watauga County are qualified census tracts on HUD's 2027 list, home to 24,448 people in the 2020 Census. A LIHTC building in one can take 130% of eligible basis for allocations and bond issues after December 31, 2026. The whole county is also a 2027 nonmetropolitan DDA, so every site here qualifies for the boost.
Tract list
| Census tract | Population | Poverty rate | Median household income | LIHTC properties |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9204 | 8,327 | 41.3% | $32,173 | 1 |
| 9205 | 8,429 | 44.6% | $32,010 | 0 |
| 9206.01 | 5,143 | 59.8% | $21,835 | 1 |
| 9206.02 | 2,549 | 28.7% | $73,333 | 0 |
Source: HUD 2027 QCT data file (qct_data_2027.xlsx), the tract figures HUD published with the 2027 list (population: 2020 Census; poverty rate and median household income: 2020-2024 ACS 5-year estimates, blank where HUD's file is blank). LIHTC properties: monitored properties in HUD's LIHTC database (LIHTCPUB, revised May 28, 2026). Designations: FR Doc. 2026-20390.
How HUD picks these tracts
A tract qualifies when at least half of its households earn under 60% of area median gross income, or its poverty rate is 25% or more. HUD cannot designate more than 20% of a metro or nonmetro area's population, so it ranks eligible tracts and some that pass the tests miss the list. That is why a tract in this county with a high poverty rate may not appear here. The 2027 designations take effect for buildings whose credits are allocated, or whose bonds are issued, after December 31, 2026; a site that drops off a later list keeps its status if a complete application was filed before the new list took effect and credits are allocated within 730 days of that filing (HUD notice, FR Doc. 2026-20390, section VII).
Census tract boundaries do not follow streets you can see, so confirm a site with the address lookup, which returns the tract from the Census geocoder.
More Watauga County data
- Watauga County 2026 income and rent limitsHUD MTSP
- North Carolina QCTs and DDAsall counties
- Credit estimatorwith the 130% boost
Financing a deal in Watauga County?
Construction, bond, bridge and permanent debt for 4% and 9% deals.