Ford County
Ford 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 | 12,590 |
| 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
Ford 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.
Local intel
No energy-related meetings, PSC dockets, or named opposition tracked for this county yet. See indexed calendar →
Nearby counties where SitePath is tracking energy activity: Iroquois County (≈23 mi) · Livingston County (≈27 mi) · Champaign County (≈31 mi)
Cities, towns & townships
Local governments in Ford County. An incorporated city, town or village can adopt its own zoning, separate from the county’s.
- Gibson City city
- Paxton city
- Cabery village
- Elliott village
- Kempton village
- Melvin village
- Piper City village
- Roberts village
- Sibley village
- Brenton township
- Button township
- Dix township
- Drummer township
- Lyman township
- Mona township
- Patton township
- Peach Orchard township
- Pella township
- Rogers township
- Sullivant township
- Wall township
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- Iroquois County · ≈23 miC51—
- Livingston County · ≈27 miD56—
- Champaign County · ≈31 miC51—
- McLean County · ≈33 miB37—
- Vermilion County · ≈38 miC48—
- Kankakee County · ≈42 miB40—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
Ford County ranks #20 of 102 ranked Illinois counties (1 = lowest permitting risk). Lowest-risk in Illinois: DeWitt County (A · 26), Bureau County (A · 26), Edgar County (A · 28). 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.