Richmond County
Richmond County, North Carolina: solar permitting grade D (score 54/100, 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 54/100 |
| Population | 44,829 |
| 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
Richmond County is a high-risk jurisdiction for utility-scale solar — documented ordinance hurdles are significant and approval history is mixed or unfavorable. 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: Anson County (≈21 mi) · Moore County (≈26 mi) · Chesterfield County (≈34 mi)
Cities, towns & townships
Local governments in Richmond County. An incorporated city, town or village can adopt its own zoning, separate from the county’s.
- Hamlet city
- Rockingham city
- Dobbins Heights town
- Ellerbe town
- Hoffman town
- Norman town
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- Scotland County · ≈19 miD54—
- Anson County · ≈21 miC48—
- Montgomery County · ≈25 miC49—
- Moore County · ≈26 miC43—
- Marlboro County, SC · ≈28 miB37—
- Hoke County · ≈29 miC48—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
Richmond County ranks #85 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.