Hillsborough County
Hillsborough County, New Hampshire: solar permitting grade A (score 28/100, 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 28/100 |
| Population | 422,937 |
| 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
Hillsborough County is among the lower-risk jurisdictions in New Hampshire for utility-scale solar development — ordinance conditions are favorable and permitting history is constructive.
Local intel
On file: named opposition groups
Cities, towns & townships
In New Hampshire, towns hold their own zoning and land-use authority, so the rules for a site in Hillsborough County often depend on which of these governments it falls in.
- Manchester city
- Nashua city
- Amherst town
- Antrim town
- Bedford town
- Bennington town
- Brookline town
- Deering town
- Francestown town
- Goffstown town
- Greenfield town
- Greenville town
- Hancock town
- Hillsborough town
- Hollis town
- Hudson town
- Litchfield town
- Lyndeborough town
- Mason town
- Merrimack town
- Milford town
- Mont Vernon town
- New Boston town
- New Ipswich town
Show all
- Pelham town
- Peterborough town
- Sharon town
- Temple town
- Weare town
- Wilton town
- Windsor town
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- Cheshire County · ≈27 miB35—
- Merrimack County · ≈27 miB32—
- Rockingham County · ≈32 miB31—
- Middlesex County, MA · ≈34 miB33—
- Sullivan County · ≈40 miB38—
- Worcester County, MA · ≈43 miD59—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
Hillsborough County ranks #1 of 10 ranked New Hampshire counties (1 = lowest permitting risk). Lowest-risk in New Hampshire: Grafton County (B · 30), Rockingham County (B · 31), Strafford County (B · 31). See all New Hampshire 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.