Berkshire County
Berkshire County, Massachusetts: solar permitting grade B (score 39/100, Moderate Risk). Score has been stable over the last 12 months. Primary-source ordinance and board-vote data on SitePath.
Public summary
| Grade | B · Moderate Risk · Score 39/100 |
| Population | 126,501 |
| 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
Berkshire County presents moderate permitting risk; conditions are generally workable for utility-scale solar with standard due-diligence preparation. 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 Berkshire County often depend on which of these governments it falls in.
- North Adams city
- Pittsfield cityrules on file
- Adams townrules on file
- Alford town
- Becket town
- Cheshire town
- Clarksburg town
- Dalton town
- Egremont town
- Florida town
- Great Barrington town
- Hancock town
- Hinsdale town
- Lanesborough town
- Lee town
- Lenox town
- Monterey town
- Mount Washington town
- New Ashford town
- New Marlborough townrules on file
- Otis townrules on file
- Peru town
- Richmond town
- Sandisfield town
Show all
- Savoy town
- Sheffield townrules on file
- Stockbridge town
- Tyringham town
- Washington town
- West Stockbridge town
- Williamstown town
- Windsor town
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- Columbia County, NY · ≈23 miC50—
- Rensselaer County, NY · ≈28 miB35—
- Hampshire County · ≈28 miB34—
- Hampden County · ≈34 miB40—
- Franklin County · ≈35 miC49—
- Litchfield County, CT · ≈40 miD52—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
Berkshire County ranks #5 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.