Craven County
Craven County, North Carolina: solar permitting grade C (score 47/100, 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 47/100 |
| Population | 103,505 |
| Solar ordinance | Active, restrictive solar ordinance |
| Active moratorium | None on record |
| Regulatory trajectory | Stable (no material ordinance movement) |
| 12-month score movement | Stable |
| Last verified | 2026-05-02 |
Developer outlook
Craven County carries elevated permitting risk. Developers should budget additional time for ordinance review, public hearing preparation, and community engagement. Market saturation is elevated in this area — expect competition for prime land parcels and interconnection capacity.
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: Pamlico County (≈24 mi) · Beaufort County (≈29 mi) · Lenoir County (≈33 mi)
Cities, towns & townships
Local governments in Craven County. An incorporated city, town or village can adopt its own zoning, separate from the county’s.
- Havelock city
- New Bern city
- Bridgeton town
- Cove City town
- Dover town
- River Bend town
- Trent Woods town
- Vanceboro town
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- Jones County · ≈17 miC50—
- Pamlico County · ≈24 miB35—
- Beaufort County · ≈29 miB40—
- Lenoir County · ≈33 miC50—
- Onslow County · ≈34 miB38—
- Carteret County · ≈36 miB35—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
Craven County ranks #56 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.