Ballard County
Ballard County, Kentucky: solar permitting grade D (score 57/100, High Risk). Score has been stable over the last 12 months. Primary-source ordinance and board-vote data on SitePath.
Public summary
| Grade | D · High Risk · Score 57/100 |
| Population | 7,851 |
| Solar ordinance | Active solar ordinance on the books |
| Active moratorium | None on record |
| Regulatory trajectory | Stable (no material ordinance movement) |
| 12-month score movement | Stable |
| Last verified | 2026-05-02 |
Developer outlook
Ballard County is a high-risk jurisdiction for utility-scale solar — documented ordinance hurdles are significant and approval history is mixed or unfavorable. Kentucky's state policy environment adds headwinds — the absence of a strong RPS framework means county-level resistance faces less counterbalancing pressure. Market saturation is elevated in this area — expect competition for prime land parcels and interconnection capacity.
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: Carlisle County (≈13 mi) · McCracken County (≈16 mi) · Johnson County (≈29 mi)
Cities, towns & townships
Local governments in Ballard County. An incorporated city, town or village can adopt its own zoning, separate from the county’s.
- Barlow city
- Blandville city
- Kevil city
- La Center city
- Wickliffe city
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- Pulaski County, IL · ≈13 miC49—
- Carlisle County · ≈13 miB40—
- McCracken County · ≈16 miB41—
- Massac County, IL · ≈20 miB41—
- Alexander County, IL · ≈21 miD56—
- Mississippi County, MO · ≈22 miC51—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
Ballard County ranks #94 of 120 ranked Kentucky counties (1 = lowest permitting risk). Lowest-risk in Kentucky: Jefferson County (B · 30), Woodford County (B · 35), Laurel County (B · 35). See all Kentucky 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.