Strafford County
Strafford County, New Hampshire: solar permitting grade B (score 31/100, 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 31/100 |
| Population | 128,237 |
| 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
Strafford 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: York County (≈21 mi) · Carroll County (≈41 mi) · Hillsborough County (≈44 mi)
Cities, towns & townships
In New Hampshire, towns hold their own zoning and land-use authority, so the rules for a site in Strafford County often depend on which of these governments it falls in.
- Dover city
- Rochester city
- Somersworth city
- Barrington town
- Durham town
- Farmington town
- Lee town
- Madbury town
- Middleton town
- Milton town
- New Durham town
- Rollinsford town
- Strafford town
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- York County, ME · ≈21 miC46—
- Rockingham County · ≈21 miB31—
- Belknap County · ≈25 miB40—
- Merrimack County · ≈32 miB32—
- Carroll County · ≈41 miB39—
- Hillsborough County · ≈44 miA29—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
Strafford County ranks #4 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.