Lorain County
Lorain County, Ohio: solar permitting grade C (score 42/100, 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 42/100 |
| Population | 309,833 |
| Solar ordinance | Ordinance status documented in detail |
| Active moratorium | None on record |
| Regulatory trajectory | Stable (no material ordinance movement) |
| 12-month score movement | Stable |
| Last verified | 2026-05-02 |
Developer outlook
Lorain County carries elevated permitting risk. Developers should budget additional time for ordinance review, public hearing preparation, and community engagement.
Local intel
On file: named opposition groups
Cities, towns & townships
Local governments in Lorain County. An incorporated city, town or village can adopt its own zoning, separate from the county’s.
- Amherst city
- Avon Lake city
- Avon city
- Elyria city
- Lorain city
- North Ridgeville city
- Oberlin city
- Sheffield Lake city
- Vermilion citypartly in this county
- Grafton village
- Kipton village
- LaGrange village
- Rochester village
- Sheffield village
- South Amherst village
- Wellington village
- Amherst township
- Brighton township
- Brownhelm township
- Camden township
- Carlisle township
- Columbia township
- Eaton township
- Elyria township
Show all
- Grafton township
- Henrietta township
- Huntington township
- LaGrange township
- New Russia township
- Penfield township
- Pittsfield township
- Rochester township
- Sheffield township
- Wellington township
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- Erie County · ≈20 miD52—
- Medina County · ≈27 miD57—
- Huron County · ≈30 miC46—
- Cuyahoga County · ≈32 miD60—
- Summit County · ≈40 miB38—
- Ashland County · ≈41 miC44—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
Lorain County ranks #8 of 88 ranked Ohio counties (1 = lowest permitting risk). Lowest-risk in Ohio: Tuscarawas County (B · 36), Vinton County (B · 36), Hamilton County (B · 37). See all Ohio 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.