Thomas County
Thomas 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 | 7,824 |
| 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
Thomas County carries elevated permitting risk. Developers should budget additional time for ordinance review, public hearing preparation, and community engagement.
Local intel
On file: energy-related meetings
- 2026-09-30BESSThe East Fork Battery Storage project documents were presented. · agenda
- 2026-09-30BESSThe Thomas County government is considering the approval of the East Fork Battery Storage Project. · agenda
- 2026-09-30BESSThe Thomas County government is considering the approval of the East Fork Battery Storage Project. · agenda
Cities, towns & townships
Local governments in Thomas County. An incorporated city, town or village can adopt its own zoning, separate from the county’s.
- Brewster city
- Colby city
- Gem city
- Menlo city
- Oakley citypartly in this county
- Rexford city
- Barrett township
- East Hale township
- Kingery township
- Lacey township
- Menlo township
- Morgan township
- North Randall township
- Rovohl township
- Smith township
- South Randall township
- Summers township
- Wendell township
- West Hale township
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- Rawlins County · ≈30 miB41—
- Logan County · ≈31 miB34—
- Sherman County · ≈34 miB41—
- Sheridan County · ≈34 miB41—
- Gove County · ≈44 miB30—
- Decatur County · ≈44 miC47—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
Thomas County ranks #73 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.