Franklin County
Franklin County, Iowa: 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 | 10,070 |
| Solar ordinance | No specific solar ordinance recorded |
| Active moratorium | None on record |
| Regulatory trajectory | Stable (no material ordinance movement) |
| 12-month score movement | Stable |
| Data-center activity | Moratorium ACTIVE |
| Last verified | 2026-05-02 |
Developer outlook
Franklin County presents moderate permitting risk; conditions are generally workable for utility-scale solar with standard due-diligence preparation.
Local intel
On file: named opposition groups
Cities, towns & townships
Local governments in Franklin County. An incorporated city, town or village can adopt its own zoning, separate from the county’s.
- Ackley city
- Alexander city
- Coulter city
- Dows city
- Geneva city
- Hampton city
- Hansell city
- Latimer city
- Popejoy city
- Sheffield city
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- Cerro Gordo County · ≈23 miF100—
- Wright County · ≈24 miB37—
- Hardin County · ≈24 miC46—
- Butler County · ≈25 miB36—
- Hamilton County · ≈33 miB37—
- Floyd County · ≈33 miD56—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
Franklin County ranks #45 of 99 ranked Iowa counties (1 = lowest permitting risk). Lowest-risk in Iowa: Polk County (A · 25), Scott County (A · 29), Wapello County (B · 31). See all Iowa 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.