Rice County
Rice County, Kansas: 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 | 9,537 |
| 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
Rice 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 Rice County. An incorporated city, town or village can adopt its own zoning, separate from the county’s.
- Alden city
- Bushton city
- Chase city
- Frederick city
- Geneseo city
- Little River city
- Lyons city
- Raymond city
- Sterling city
- Atlanta township
- Bell township
- Center township
- East Washington township
- Eureka township
- Farmer township
- Galt township
- Harrison township
- Lincoln township
- Mitchell township
- Odessa township
- Pioneer township
- Raymond township
- Rockville township
- Sterling township
Show all
- Union township
- Valley township
- Victoria township
- West Washington township
- Wilson township
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- Ellsworth County · ≈24 miB40—
- Reno County · ≈28 miD63—
- McPherson County · ≈30 miF100—
- Barton County · ≈32 miD62—
- Stafford County · ≈35 miB41—
- Saline County · ≈43 miC46—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
Rice County ranks #8 of 105 ranked Kansas counties (1 = lowest permitting risk). Lowest-risk in Kansas: Marion County (A · 29), Dickinson County (B · 30), Wichita County (B · 30). See all Kansas 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.