Suffolk County
Suffolk County, New York: solar permitting grade D (score 55/100, High Risk). Score has been stable over the last 12 months. Primary-source ordinance and board-vote data on SitePath.
Public summary
| Grade | D · High Risk · Score 55/100 |
| Population | 1,543,064 |
| 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
Suffolk County is a high-risk jurisdiction for utility-scale solar — documented ordinance hurdles are significant and approval history is mixed or unfavorable. New York'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: named opposition groups
Cities, towns & townships
In New York, towns hold their own zoning and land-use authority, so the rules for a site in Suffolk County often depend on which of these governments it falls in.
- Babylon town
- Brookhaven town
- East Hampton town
- Huntington town
- Islip town
- Riverhead town
- Shelter Island town
- Smithtown town
- Southampton town
- Southold town
- Amityville village
- Asharoken village
- Babylon village
- Belle Terre village
- Bellport village
- Brightwaters village
- Dering Harbor village
- East Hampton village
- Greenport village
- Head of the Harbor village
- Huntington Bay village
- Islandia village
- Lake Grove village
- Lindenhurst village
Show all
- Lloyd Harbor village
- Nissequogue village
- North Haven village
- Northport village
- Ocean Beach village
- Old Field village
- Patchogue village
- Poquott village
- Port Jefferson village
- Quogue village
- Sag Harbor village
- Sagaponack village
- Saltaire village
- Shoreham village
- Southampton village
- Village of the Branch village
- West Hampton Dunes village
- Westhampton Beach village
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- New Haven County, CT · ≈30 miC43—
- Middlesex County, CT · ≈35 miB36—
- Fairfield County, CT · ≈40 miB34—
- New London County, CT · ≈48 miB41—
- Nassau County · ≈49 miC44—
- Westchester County · ≈57 miB34—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
Suffolk County ranks #55 of 62 ranked New York counties (1 = lowest permitting risk). Lowest-risk in New York: Bronx County (A · 28), Saratoga County (B · 30), Queens County (B · 30). See all New York 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.