Equity and Qualified Census Tract

As part of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) direction, the United States Department of Treasury highlights the disproportionate negative impacts of the COVID-19 public health emergency on certain disproportionately impacted communities. The US Treasury encourages the use of ARPA funding to prioritize these communities. The use of Qualified Census Tracts (QCTs) is one of the strategies identified in the US Treasury guidance to help remedy the negative impacts of COVID-19 on these communities.

What are QCTs?

Qualified Census Tracts (QCTs) is a term used by the United States Treasury and the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to define underserved and disproportionately impacted communities. QCTs are census areas where at least half of households have lower income than most of the surrounding region. 

QCTs in Montgomery County

There are ten QCTs contained in two municipalities in Montgomery County:

• Borough of Norristown
• Borough of Pottstown

Pandemic Recovery Funds Equity Index Tool

The County created an interactive Pandemic Recovery Funds Equity Index Tool to help submitters create ideas and projects that will serve to reduce the inequalities within the community. 

The Pandemic Recovery Funds Equity Index Tool is presented as an interactive map and a set of data tables that include the following components:

• Disaggregate data using poverty level guidelines (socioeconomic) and other demographic subgroup categories
• Qualified Census Tracts (QCT)
• Disability Status
• Difficult Development Areas 
• Public Health Data 

To determine if an address is located within a QCT, deselect all other categories (by clicking the eye icon) and use the search tool to search for a specific address.

click here to open the interactive map

By using the interactive map and its series of filters, potential submitters can explore the census tracts around Montgomery County and discover areas of most need based on people disproportionately affected by the Covid-19 Pandemic. 

Additional data can also be found in the tabs below and in the public data sets on the Information and Data Page.