Davidson County
Davidson County, North Carolina: solar permitting grade F (score 100/100, Very High Risk). Active solar moratorium on record. Score has been stable over the last 12 months. Primary-source ordinance and board-vote data on SitePath.
Public summary
| Grade | F · Very High Risk · Score 100/100 |
| Population | 175,227 |
| Solar ordinance | Ordinance status documented in detail |
| Active moratorium | Yes — on record now |
| Regulatory trajectory | Worsening (ordinance direction tightening) |
| 12-month score movement | Stable |
| Last verified | 2026-05-02 |
Solar moratorium record
Yes — Davidson County, North Carolina has an active moratorium on utility-scale solar. It was adopted December 16, 2024 by a unanimous vote of the county board and runs through December 16, 2026. The county is not accepting new utility-scale solar applications while the moratorium is in force. Status verified 2026-05-02.
Primary sources & coverage
- Official county documentMinutes of the Special Board of Commissioners Meeting, Davidson County, North Carolina — December 16, 2024…December 16, 2024
- News coverageDavidson County approves moratorium on solar farms over concernsyahoo.com (syndicated FOX8/WGHP) · December 17, 2024
- News coverageCommissioners to consider a 1-year moratorium on applications for solar farmsdavidsonlocal.com · December 13, 2024
- Board recordBoard agenda — Davidson County Board of Commissioners (Special Meeting / legislative public hearing)…December 16, 2024
The full record — every source document, board vote history, ordinance text analysis, and expiration tracking — is in the county profile. Open the Davidson County profile →
Developer outlook
Davidson County currently has an active utility-scale solar moratorium. The county is not accepting new solar applications. Monitor the county board for moratorium review, extension, or expiration.
Local intel
On file: energy-related meetings · named opposition groups
- 2026-10-06Data CenterPlanning Board discussed a data center project · agenda
Cities, towns & townships
Local governments in Davidson County. An incorporated city, town or village can adopt its own zoning, separate from the county’s.
- High Point city
- Lexington city
- Thomasville city
- Denton town
- Midway town
- Wallburg town
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- Rowan County · ≈21 miD63—
- Davie County · ≈21 miC45—
- Randolph County · ≈23 miC48—
- Forsyth County · ≈23 miC49—
- Guilford County · ≈31 miB40—
- Stanly County · ≈34 miB40—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
Davidson County ranks #99 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.