Wadena County
Wadena County, Minnesota: solar permitting grade C (score 43/100, 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 43/100 |
| Population | 13,587 |
| 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
Wadena 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 Wadena County. An incorporated city, town or village can adopt its own zoning, separate from the county’s.
- Aldrich city
- Menahga city
- Nimrod city
- Sebeka city
- Staples citypartly in this county
- Verndale city
- Wadena citypartly in this county
- Aldrich township
- Blueberry township
- Bullard township
- Huntersville township
- Leaf River township
- Lyons township
- Meadow township
- North Germany township
- Orton township
- Red Eye township
- Rockwood township
- Shell River township
- Thomastown township
- Wadena township
- Wing River township
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- Hubbard County · ≈35 miB36—
- Todd County · ≈36 miA29—
- Otter Tail County · ≈37 miB36—
- Cass County · ≈40 miB36—
- Becker County · ≈43 miB35—
- Crow Wing County · ≈44 miB30—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
Wadena County ranks #71 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.