St. Joseph County
St. Joseph County, Indiana: solar permitting grade F (score 78/100, Very High Risk). Score has been stable over the last 12 months. Primary-source ordinance and board-vote data on SitePath.
Public summary
| Grade | F · Very High Risk · Score 78/100 |
| Population | 271,826 |
| 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
St. Joseph County is very high risk for utility-scale solar permitting. Significant regulatory barriers are on record, and approval is not likely without substantial process investment. 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 St. Joseph County. An incorporated city, town or village can adopt its own zoning, separate from the county’s.
- Mishawaka city
- South Bend city
- Indian Village town
- Lakeville town
- New Carlisle town
- North Liberty town
- Osceola town
- Roseland town
- Walkerton town
- Centre township
- Clay township
- German township
- Greene township
- Harris township
- Liberty township
- Lincoln township
- Madison township
- Olive township
- Penn township
- Portage township
- Union township
- Warren township
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- Marshall County · ≈20 miF72—
- Elkhart County · ≈22 miD52—
- LaPorte County · ≈24 miC47—
- Cass County, MI · ≈25 miC50—
- Berrien County, MI · ≈26 miD55—
- Starke County · ≈30 miC42—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
St. Joseph County ranks #89 of 92 ranked Indiana counties (1 = lowest permitting risk). Lowest-risk in Indiana: Washington County (B · 35), Cass County (B · 35), LaGrange County (B · 36). See all Indiana 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.