Federal bank regulatory agencies, including the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), Federal Reserve Board, and Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), have released the 2026 list of geographies eligible for Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) credit. This list identifies distressed or underserved nonmetropolitan middle-income areas where specific bank activities can receive CRA consideration.
Under the CRA, agencies evaluate a bank's performance in addressing the credit needs of its entire community, including low- and moderate-income neighborhoods, while maintaining safe and sound operations. The newly released designations are based on local economic conditions such as unemployment rates, poverty levels, and population shifts.
Revitalization or stabilization activities conducted in these designated geographies will be eligible for CRA consideration under the community development definition for 12 months following the list's publication. Additionally, areas included in the 2025 list but no longer designated in 2026 will benefit from a one-year lag period for continued eligibility.