Lincoln County
Lincoln County, Minnesota: solar permitting grade B (score 36/100, 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 36/100 |
| Population | 5,443 |
| 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
Lincoln 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: Brookings County (≈26 mi) · Pipestone County (≈27 mi) · Deuel County (≈32 mi)
Cities, towns & townships
Local governments in Lincoln County. An incorporated city, town or village can adopt its own zoning, separate from the county’s.
- Arco city
- Hendricks city
- Ivanhoe city
- Lake Benton city
- Tyler city
- Alta Vista township
- Ash Lake township
- Diamond Lake township
- Drammen township
- Hansonville township
- Hendricks township
- Hope township
- Lake Benton township
- Lake Stay township
- Limestone township
- Marble township
- Marshfield township
- Royal township
- Shaokatan township
- Verdi township
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- Lyon County · ≈21 miC47—
- Brookings County, SD · ≈26 miC43—
- Pipestone County · ≈27 miC42—
- Yellow Medicine County · ≈29 miC43—
- Deuel County, SD · ≈32 miA28—
- Moody County, SD · ≈34 miC42—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
Lincoln County ranks #35 of 87 ranked Minnesota counties (1 = lowest permitting risk). Lowest-risk in Minnesota: Ramsey County (A · 26), Hennepin County (A · 27), Saint Louis 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.