Parcels · Census tracts · Incentives · October 15, 2026

Opportunity Zone Map: Is a Property in an Opportunity Zone?

Use an opportunity zone map to check if a parcel's census tract is a designated zone, what changes with the 2027 map, and what a zone does not mean.

An opportunity zone map shows which census tracts carry the federal Qualified Opportunity Zone label. Investors use it to see whether a project site qualifies for the program’s tax treatment, and landowners use it to learn whether their parcel sits in a zone that buyers or developers may be looking at. The map is changing right now: Congress made the program permanent in 2025 and started a new round of designations that takes effect on January 1, 2027. This guide explains what the map shows, how to check a single parcel, why the answer depends on the date, and what being inside a zone does and does not mean.

What an opportunity zone map shows

Census tracts, not parcels. Opportunity zones are drawn on Census Bureau tract lines. A tract is a statistical area that can hold thousands of residents, so the map tells you about a whole neighborhood or rural area, and every parcel inside the tract shares the same status.
Nominated, then certified. A governor (or the mayor, for the District of Columbia) nominates eligible low-income tracts, and the U.S. Treasury certifies them. Only certified tracts are zones.
A limited share. By law, a state can designate no more than a quarter of its eligible low-income tracts, so many tracts that qualified on paper were never picked.
Rounds with dates. The first round was designated in 2018. A second round starts January 1, 2027 and runs through December 31, 2036, with new rounds planned every ten years after that.

Where to find the map

Federal mapping tools. The Treasury’s Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund publishes an opportunity zone mapping tool, and HUD has posted a zone map as well. These cover the whole country and let you search by address.
Official IRS and Treasury lists. Designated zones are published as lists of 11-digit census tract numbers. The list, not the picture, is the legal record.
State economic development agencies. Many states post their own zone maps, nomination lists and contacts. During a new round, the state page is often the first to show which tracts the governor nominated.
County GIS viewers. Some county and city parcel viewers include an opportunity zone layer you can switch on over the parcel lines. Look under economic development, incentives or special districts in the layer list. Our land map links you to county viewers.

How to check if a property is in an opportunity zone

Pin down the parcel. Look up the address on the county assessor site and note the parcel number; our guide on finding a parcel number by address walks through it. Use the parcel’s actual location, not just the mailing address, which can point somewhere else for rural land.
Find the census tract. Search the address in a federal opportunity zone map or the Census Bureau’s geocoder, which returns the state, county and tract codes for an address. Write down the full 11-digit tract number.
Match the tract to the official list. Compare the tract number with the designated list for the round you care about. A match on the list matters more than how the map looks.
Check the edges. Tract lines often follow roads, rivers and rail lines. If a parcel sits on or near a tract line, or a large parcel crosses one, zoom in on the county viewer with aerial imagery and confirm which tract holds the part you plan to use.
Check the date. Ask whether you need the zones in effect today or the zones that start in 2027. The two lists will not be the same.

The 2027 opportunity zone map

The 2025 law (often called the One Big Beautiful Bill Act) made the program permanent and reset the map. Governors were given a nomination window that opened July 1, 2026, with any extensions running no later than October 28, 2026. Treasury then certifies the picks, and the IRS has said it expects to publish the designated list before January 1, 2027. The new law also tightened the income test for eligible tracts and added extra benefits for zones made up entirely of rural areas.

Most first-round zones are scheduled to keep their designation through the end of 2028. That means some tracts may be on the old list, the new list, or both for a time. Until the new list is final, treat any “2027 map” as a preview and confirm the final designation before you plan around it.

What being in a zone does and does not mean

The tax treatment is for investors. The program rewards people who invest eligible capital gains through a qualified opportunity fund, which then puts money into property or businesses in a zone. Owning a home in a zone does not, by itself, change your property tax or income tax.
The property has to be used the right way. Fund rules generally look for new construction or substantial improvement of existing property, plus holding periods. Land sitting idle usually does not qualify on its own.
Zoning still rules. A zone designation does not change what the county or city allows on the land. Check the zoning of the property and whether the lot is buildable before anything else.
Other programs are separate. A tax increment financing district, a tax abatement area or a local enterprise zone is a different thing with its own map. See what a TIF district is and what a property tax abatement is.
Get advice. The tax rules are detailed. Talk with a tax professional before buying, selling or investing because of a zone.

Why two maps can disagree

Different rounds. One map shows first-round zones and another shows nominated or designated 2027 tracts.
Census vintages. Tract lines are redrawn after each decennial census. A map built on older tract lines can split or merge areas differently from a newer one.
Eligible vs designated. Some maps highlight every tract that was eligible to be nominated, which is a much larger set than the tracts actually picked.
Drawing accuracy. Map layers are generalized. Near a line, rely on the tract number and the parcel’s legal location, not on how the shading looks. Our guide on finding the legal description of a property helps when a parcel is close to an edge.

Quick checklist

Find the parcel and its true location on the county viewer.
Get the 11-digit census tract number for that location.
Match it to the official designated list for the right round.
Check the parcel’s zoning and other county layers.
Confirm the tax side with a professional before you act.

Questions people ask

How do I know if my property is in an opportunity zone?

Find the census tract for the parcel's location with a federal opportunity zone map or the Census Bureau geocoder, then match the 11-digit tract number to the official list of designated zones.

What is the new opportunity zone map for 2027?

A 2025 law made the program permanent and started a new round. Governors nominated tracts in 2026, and zones certified by Treasury take effect January 1, 2027 and run through December 31, 2036.

Do the current opportunity zones end?

Most first-round zones are scheduled to keep their designation through the end of 2028. Some tracts may appear on both the old and new lists for a time, so always check the date.

Does living in an opportunity zone lower my taxes?

Not by itself. The tax treatment is for investors who put eligible gains into a qualified opportunity fund that invests in the zone. Ask a tax professional about your situation.

Are opportunity zones based on parcels or census tracts?

Census tracts. Every parcel inside a designated tract shares its status, so check the tract line carefully if the land is near an edge.

Where can I see an opportunity zone map for free?

The Treasury's CDFI Fund and HUD publish free national maps, many states post their own, and some county GIS viewers include an opportunity zone layer.