Jackson County
Jackson County, Michigan: solar permitting grade B (score 40/100, 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 40/100 |
| Population | 161,321 |
| Solar ordinance | Active solar ordinance on the books |
| Active moratorium | None on record |
| Regulatory trajectory | Stable (no material ordinance movement) |
| 12-month score movement | Stable |
| Last verified | 2026-05-02 |
Developer outlook
Jackson 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
On file: named opposition groups
Cities, towns & townships
In Michigan, townships hold their own zoning and land-use authority, so the rules for a site in Jackson County often depend on which of these governments it falls in.
- Jackson city
- Brooklyn village
- Cement City village
- Concord village
- Grass Lake village
- Hanover village
- Parma village
- Springport village
- Blackman charter township
- Columbia township
- Concord township
- Grass Lake charter township
- Hanover township
- Henrietta township
- Leoni township
- Liberty township
- Napoleon township
- Norvell township
- Parma township
- Pulaski township
- Rives township
- Sandstone township
- Spring Arbor township
- Springport township
Show all
- Summit township
- Tompkins township
- Waterloo township
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- Ingham County · ≈25 miC43—
- Hillsdale County · ≈29 miB34—
- Washtenaw County · ≈29 miB31—
- Calhoun County · ≈30 miC49—
- Lenawee County · ≈30 miC51—
- Eaton County · ≈32 miB40—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
Jackson County ranks #64 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.