Smith County
Smith County, Kansas: solar permitting grade B (score 41/100, 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 41/100 |
| Population | 3,518 |
| 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
Smith 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: Rooks County (≈42 mi) · Harlan County (≈43 mi) · Ottawa County (≈75 mi)
Cities, towns & townships
Local governments in Smith County. An incorporated city, town or village can adopt its own zoning, separate from the county’s.
- Athol city
- Cedar city
- Gaylord city
- Kensington city
- Lebanon city
- Smith Center city
- Banner township
- Beaver township
- Blaine township
- Cedar township
- Center township
- Cora township
- Crystal Plains township
- Dor township
- Garfield township
- German township
- Harlan township
- Harvey township
- Houston township
- Lane township
- Lincoln township
- Logan township
- Martin township
- Oak township
Show all
- Pawnee township
- Pleasant township
- Swan township
- Valley township
- Washington township
- Webster township
- White Rock township
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- Franklin County, NE · ≈29 miB36—
- Phillips County · ≈30 miB41—
- Jewell County · ≈30 miB41—
- Osborne County · ≈30 miB41—
- Webster County, NE · ≈31 miB41—
- Mitchell County · ≈41 miB37—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
Smith County ranks #55 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.