Sampson County
Sampson 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 | 64,195 |
| 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
Sampson 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: Duplin County (≈25 mi) · Cumberland County (≈26 mi) · Bladen County (≈29 mi)
Cities, towns & townships
Local governments in Sampson County. An incorporated city, town or village can adopt its own zoning, separate from the county’s.
- Clinton city
- Autryville town
- Faison townpartly in this county
- Falcon townpartly in this county
- Garland town
- Harrells townpartly in this county
- Newton Grove town
- Roseboro town
- Salemburg town
- Turkey town
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- Duplin County · ≈25 miC50—
- Cumberland County · ≈26 miC50—
- Bladen County · ≈29 miB41—
- Wayne County · ≈33 miC50—
- Johnston County · ≈36 miC48—
- Harnett County · ≈38 miC43—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
Sampson County ranks #58 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.