Jefferson County
Jefferson County, Illinois: solar permitting grade D (score 58/100, 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 58/100 |
| Population | 37,468 |
| Solar ordinance | Active, restrictive solar ordinance |
| Active moratorium | None on record |
| Regulatory trajectory | Stable (no material ordinance movement) |
| 12-month score movement | Stable |
| Last verified | 2026-05-02 |
Developer outlook
Jefferson County is a high-risk jurisdiction for utility-scale solar — documented ordinance hurdles are significant and approval history is mixed or unfavorable. Illinois's state RPS policy provides a supportive macro backdrop for renewables, even where individual county ordinances are restrictive.
Local intel
On file: named opposition groups
Cities, towns & townships
Local governments in Jefferson County. An incorporated city, town or village can adopt its own zoning, separate from the county’s.
- Centralia citypartly in this county
- Mount Vernon city
- Nason city
- Belle Rive village
- Bluford village
- Bonnie village
- Dix village
- Ina village
- Waltonville village
- Woodlawn village
- Bald Hill township
- Blissville township
- Casner township
- Dodds township
- Elk Prairie township
- Farrington township
- Field township
- Grand Prairie township
- McClellan township
- Moores Prairie township
- Mount Vernon township
- Pendleton township
- Rome township
- Shiloh township
Show all
- Spring Garden township
- Webber township
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- Franklin County · ≈21 miC45—
- Marion County · ≈24 miC44—
- Hamilton County · ≈26 miB39—
- Washington County · ≈27 miB39—
- Wayne County · ≈28 miB37—
- Perry County · ≈28 miD53—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
Jefferson County ranks #89 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.