Underserved Areas Data

Low-Income Areas and Designated Disaster Areas Data​

The Federal Housing Enterprises Financial Safety and Soundness Act of 1992 (Safety and Soundness Act) provides for the establishment of single-family and multifamily goals each year, including a single-family purchase money mortgage goal for families residing in low-income areas.  The Safety and Soundness Act defines "low-income area" as: (a) census tracts or block numbering areas in which the median income does not exceed 80 percent of area median income (AMI), (b) families with income not greater than 100 percent of AMI who reside in minority census tracts, and (c) families with income not greater than 100 percent of AMI who reside in designated disaster areas.  A “minority census tract” is a census tract that has a minority population of at least 30 percent and a median income of less than 100 percent of the AMI.  Census tract level data identifying these areas are available below for 2010 and 2011 based on 2000 Census tract geography, for 2012 through 2021 based on 2010 Census tract geography, and for 2022 and subsequent years based on 2020 Census tract geography.

​As in the previous underserved area definition, low-income area and minority census tract definitions are based on prior year metropolitan area definitions as determined by OMB.  Designated disaster areas are identified by FHFA based on the three most recent years' declarations by the Federal Emergency Management Agency​ (FEMA), where individual assistance payments were authorized by FEMA.  Each file includes a map of the counties identified as designated disaster areas and a description of the data layout, also available separately.

Geographically​​ Targeted Goal Data

Prior to the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 (HERA), the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) was responsible for the underserved areas data.  HERA transferred that task to the Federal Housing Finance Agency.  The former Geographically Targeted Goal ("Central Cities, Rural Areas, and Other Underserved Areas Housing Goal"), similar to the Low-Income Areas goal, was intended to achieve increased purchases by the Enterprises of mortgages financing housing in areas that are underserved in terms of mortgage credit.