Two Keene Census Tracts Added to New Hampshire’s Federal Opportunity Zone List

Gov. Kelly Ayotte said the approvals are meant to help direct private money toward housing, job creation and infrastructure projects.

New Hampshire’s latest round of federal Opportunity Zone 2.0 approvals includes two census tracts in Keene, part of a 25-tract package cleared by the U.S. Department of the Treasury on Tuesday, Oct. 27. The state submitted 53 eligible locations for consideration, and the final selections stretch across all 10 New Hampshire counties, with 17 of them located in rural communities.

The Keene tracts cover sections of the city’s south and southwest sides. On the map, the zone reaches from the western edge of Keene toward downtown and the Route 101 corridor, including areas south of West Street and portions lying below the Route 9 and Route 101 corridors. The boundaries also touch parts of the Winchester Street and Island Street neighborhoods, areas near Main Street and Marlboro Street, and stretches toward eastern Keene. The designation applies only to the census tracts themselves and does not automatically extend to every property inside or nearby.

Gov. Kelly Ayotte said the approvals are meant to help direct private money toward housing, job creation and infrastructure projects. She said the program is designed to support growth in communities across the state, including rural parts of New Hampshire.

Opportunity Zones were first created under the federal Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 as a way to steer eligible capital gains into designated areas. Congress updated the program in July 2025 with Opportunity Zone 2.0, adding new incentives for certain investments.

For rural Opportunity Zone funds, the revised rules allow a stronger tax benefit, including a 30% increase in the investment basis after five years. State officials say that structure is intended to make projects such as workforce housing, industrial and commercial development, and public-facing infrastructure more attractive to investors.

New Hampshire Department of Business and Economic Affairs Commissioner Lucy Lange said towns and regional partners submitted proposals that identified possible sites for development, including housing and business locations. After the federal decision, the department plans to host more community briefings and workshops to help local leaders, development groups and investors understand how to use the program.

The new Opportunity Zone 2.0 designations will begin Jan. 1, 2027 and continue through Dec. 31, 2036. The earlier Opportunity Zone 1.0 areas will remain in place until Dec. 31, 2028. Maps, program details and information about upcoming regional meetings are available through Choose New Hampshire’s Opportunity Zones webpage.