Hopkins County
Hopkins County, Kentucky: solar permitting grade C (score 51/100, 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 51/100 |
| Population | 44,982 |
| 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
Hopkins County carries elevated permitting risk. Developers should budget additional time for ordinance review, public hearing preparation, and community engagement. Kentucky's state policy environment adds headwinds — the absence of a strong RPS framework means county-level resistance faces less counterbalancing pressure.
Local intel
On file: named opposition groups
Cities, towns & townships
Local governments in Hopkins County. An incorporated city, town or village can adopt its own zoning, separate from the county’s.
- Dawson Springs citypartly in this county
- Earlington city
- Hanson city
- Madisonville city
- Mortons Gap city
- Nebo city
- Nortonville city
- St. Charles city
- White Plains city
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- Webster County · ≈16 miC51—
- Caldwell County · ≈21 miC45—
- McLean County · ≈22 miC45—
- Muhlenberg County · ≈23 miB40—
- Christian County · ≈29 miC49—
- Crittenden County · ≈31 miC45—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
Hopkins County ranks #71 of 120 ranked Kentucky counties (1 = lowest permitting risk). Lowest-risk in Kentucky: Jefferson County (B · 31), Woodford County (B · 36), Franklin County (B · 36). 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.