Sussex County
Sussex County, New Jersey: solar permitting grade C (score 52/100, Elevated Risk). Score has been stable over the last 12 months. Primary-source ordinance and board-vote data on SitePath.
Public summary
| Grade | C · Elevated Risk · Score 52/100 |
| Population | 144,221 |
| Solar ordinance | No specific solar ordinance recorded |
| Active moratorium | None on record |
| Regulatory trajectory | Stable (no material ordinance movement) |
| 12-month score movement | Stable |
| Last verified | 2026-05-02 |
Developer outlook
Sussex County carries elevated permitting risk. Developers should budget additional time for ordinance review, public hearing preparation, and community engagement. New Jersey'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
- 2026-06-10Data CenterThe Andover Township Committee voted unanimously to ban data centers in the township. · agenda
Cities, towns & townships
In New Jersey, townships hold their own zoning and land-use authority, so the rules for a site in Sussex County often depend on which of these governments it falls in.
- Newton town
- Andover borough
- Branchville borough
- Franklin borough
- Hamburg borough
- Hopatcong borough
- Ogdensburg borough
- Stanhope borough
- Sussex borough
- Andover township
- Byram township
- Frankford township
- Fredon township
- Green township
- Hampton township
- Hardyston township
- Lafayette township
- Montague township
- Sandyston township
- Sparta township
- Stillwater township
- Vernon township
- Walpack township
- Wantage township
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- Morris County · ≈21 miB39—
- Passaic County · ≈22 miB35—
- Pike County, PA · ≈22 miC42—
- Warren County · ≈26 miD53—
- Orange County, NY · ≈27 miB40—
- Essex County · ≈34 miB40—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
Sussex County ranks #19 of 21 ranked New Jersey counties (1 = lowest permitting risk). Lowest-risk in New Jersey: Somerset County (B · 33), Union County (B · 33), Burlington County (B · 33). See all New Jersey 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.