McKean County
McKean County, Pennsylvania: solar permitting grade D (score 61/100, 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 61/100 |
| Population | 39,604 |
| Solar ordinance | Active solar ordinance on the books |
| Active moratorium | None on record |
| Regulatory trajectory | Worsening (ordinance direction tightening) |
| 12-month score movement | Stable |
| Last verified | 2026-05-02 |
Developer outlook
McKean County is a high-risk jurisdiction for utility-scale solar — documented ordinance hurdles are significant and approval history is mixed or unfavorable.
Local intel
On file: named opposition groups
Cities, towns & townships
In Pennsylvania, townships hold their own zoning and land-use authority, so the rules for a site in McKean County often depend on which of these governments it falls in.
- Bradford city
- Eldred borough
- Kane borough
- Lewis Run borough
- Mount Jewett borough
- Port Allegany borough
- Smethport borough
- Annin township
- Bradford township
- Ceres township
- Corydon township
- Eldred township
- Foster township
- Hamilton township
- Hamlin township
- Keating township
- Lafayette township
- Liberty township
- Norwich township
- Otto township
- Sergeant township
- Wetmore township
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- Elk County · ≈27 miC49—
- Cattaraugus County, NY · ≈30 miD59—
- Cameron County · ≈32 miC50—
- Potter County · ≈35 miC50—
- Warren County · ≈38 miC49—
- Forest County · ≈41 miD52—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
McKean County ranks #62 of 67 ranked Pennsylvania counties (1 = lowest permitting risk). Lowest-risk in Pennsylvania: Montgomery County (B · 33), Monroe County (B · 35), Perry County (B · 36). See all Pennsylvania 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.