Wright County
Wright County, Minnesota: solar permitting grade B (score 41/100, 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 41/100 |
| Population | 148,199 |
| 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
Wright 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. Market saturation is elevated in this area — expect competition for prime land parcels and interconnection capacity.
Local intel
On file: energy-related meetings · named opposition groups
- 2026-08-25Data CenterData Center Moratorium Workgroup provided an update on their first meeting. · agenda
- 2026-08-13SolarPlanning Commission approved a modification to a previously approved solar energy farm · agenda
- 2026-08-11Data Center12:30 PM DATA CENTER MORATORIUM WORKGROUP UPDATE 6. 12:40 P.M. · agenda
Cities, towns & townships
Local governments in Wright County. An incorporated city, town or village can adopt its own zoning, separate from the county’s.
- Albertville city
- Annandale city
- Buffalo city
- Clearwater citypartly in this county
- Cokato city
- Dayton citypartly in this county
- Delano city
- Hanover citypartly in this county
- Howard Lake city
- Maple Lake city
- Monticello city
- Montrose city
- Otsego city
- Rockford citypartly in this county
- South Haven city
- St. Michael city
- Waverly city
- Albion township
- Buffalo township
- Chatham township
- Clearwater township
- Cokato township
- Corinna township
- Franklin township
Show all
- French Lake township
- Maple Lake township
- Marysville township
- Middleville township
- Monticello township
- Rockford township
- Silver Creek township
- Southside township
- Stockholm township
- Victor township
- Woodland township
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- Sherburne County · ≈21 miC45—
- Carver County · ≈26 miD56—
- Hennepin County · ≈27 miA27—
- Meeker County · ≈28 miC49—
- McLeod County · ≈29 miB35—
- Anoka County · ≈36 miB31—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
Wright County ranks #58 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.