Jefferson County
Jefferson County, Montana: solar permitting grade A (score 25/100, Low Risk). Score has been stable over the last 12 months. Primary-source ordinance and board-vote data on SitePath.
Public summary
| Grade | A · Low Risk · Score 25/100 |
| Population | 12,085 |
| Solar ordinance | Ordinance status documented in detail |
| Active moratorium | None on record |
| Regulatory trajectory | Improving (ordinance direction easing) |
| 12-month score movement | Stable |
| Last verified | 2026-05-02 |
Developer outlook
Jefferson County is among the lower-risk jurisdictions in Montana for utility-scale solar development — ordinance conditions are favorable and permitting history is constructive.
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: Silver Bow County (≈33 mi) · Madison County (≈56 mi) · Beaverhead County (≈80 mi)
Cities, towns & townships
Local governments in Jefferson County. An incorporated city, town or village can adopt its own zoning, separate from the county’s.
- Boulder city
- Whitehall town
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- Broadwater County · ≈30 miA25—
- Silver Bow County · ≈33 miB33—
- Deer Lodge County · ≈52 miB40—
- Madison County · ≈56 miB33—
- Gallatin County · ≈59 miD52—
- Meagher County · ≈63 miB32—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
Jefferson County ranks #1 of 56 ranked Montana counties (1 = lowest permitting risk). Lowest-risk in Montana: Broadwater County (A · 25), Garfield County (A · 26), Hill County (A · 27). See all Montana 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.