Clay County
Clay County, South Dakota: solar permitting grade B (score 41/100, 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 41/100 |
| Population | 14,826 |
| 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
Clay County presents moderate permitting risk; conditions are generally workable for utility-scale solar with standard due-diligence preparation.
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: Yankton County (≈22 mi) · Lincoln County (≈28 mi) · Sioux County (≈42 mi)
Cities, towns & townships
Local governments in Clay County. An incorporated city, town or village can adopt its own zoning, separate from the county’s.
- Irene city
- Vermillion city
- Wakonda town
- Bethel township
- Fairview township
- Garfield township
- Glenwood township
- Meckling township
- Norway township
- Pleasant Valley township
- Prairie Center township
- Riverside township
- Spirit Mound township
- Star township
- Vermillion township
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- Union County · ≈18 miB41—
- Yankton County · ≈22 miB34—
- Cedar County, NE · ≈26 miB40—
- Lincoln County · ≈28 miB35—
- Turner County · ≈29 miC42—
- Dixon County, NE · ≈30 miB40—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
Clay County ranks #32 of 66 ranked South Dakota counties (1 = lowest permitting risk). Lowest-risk in South Dakota: Deuel County (A · 28), Walworth County (B · 30), Aurora County (B · 30). See all South Dakota 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.