Maricopa County
Maricopa County, Arizona: solar permitting grade D (score 54/100, High Risk). Score has been stable over the last 12 months. Primary-source ordinance and board-vote data on SitePath.
Public summary
| Grade | D · High Risk · Score 54/100 |
| Population | 4,420,568 |
| Solar ordinance | Ordinance status documented in detail |
| Active moratorium | None on record |
| Regulatory trajectory | Stable (no material ordinance movement) |
| 12-month score movement | Stable |
| Data-center activity | Major DC Market |
| Last verified | 2026-05-02 |
Developer outlook
Maricopa County is a high-risk jurisdiction for utility-scale solar — documented ordinance hurdles are significant and approval history is mixed or unfavorable. Market saturation is elevated in this area — expect competition for prime land parcels and interconnection capacity.
Local intel
On file: named opposition groups
Cities, towns & townships
Local governments in Maricopa County. An incorporated city, town or village can adopt its own zoning, separate from the county’s.
- Apache Junction city
- Avondale city
- Buckeye city
- Chandler city
- El Mirage city
- Glendale city
- Goodyear city
- Litchfield Park city
- Mesa city
- Peoria city
- Phoenix city
- Scottsdale city
- Surprise city
- Tempe city
- Tolleson city
- Carefree town
- Cave Creek town
- Fountain Hills town
- Gila Bend town
- Gilbert town
- Guadalupe town
- Paradise Valley town
- Queen Creek town
- Wickenburg town
Show all
- Youngtown town
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- Pinal County · ≈72 miC45—
- Yavapai County · ≈89 miF68—
- Yuma County · ≈91 miC45—
- La Paz County · ≈93 miC46—
- Pima County · ≈94 miD57—
- Gila County · ≈102 miC51—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
Maricopa County ranks #11 of 15 ranked Arizona counties (1 = lowest permitting risk). Lowest-risk in Arizona: Coconino County (B · 35), Apache County (B · 41), Navajo County (B · 41). See all Arizona county grades →
Want the full record?
Setback distances, board vote histories, source documents, and ordinance amendments are available in the full county profile. The map is free; a walkthrough shows you the underlying record.
About this score
Every U.S. county is scored 0–100 on solar permitting risk (lower is friendlier to development). The grade is a weighted composite of compliance stringency, market saturation, regulatory trajectory, and data uncertainty. Every figure traces back to a primary government document. Read the full methodology →
Related reading
SitePath Intelligence is a research platform. Data verified as of 2026-05-02. Scores update on a quarterly review cycle.