To identify opportunity areas, BRHP analyzes neighborhood conditions at the census tract level using a wide range of data sources, including the U.S. Census, Maryland State Department of Education, Federal Department of Housing and Community Development, and BRHP’s own program records. Each tract is scored across multiple indicators – school performance, employment rates, poverty levels, etc. – using standardized calculations.

For some indicators, such as poverty rate, higher values mean less opportunity, so they are calculated in reverse from indicators like median income where a higher value means more opportunity. Poverty rate is also given greater weight than the other indicators because of its particular importance in indicating neighborhood opportunity. Once every indicator is scored and weighted, the values are summed into a single “Opportunity Score” for each census tract so that they can easily be compared. BRHP ranks tracts by score and identifies opportunity areas as those where the top 50% of all rental housing units are located. The result is a map that helps BRHP prioritize neighborhoods where families can access strong schools, economic stability, and healthier living environments.