Merrimack County
Merrimack County, New Hampshire: solar permitting grade B (score 32/100, 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 32/100 |
| Population | 154,793 |
| 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
Merrimack County presents moderate permitting risk; conditions are generally workable for utility-scale solar with standard due-diligence preparation.
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: Hillsborough County (≈27 mi) · Carroll County (≈46 mi) · Windsor County (≈50 mi)
Cities, towns & townships
In New Hampshire, towns hold their own zoning and land-use authority, so the rules for a site in Merrimack County often depend on which of these governments it falls in.
- Concord city
- Franklin city
- Allenstown town
- Andover town
- Boscawen town
- Bow town
- Bradford town
- Canterbury town
- Chichester town
- Danbury town
- Dunbarton town
- Epsom town
- Henniker town
- Hill town
- Hooksett town
- Hopkinton town
- Loudon town
- New London town
- Newbury town
- Northfield town
- Pembroke town
- Pittsfield town
- Salisbury town
- Sutton town
Show all
- Warner town
- Webster town
- Wilmot town
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- Belknap County · ≈20 miB40—
- Hillsborough County · ≈27 miA29—
- Sullivan County · ≈28 miB38—
- Strafford County · ≈32 miB31—
- Rockingham County · ≈36 miB31—
- Cheshire County · ≈39 miB35—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
Merrimack County ranks #5 of 10 ranked New Hampshire counties (1 = lowest permitting risk). Lowest-risk in New Hampshire: Hillsborough County (A · 29), Grafton County (B · 30), Rockingham 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.