Treasury Certifies Delaware's 25 Opportunity Zones
Delaware's 25 nominated census tracts now hold Qualified Opportunity Zone status, opening the state to federal tax-advantaged investment.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Regional Economics
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The U.S. Treasury has certified Delaware's 25 nominated census tracts as Qualified Opportunity Zones. Investors may acquire eligible assets in the zones beginning January 1, 2027.
Why it matters
Opportunity Zone designation is intended to channel private capital into designated low-income areas through federal tax incentives. For Delaware residents, the certification determines which neighborhoods can attract that investment in the coming years.
The U.S. Treasury certification covers 25 Delaware census tracts, nominated ahead of a September 28, 2026 submission deadline. The source does not report the total investment expected or how many eligible projects are underway.
The players
U.S. Department of the Treasury
The federal agency that certifies census tracts as Qualified Opportunity Zones under the program created by the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
Milken Institute
A nonprofit think tank based in California that runs the Community Infrastructure Center, which provides technical assistance to community project sponsors.
The details
Governor Meyer's team began community engagement and research in December 2025 before submitting the nomination. The state also launched a landing page with Milken Institute's Community Infrastructure Center for project sponsors, wealth managers, and investors, with free registration.
Timeline
December 2025: Governor Meyer's team begins community engagement and research.
September 28, 2026: Deadline for Delaware's census tract nomination submission.
November 5, 2026: U.S. Treasury certification announced and Delaware landing page launched.
January 1, 2027: Opportunity Zone investors may begin acquiring eligible assets in Delaware.
Regional Context
Delaware's certification follows the nomination-and-certification process set by the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which created the Opportunity Zone program for low-income census tracts. The state's 25 designated tracts now enter the investment window that the federal law opened for eligible assets.
Residents in the 25 certified census tracts may see new private investment, though timing and location depend on investor decisions after January 1, 2027. Property owners and small business operators in those tracts should watch for project announcements through the state landing page.
The takeaway
Opportunity Zone status makes Delaware's designated tracts eligible for a federal tax-advantaged investment window that opens January 1, 2027. Residents and property owners in those areas can track project sponsors and state resources to understand where investment may land.
What happens next
Opportunity Zone investors may begin acquiring eligible assets in Delaware's designated zones on January 1, 2027.
Further reading
For broader context on how state-level economic development is shaping local growth, explore Regional Economics coverage on Wisevoter.
More information
Learn how the platform connects project sponsors and investors through the Milken Institute Opportunity Zone deal-readiness platform overview.
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