Riley County
Riley County, Kansas: solar permitting grade C (score 43/100, 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 43/100 |
| Population | 75,297 |
| 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
Riley County carries elevated permitting risk. Developers should budget additional time for ordinance review, public hearing preparation, and community engagement.
Local intel
On file: named opposition groups
Cities, towns & townships
Local governments in Riley County. An incorporated city, town or village can adopt its own zoning, separate from the county’s.
- Leonardville city
- Manhattan citypartly in this county
- Ogden city
- Randolph city
- Riley city
- Ashland township
- Bala township
- Center township
- Fancy Creek township
- Grant township
- Jackson township
- Madison township
- Manhattan township
- May Day township
- Ogden township
- Sherman township
- Swede Creek township
- Wildcat township
- Zeandale township
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- Geary County · ≈20 miC49—
- Pottawatomie County · ≈22 miF100—
- Clay County · ≈24 miB40—
- Marshall County · ≈36 miB35—
- Wabaunsee County · ≈37 miB40—
- Dickinson County · ≈37 miB30—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
Riley County ranks #74 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.