Watonwan County
Watonwan 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 | 10,922 |
| 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
Watonwan 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
On file: energy-related meetings
- 2026-07-07Data Center#35 SW repair quote 10:00 Land Management Director David Haler - Data Center discussion 10:15 Public Works Director Michael McCarty - Motion approving… · agenda
Cities, towns & townships
Local governments in Watonwan County. An incorporated city, town or village can adopt its own zoning, separate from the county’s.
- Butterfield city
- Darfur city
- La Salle city
- Lewisville city
- Madelia city
- Odin city
- Ormsby citypartly in this county
- St. James city
- Adrian township
- Antrim township
- Butterfield township
- Fieldon township
- Long Lake township
- Madelia township
- Nelson township
- Odin township
- Riverdale township
- Rosendale township
- South Branch township
- St. James township
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- Brown County · ≈19 miB36—
- Martin County · ≈21 miB40—
- Blue Earth County · ≈28 miC43—
- Cottonwood County · ≈28 miB36—
- Nicollet County · ≈32 miD55—
- Jackson County · ≈34 miB35—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
Watonwan County ranks #27 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.