Nobles County
Nobles County, Minnesota: solar permitting grade C (score 46/100, Elevated Risk). Score has been stable over the last 12 months. Primary-source ordinance and board-vote data on SitePath.
Public summary
| Grade | C · Elevated Risk · Score 46/100 |
| Population | 21,836 |
| 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
Nobles County carries elevated permitting risk. Developers should budget additional time for ordinance review, public hearing preparation, and community engagement. Minnesota'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
Local governments in Nobles County. An incorporated city, town or village can adopt its own zoning, separate from the county’s.
- Adrian city
- Bigelow city
- Brewster city
- Dundee city
- Ellsworth city
- Kinbrae city
- Lismore city
- Round Lake city
- Rushmore city
- Wilmont city
- Worthington city
- Bigelow township
- Bloom township
- Dewald township
- Elk township
- Graham Lakes township
- Grand Prairie township
- Hersey township
- Indian Lake township
- Larkin township
- Leota township
- Lismore township
- Little Rock township
- Lorain township
Show all
- Olney township
- Ransom township
- Seward township
- Summit Lake township
- Westside township
- Wilmont township
- Worthington township
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- Osceola County, IA · ≈22 miB39—
- Murray County · ≈23 miC43—
- Rock County · ≈25 miA28—
- Lyon County, IA · ≈30 miB30—
- Jackson County · ≈31 miB35—
- Pipestone County · ≈34 miC42—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
Nobles County ranks #80 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.