Cass County
Cass County, Illinois: solar permitting grade B (score 38/100, Moderate Risk). Score has been stable over the last 12 months. Primary-source ordinance and board-vote data on SitePath.
Public summary
| Grade | B · Moderate Risk · Score 38/100 |
| Population | 12,147 |
| Solar ordinance | Active solar ordinance on the books |
| Active moratorium | None on record |
| Regulatory trajectory | Stable (no material ordinance movement) |
| 12-month score movement | Stable |
| Last verified | 2026-05-02 |
Developer outlook
Cass County presents moderate permitting risk; conditions are generally workable for utility-scale solar with standard due-diligence preparation. Illinois's state RPS policy provides a supportive macro backdrop for renewables, even where individual county ordinances are restrictive. 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 Cass County. An incorporated city, town or village can adopt its own zoning, separate from the county’s.
- Beardstown city
- Virginia city
- Arenzville village
- Ashland village
- Chandlerville village
- Arenzville township
- Ashland township
- Beardstown township
- Bluff Springs township
- Chandlerville township
- Hagener township
- Newmansville township
- Panther Creek township
- Philadelphia township
- Sangamon Valley township
- Virginia township
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- Morgan County · ≈18 miD55—
- Schuyler County · ≈23 miB31—
- Menard County · ≈24 miB36—
- Mason County · ≈26 miB33—
- Scott County · ≈26 miB33—
- Brown County · ≈27 miB40—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
Cass County ranks #20 of 102 ranked Illinois counties (1 = lowest permitting risk). Lowest-risk in Illinois: DeWitt County (A · 25), Bureau County (A · 26), Edgar County (A · 27). See all Illinois 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.