Hampshire County
Hampshire County, Massachusetts: solar permitting grade B (score 34/100, 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 34/100 |
| Population | 160,830 |
| Solar ordinance | Active solar ordinance on the books |
| Active moratorium | None on record |
| Regulatory trajectory | Improving (ordinance direction easing) |
| 12-month score movement | Stable |
| Last verified | 2026-05-02 |
Developer outlook
Hampshire 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 Hampshire County often depend on which of these governments it falls in.
- Amherst Town cityrules on file
- Easthampton Town city
- Northampton city
- Belchertown town
- Chesterfield town
- Cummington town
- Goshen town
- Granby townrules on file
- Hadley townrules on file
- Hatfield townrules on file
- Huntington town
- Middlefield town
- Pelham town
- Plainfield townrules on file
- South Hadley town
- Southampton townrules on file
- Ware town
- Westhampton townrules on file
- Williamsburg townrules on file
- Worthington town
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- Hampden County · ≈14 miB40—
- Franklin County · ≈17 miC49—
- Berkshire County · ≈28 miB39—
- Worcester County · ≈37 miD60—
- Hartford County, CT · ≈37 miC42—
- Tolland County, CT · ≈37 miC47—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
Hampshire County ranks #2 of 14 ranked Massachusetts counties (1 = lowest permitting risk). Lowest-risk in Massachusetts: Middlesex County (B · 34), Suffolk County (B · 35), Nantucket County (B · 38). 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.