Pope County
Pope County, Illinois: solar permitting grade C (score 45/100, Elevated Risk). Score has been stable over the last 12 months. Primary-source ordinance and board-vote data on SitePath.
Public summary
| Grade | C · Elevated Risk · Score 45/100 |
| Population | 4,177 |
| 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
Pope County carries elevated permitting risk. Developers should budget additional time for ordinance review, public hearing preparation, and community engagement. 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: Livingston County (≈17 mi) · Johnson County (≈19 mi) · Crittenden County (≈24 mi)
Cities, towns & townships
Local governments in Pope County. An incorporated city, town or village can adopt its own zoning, separate from the county’s.
- Golconda city
- Eddyville village
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- Massac County · ≈17 miB41—
- Hardin County · ≈17 miD60—
- Livingston County, KY · ≈17 miC47—
- Johnson County · ≈19 miC50—
- Saline County · ≈23 miC51—
- Crittenden County, KY · ≈24 miC45—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
Pope County ranks #57 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.