Deuel County
Deuel County, South Dakota: solar permitting grade A (score 28/100, Low Risk). Score has been stable over the last 12 months. Primary-source ordinance and board-vote data on SitePath.
Public summary
| Grade | A · Low Risk · Score 28/100 |
| Population | 4,284 |
| 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
Deuel County is among the lower-risk jurisdictions in South Dakota for utility-scale solar development — ordinance conditions are favorable and permitting history is constructive.
Local intel
On file: named opposition groups
Cities, towns & townships
Local governments in Deuel County. An incorporated city, town or village can adopt its own zoning, separate from the county’s.
- Clear Lake city
- Gary city
- Altamont town
- Astoria town
- Brandt town
- Goodwin town
- Toronto town
- Altamont township
- Antelope Valley township
- Blom township
- Brandt township
- Clear Lake township
- Glenwood township
- Goodwin township
- Grange township
- Havana township
- Herrick township
- Hidewood township
- Lowe township
- Norden township
- Portland township
- Rome township
- Scandinavia township
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- Hamlin County · ≈25 miC42—
- Brookings County · ≈27 miC43—
- Codington County · ≈29 miB41—
- Grant County · ≈29 miB36—
- Lac qui Parle County, MN · ≈30 miB36—
- Lincoln County, MN · ≈32 miB36—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
Deuel County ranks #1 of 66 ranked South Dakota counties (1 = lowest permitting risk). Lowest-risk in South Dakota: Hutchinson County (A · 29), Walworth County (A · 29), 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.