Houghton County
Houghton County, Michigan: solar permitting grade B (score 35/100, 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 35/100 |
| Population | 37,929 |
| Solar ordinance | No specific solar ordinance recorded |
| Active moratorium | None on record |
| Regulatory trajectory | Stable (no material ordinance movement) |
| 12-month score movement | Stable |
| Last verified | 2026-05-02 |
Developer outlook
Houghton County presents moderate permitting risk; conditions are generally workable for utility-scale solar with standard due-diligence preparation. Michigan's state RPS policy provides a supportive macro backdrop for renewables, even where individual county ordinances are restrictive.
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: Cook County (≈85 mi) · Iron County (≈89 mi) · Forest County (≈92 mi)
Cities, towns & townships
In Michigan, townships hold their own zoning and land-use authority, so the rules for a site in Houghton County often depend on which of these governments it falls in.
- Hancock city
- Houghton city
- Calumet village
- Copper City village
- Lake Linden village
- Laurium village
- South Range village
- Adams township
- Calumet charter township
- Chassell township
- Duncan township
- Elm River township
- Franklin township
- Hancock township
- Laird township
- Osceola township
- Portage charter township
- Quincy township
- Schoolcraft township
- Stanton township
- Torch Lake township
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- Baraga County · ≈25 miB35—
- Ontonagon County · ≈43 miB36—
- Keweenaw County · ≈53 miB36—
- Marquette County · ≈56 miB38—
- Iron County · ≈57 miB35—
- Gogebic County · ≈64 miB35—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
Houghton County ranks #27 of 83 ranked Michigan counties (1 = lowest permitting risk). Lowest-risk in Michigan: Macomb County (A · 28), Oakland County (A · 29), Washtenaw County (B · 31). See all Michigan 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.