Disclaimer: This website may not be relied upon by taxpayers to substantiate a tax return position or for determining whether certain penalties apply and will not be used by the IRS for examination purposes.
Taxpayers making qualifying investments in census tracts that are designated as Qualified Opportunity Zones (QOZs) may be eligible for certain tax benefits under section 1400Z-2 of the Internal Revenue Code (IRC). The One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act (Pub. L. 119-21) lowered the threshold needed to meet the substantial improvement test for property in QOZs comprised entirely of a rural area. Treasury identified such rural QOZs in Notice 2025-50. This page provides links to relevant datasets and a description of the methodology used by Treasury to determine which census tracts designated as QOZs are comprised entirely of a rural area.
Data and Notices relevant to the Opportunity Zone Tax Incentive
- Notice 2018–48: Designated Qualified Opportunity Zones under Internal Revenue Code § 1400Z–2
- Notice 2019-42: Amplification of Notice 2018-48 to Include Additional Puerto Rico Designated Qualified Opportunity Zones
- Notice 2025-50: Substantial Improvement of Property in Rural Areas
- Data: Rural 2018 Qualified Opportunity Zones as Provided in Notice 2025-50
Description of Methodology
This documentation describes the methodology that Treasury used to determine which census tracts designated as QOZs in Notice 2018-48, as amplified by Notice 2019-42 (2018 QOZs), are comprised entirely of a rural area (Rural 2018 QOZs) as identified in Notice 2025-50.