Bristol County
Bristol County, Massachusetts: solar permitting grade C (score 42/100, 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 42/100 |
| Population | 567,900 |
| 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
Bristol 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
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: Newport County (≈20 mi) · Plymouth County (≈24 mi) · Providence County (≈27 mi)
Cities, towns & townships
In Massachusetts, towns hold their own zoning and land-use authority, so the rules for a site in Bristol County often depend on which of these governments it falls in.
- Attleboro city
- Fall River city
- New Bedford city
- North Attleborough Town city
- Taunton city
- Acushnet townrules on file
- Berkley town
- Dartmouth townrules on file
- Dighton townrules on file
- Easton townrules on file
- Fairhaven townrules on file
- Freetown townrules on file
- Mansfield townrules on file
- Norton townrules on file
- Raynham townrules on file
- Rehoboth townrules on file
- Seekonk town
- Somerset townrules on file
- Swansea town
- Westport town
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- Bristol County, RI · ≈11 miB40—
- Newport County, RI · ≈20 miC46—
- Plymouth County · ≈24 miC44—
- Kent County, RI · ≈26 miC42—
- Providence County, RI · ≈27 miB35—
- Norfolk County · ≈29 miB41—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
Bristol County ranks #9 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.