Jackson County
Jackson County, Minnesota: 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 | 10,049 |
| 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. Minnesota'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: Dickinson County (≈20 mi) · Nobles County (≈31 mi) · Emmet County (≈32 mi)
Cities, towns & townships
Local governments in Jackson County. An incorporated city, town or village can adopt its own zoning, separate from the county’s.
- Alpha city
- Heron Lake city
- Jackson city
- Lakefield city
- Okabena city
- Wilder city
- Alba township
- Belmont township
- Christiania township
- Delafield township
- Des Moines township
- Enterprise township
- Ewington township
- Heron Lake township
- Hunter township
- Kimball township
- La Crosse township
- Middletown township
- Minneota township
- Petersburg township
- Rost township
- Round Lake township
- Sioux Valley township
- Weimer township
Show all
- West Heron Lake township
- Wisconsin township
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- Dickinson County, IA · ≈20 miD56—
- Cottonwood County · ≈23 miB36—
- Martin County · ≈31 miB40—
- Nobles County · ≈31 miC49—
- Emmet County, IA · ≈32 miB36—
- Osceola County, IA · ≈32 miB41—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
Jackson County ranks #13 of 87 ranked Minnesota counties (1 = lowest permitting risk). Lowest-risk in Minnesota: Ramsey County (A · 26), Hennepin County (A · 27), Rock County (A · 28). See all Minnesota 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.