O'Brien County
O'Brien County, Iowa: solar permitting grade B (score 37/100, 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 37/100 |
| Population | 14,380 |
| Solar ordinance | No specific solar ordinance recorded |
| Active moratorium | None on record |
| Regulatory trajectory | Stable (no material ordinance movement) |
| 12-month score movement | Stable |
| Last verified | 2026-07-13 |
Developer outlook
O'Brien County presents moderate permitting risk; conditions are generally workable for utility-scale solar with standard due-diligence preparation.
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: Osceola County (≈20 mi) · Cherokee County (≈24 mi) · Sioux County (≈28 mi)
Cities, towns & townships
Local governments in O'Brien County. An incorporated city, town or village can adopt its own zoning, separate from the county’s.
- Archer city
- Calumet city
- Hartley city
- Paullina city
- Primghar city
- Sanborn city
- Sheldon city
- Sutherland city
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- Osceola County · ≈20 miB39—
- Cherokee County · ≈24 miC48—
- Clay County · ≈24 miB37—
- Sioux County · ≈28 miD52—
- Dickinson County · ≈30 miD56—
- Buena Vista County · ≈34 miB40—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
O'Brien County ranks #35 of 99 ranked Iowa counties (1 = lowest permitting risk). Lowest-risk in Iowa: Polk County (A · 25), Scott County (A · 29), Wapello County (B · 30). 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 2026-07-13. Scores update on a quarterly review cycle.