Burke County
Burke County, North Carolina: solar permitting grade C (score 43/100, 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 43/100 |
| Population | 89,712 |
| 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
Burke County carries elevated permitting risk. Developers should budget additional time for ordinance review, public hearing preparation, and community engagement.
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: Caldwell County (≈18 mi) · Catawba County (≈28 mi) · Cleveland County (≈30 mi)
Cities, towns & townships
Local governments in Burke County. An incorporated city, town or village can adopt its own zoning, separate from the county’s.
- Hickory city
- Morganton city
- Connelly Springs town
- Drexel town
- Glen Alpine town
- Hildebran town
- Long View town
- Rhodhiss town
- Rutherford College town
- Valdese town
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- Caldwell County · ≈18 miB39—
- McDowell County · ≈20 miB40—
- Avery County · ≈26 miB38—
- Rutherford County · ≈27 miC50—
- Catawba County · ≈28 miC51—
- Cleveland County · ≈30 miD64—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
Burke County ranks #48 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.