Brunswick County
Brunswick County, North Carolina: solar permitting grade B (score 34/100, 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 34/100 |
| Population | 142,820 |
| Solar ordinance | Active solar ordinance on the books |
| Active moratorium | None on record |
| Regulatory trajectory | Stable (no material ordinance movement) |
| 12-month score movement | Stable |
| Last verified | 2026-05-02 |
Developer outlook
Brunswick County presents moderate permitting risk; conditions are generally workable for utility-scale solar with standard due-diligence preparation.
Local intel
On file: named opposition groups
Cities, towns & townships
Local governments in Brunswick County. An incorporated city, town or village can adopt its own zoning, separate from the county’s.
- Boiling Spring Lakes city
- Northwest city
- Southport city
- Belville town
- Bolivia town
- Calabash town
- Carolina Shores town
- Caswell Beach town
- Holden Beach town
- Leland town
- Navassa town
- Oak Island town
- Ocean Isle Beach town
- Sandy Creek town
- Shallotte town
- St. James town
- Sunset Beach town
- Varnamtown town
- Bald Head Island village
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- New Hanover County · ≈23 miB35—
- Columbus County · ≈28 miC48—
- Pender County · ≈38 miB38—
- Bladen County · ≈42 miB41—
- Horry County, SC · ≈44 miD59—
- Duplin County · ≈64 miC50—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
Brunswick County ranks #5 of 100 ranked North Carolina counties (1 = lowest permitting risk). Lowest-risk in North Carolina: Iredell County (A · 28), Tyrrell County (B · 31), Cherokee County (B · 31). See all North Carolina 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.