Mason County
Mason County, Illinois: solar permitting grade B (score 33/100, 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 33/100 |
| Population | 12,609 |
| 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
Mason 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: Fulton County (≈22 mi) · Cass County (≈26 mi) · Tazewell County (≈28 mi)
Cities, towns & townships
Local governments in Mason County. An incorporated city, town or village can adopt its own zoning, separate from the county’s.
- Havana city
- Mason City city
- Bath village
- Easton village
- Forest City village
- Kilbourne village
- Manito village
- San Jose villagepartly in this county
- Topeka village
- Allens Grove township
- Bath township
- Crane Creek township
- Forest City township
- Havana township
- Kilbourne township
- Lynchburg township
- Manito township
- Mason City township
- Pennsylvania township
- Quiver township
- Salt Creek township
- Sherman township
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- Menard County · ≈16 miB36—
- Fulton County · ≈22 miC48—
- Cass County · ≈26 miB38—
- Tazewell County · ≈28 miD63—
- Logan County · ≈30 miD54—
- Sangamon County · ≈36 miD62—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
Mason County ranks #10 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.