Northumberland County
Northumberland County, Pennsylvania: solar permitting grade B (score 37/100, Moderate Risk). Score has been stable over the last 12 months. Primary-source ordinance and board-vote data on SitePath.
Public summary
| Grade | B · Moderate Risk · Score 37/100 |
| Population | 90,843 |
| Solar ordinance | Active solar ordinance on the books |
| Active moratorium | None on record |
| Regulatory trajectory | Stable (no material ordinance movement) |
| 12-month score movement | Stable |
| Last verified | 2026-05-02 |
Developer outlook
Northumberland County presents moderate permitting risk; conditions are generally workable for utility-scale solar with standard due-diligence preparation.
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 Northumberland County often depend on which of these governments it falls in.
- Shamokin city
- Sunbury city
- Herndon borough
- Kulpmont borough
- Marion Heights borough
- McEwensville borough
- Milton borough
- Mount Carmel borough
- Northumberland borough
- Riverside borough
- Snydertown borough
- Turbotville borough
- Watsontown borough
- Coal township
- Delaware township
- East Cameron township
- East Chillisquaque township
- Jackson township
- Jordan township
- Lewis township
- Little Mahanoy township
- Lower Augusta township
- Lower Mahanoy township
- Mount Carmel township
Show all
- Point township
- Ralpho township
- Rockefeller township
- Rush township
- Shamokin township
- Turbot township
- Upper Augusta township
- Upper Mahanoy township
- Washington township
- West Cameron township
- West Chillisquaque township
- Zerbe township
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- Montour County · ≈13 miD59—
- Union County · ≈20 miC47—
- Snyder County · ≈20 miC48—
- Columbia County · ≈21 miC46—
- Schuylkill County · ≈28 miD61—
- Dauphin County · ≈31 miB41—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
Northumberland County ranks #6 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.