Frederick County
Frederick County, Maryland: solar permitting grade D (score 65/100, 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 65/100 |
| Population | 271,717 |
| Solar ordinance | Ordinance status documented in detail |
| Active moratorium | None on record |
| Regulatory trajectory | Stable (no material ordinance movement) |
| 12-month score movement | Stable |
| Last verified | 2026-05-02 |
Developer outlook
Frederick County is a high-risk jurisdiction for utility-scale solar — documented ordinance hurdles are significant and approval history is mixed or unfavorable. Maryland's state RPS policy provides a supportive macro backdrop for renewables, even where individual county ordinances are restrictive. Market saturation is elevated in this area — expect competition for prime land parcels and interconnection capacity.
Local intel
On file: energy-related meetings · named opposition groups
Cities, towns & townships
Local governments in Frederick County. An incorporated city, town or village can adopt its own zoning, separate from the county’s.
- Brunswick city
- Frederick city
- Burkittsville town
- Emmitsburg town
- Middletown town
- Mount Airy townpartly in this county
- Myersville town
- New Market town
- Thurmont town
- Walkersville town
- Woodsboro town
- Rosemont village
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- Carroll County · ≈21 miF66—
- Washington County · ≈24 miB37—
- Montgomery County · ≈25 miD55—
- Jefferson County, WV · ≈27 miC50—
- Adams County, PA · ≈29 miC43—
- Howard County · ≈29 miC51—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
Frederick County ranks #22 of 24 ranked Maryland counties (1 = lowest permitting risk). Lowest-risk in Maryland: Anne Arundel County (B · 34), Washington County (B · 37), St. Mary's County (B · 38). See all Maryland 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.