Barnstable County
Barnstable County, Massachusetts: solar permitting grade C (score 49/100, 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 49/100 |
| Population | 217,032 |
| Solar ordinance | Active, restrictive solar ordinance |
| Active moratorium | None on record |
| Regulatory trajectory | Improving (ordinance direction easing) |
| 12-month score movement | Stable |
| Last verified | 2026-05-02 |
Developer outlook
Barnstable County carries elevated permitting risk. Developers should budget additional time for ordinance review, public hearing preparation, and community engagement. Market saturation is elevated in this area — expect competition for prime land parcels and interconnection capacity.
Local intel
On file: named opposition groups
Cities, towns & townships
In Massachusetts, towns hold their own zoning and land-use authority, so the rules for a site in Barnstable County often depend on which of these governments it falls in.
- Barnstable Town city
- Bourne town
- Brewster townrules on file
- Chatham town
- Dennis townrules on file
- Eastham town
- Falmouth townrules on file
- Harwich townrules on file
- Mashpee townrules on file
- Orleans town
- Provincetown town
- Sandwich townrules on file
- Truro town
- Wellfleet town
- Yarmouth town
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- Plymouth County · ≈30 miC44—
- Nantucket County · ≈34 miB38—
- Dukes County · ≈38 miC45—
- Bristol County · ≈45 miC42—
- Suffolk County · ≈55 miB35—
- Bristol County, RI · ≈56 miB40—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
Barnstable County ranks #13 of 14 ranked Massachusetts counties (1 = lowest permitting risk). Lowest-risk in Massachusetts: Middlesex County (B · 34), Hampshire County (B · 34), Suffolk County (B · 35). See all Massachusetts 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.